The landscape of the Western Lacrosse Association changed dramatically this week with a blockbuster trade between the Coquitlam Adanacs and Maple Ridge Burrards.
The new-look Adanacs (2-6) cross the strait for a game tonight at The Q Centre against the Victoria Shamrocks.
The Adanacs will be without 2019 WLA first overall draft pick Chris Del Bianco, considered the goaltender of the future in the sport after backstopping the Calgary Roughnecks to the pro National Lacrosse League championship this spring.
The Adanacs dealt Del Bianco and the playing rights for Wes Berg, Alex Bohl and Brett Kajala to Maple Ridge for the Burrards’ first-round draft picks in 2020 and 2022 and the rights to Chase McIntyre and Ryan Johnson and future considerations.
It’s much like lending out a player on loan in soccer. The Del Bianco deal is for this season only and he will return to the Adanacs next season. It’s a good deal for a rebuilding Coquitlam team, which appears to be going nowhere this season.
For Maple Ridge, the future is clearly now.
“Maple Ridge is all in and is now the team with the target on its back,” said Shamrocks head coach Bob Heyes.
The Victoria skipper said the Shamrocks were “kicking the tires” with Del Bianco as well for this season.
“We had four [Shamrocks] players who played with Del Bianco on the Roughnecks in the NLL and they get chattering . . . but Maple Ridge and Coquitlam were working on this deal for a long time,” said Heyes.
The Adanacs went out and won their first game after the deal, beating Langley 10-7 with Andrew Gallant in goal. It should be noted, however, the Thunder are also 2-6.
Heyes warned the Shamrocks can ill-afford to take tonight’s opponent lightly, especially with Victoria scoring-star and WLA-player-of-the-week Jesse King across the Pacific tonight to help the Hong Kong national team prepare.
“We’re only 3-4,” said Heyes, making the only point that perhaps needs to be made.
“Coquitlam is a hard-working team. And what’s that term the media uses — trap games?”
Meanwhile, transition standout Steve Priolo and 2018 NLL defensive player of the year Graeme Hossack are the two Shamrocks named to the Canadian team long-list this week for the 2019 world box-lacrosse championship in September at the Langley Events Centre.
Forget the long-list, said Heyes: “Those two are shoo-ins to be on the Canadian team.”
