Chris Gill
Dan Stroup
These four players combined for 82 goals last season. Had AJ Shannon not been injured, his projected full-season stats bring that total to 87 goals.
NLL television analyst Brian Shanahan, who announced several Rush games last season, offers his take on the acquisitions. "I think that the Rush have addressed their biggest weakness - a lack of scoring punch, especially on the power play - in a big way. All four of these guys are power play specialists and proven scorers. If the Rush can still continue to play with the effort that they showed last year - these guys should make a difference that will allow them to win some of those close games that they lost last year. The Rush are definitely moving in the right direction".
Playing for the second-year Rush will be a big change for all four players, especially Gill and Stroup, teammates on the 2006 Champion's Cup winning Colorado Mammoth. Gill, entering his eleventh pro season, has won three championships in his career.
"Initially I was blown away that I got picked by Chicago in this year's expansion draft, I wasn't expecting that", said Gill. "A few hours later, there's a phone call telling me I'm being traded from Chicago to Edmonton. I went from championship to expansion to a 1-15 team. I was like, is this a dream? But as a player in this league, you know it's a business, and you do what you have to do."
Gill will miss his Mammoth teammates, but is excited about the task at hand. "It's a great organization they've put together in Edmonton. We played their last season, and they put on a really good show for the fans and did all the right things from what I saw."
The 34 year-old Gill is hardly content with what has already been an impressive playing career. "Dan (Stroup) and I still want to win more than ever. I've talked to Paul (Day, Rush GM/Head Coach), and I'm excited about the season. I'm hoping to continue to produce on offense and provide some veteran leadership for this team", said Gill. "I want to come into camp in good shape, prove I'm not over the hill".
Stroup, 37, is also entering his eleventh season, with four league championships on his resume. Edmonton will mark the fourth team that he and Gill have been teammates on in their pro careers. Both were taken by Chicago in this year's expansion draft and then promptly traded to Edmonton. "I too was shocked at first, but got over the events quickly and I'm up for the new challenge", said Stroup, who is familiar with several parts of his new team. In addition to years of teaming with Gill in the NLL, he's played alongside Wulder, and even the head coach himself. "Paul (Day) and I were teammates in 1990 in Vancouver", said Stroup, referring to their time playing summer lacrosse in Canada's Western Lacrosse Association (WLA).
Both Stroup and Gill felt that last year's Rush was a hard-working team that was in just about every game they played. "They lost a handful of games by a goal or two", said Stroup. "I'm hoping that myself and the other guys they've brought in can chip in and help turn some of those close losses into wins."
