CALGARY, AB — The Calgary Roughnecks roster saw quite a few changes in the off-season.
All of the faces, new and old, will gather for training camp on November 27th.
Here are five players to watch at training camp:
1) Tyson Roe: The massive 6’10” transition player, who spent the entire 2015 season on the practice squad, will be looking to make the Roughnecks roster this season. He spent the summer with the Nanaimo Timbermen, where he registered two goals and two assists in 14 games. The Duncan, BC. native also played for Team England at the World Indoor Lacrosse Championship, where he scored a couple big goals in transition and added five assists. He will have a lot to prove, but with his combination of size and speed, he’ll be in the mix for a roster spot.
2) Wesley Berg: While all of the rookies will be worth keeping an eye on, there is no one worth following more than No. 4 pick Wesley Berg. The 6’1” righty will be looking to make an immediate impact on the right side of the offence. It will be interesting to see how quickly he and fellow righties Curtis Dickson and Tyler Digby can gain chemistry. Having scored 188 goals (a school record) in four seasons at Denver University, Berg is known for his ability to find the back of the net. He will be expected to do just that with the Roughnecks. Should he have a strong camp, he could enter the year as the third right-hander for Calgary.
3) Tor Reinholdt: A 2013 first round pick of the Roughnecks, Reinholdt will be looking to finally make a permanent jump from the practice squad to the active roster. After playing in nine games in 2014, he saw his playing drop to only a single game. In that lone game, Reinholdt assisted on one goal and scooped five loose balls. In the summer, he played with the Rockyview Knights of the Rocky Mountain Lacrosse League, where he was an offensive weapon in leading the team to the President’s Cup. Although he played in a scoring role with the Knights, he will likely play in more of a transition/defensive role with the Roughnecks. He has the versatility and grit to be effective in any role, so keep an eye on him.
4) Frankie Scigliano: Having spent the first three years of his NLL career primarily as the back-up to Mike Poulin, Scigliano was given the chance to take hold of the starters job in 2015. Entering the 2016 season with the assumption that he will be the starting goaltender, all eyes will be on him. He finished the 2015 season with a 6-6 record and a 11.12 GAA. While not exemplary, he routinely showed that he can make big saves, keep the Roughnecks in the game, and give them a chance to win. Scigliano will be a player worth watching as he will be looking to take a step forward and become the guy between the pipes for Calgary.
5) Garrett McIntosh: In a similar scenario to that of Reinholdt, McIntosh saw his playing time drop from 18 games in 2014 to 10 games in 2015. With the departures of Jeff Moleski and Andrew McBride and the uncertainty surrounding Geoff Snider, there are openings for players on the team who can play defence and take faceoffs – McIntosh is one of those guys, though he is only 27-67 lifetime taking draws in the NLL. It will be worth keeping an eye on how he progresses throughout the pre-season as to whether or not he is a viable option in the faceoff circle. The 6’3” defender will not solely be using his ability to take faceoffs as a way to make the team, but he will be trying to fill the void left on defence.
While there are others that will standout, these fives have compelling storylines that will make them an ideal group to follow.
