He's done it before in Toronto and Vancouver, but it's still a thrill.

For the third time in his illustrious NLL career, Chris Gill will wear the mark of a leader. Just prior to an autograph session at United Cycle on Friday, Edmonton Rush GM/Head Coach Paul Day presented Gill with his team jersey bearing the Assistant Captain's 'A'. Also on hand was fellow Rush Assistant Captain Jamey Bowen and teamate Jimmy Quinlan.

"It's a big honour," said Gill. "I like to think that I'm a leader by example. I'm not a big talker in the dressing room because sometimes guys who talk a lot, after a while they get tuned out. It's really good to have guys who are quiet and vocal and to have those variations in your leaders."

Much of Gill's leadership skills have been honed over 10 years and 140 games in the NLL and the experience gained over that time is now Gill's to pass on to the Rush's young stars.

Gill, who has 443 career regular-season points coming into the 2007 season, is anxious to get down to the business of leading the Rush to their first home-floor win in franchise history - a challenge that comes Saturday night when the Philadelphia Wings visit Rexall Place for the first time. The firefighter from Pitt Meadows, B.C., is also eager to work closely with Bowen, Quinlan and Rush Captain Andrew Turner.

"Andrew's a former Defensive Player of the Year and he's such a presence," Gill said. "When the other team takes the floor they know exactly what they're up against with him. He brings it every practice and every game.

"Bo I know from when we played together with the Vancouver Ravens and also from when we played junior in Coquitlam. He can make such phenomenal plays that he gets the whole team pumped up. He doesn't talk a lot but when he does he's the guy who reasons everything out in the dressing room. He's the godfather.

"Jimmy is definitely the hometown guy and you need a really vocal guy on every team. And every team needs a class clown."