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6 in 6: Dartmouth Bandits
2015-03-30
After a disappointing third place finish in 2014, the up-start Bandits will be looking for a finals birth in 2015. READ MORE for a preview of the Dartmouth Bandits.
6 Teams in 6 Weeks ECJLL Preview
Next up: Dartmouth Bandits
March 30, 2015
Colin Beiswanger
Any season in which the Bandits aren’t a finals team can be considered a disappointing one, at least that was the premise of my conversation with Head Coach Mitch Hannigan.
Last year’s third place finish can be improved upon, with new addition Ryan Daley providing toughness and goal-scoring capability to an already stacked offence. The Bandits had 9 of the Top 25 scoring leaders from last year, of which all but one will be returning for the 2015 season.
This team has a substantial influence from the Eastern Shore Breakers organization with star players Breton Penney, Greg Nussey, and Justin Graham all contributing to the team. Considering the acquisition of Daley, the Bandits have a solid Eastern Shore core that will only gel more heading into the 2015 season.
Offseason
Offseason transactions:
The Bandits were relatively quiet with their offseason moves. The acquisition of Daley was a large piece of the puzzle, especially in hoping to replace their team captain Connor Lebans. Daley was 17th in scoring with 27 points (12 goals, 15 assists) in 2014 and had 29 goals in 2013. Coach Hannigan is hoping he will be getting the 2013 Daley, especially considering he will be reunited with his Eastern Shore Breakers and Team Nova Scotia teammates.
Graduating Players
The Bandits are the second team to lose a team captain, with Connor Lebans leaving the team as an over-ager. The Bandits are also losing stay-at-home defenseman Logan Morris.
Aside from Lebans, the team is staying in tact for the most part. Look for the more experienced group to improve on their offensive output (133 goals) from last season.
Rookies and Young Impact Players
This season, the team will be welcoming Alex Bungay after leading the Bandits Midget team and Metro Minor League with 33 goals in 15 games. Alex is big and physical, and will be able to contribute right away on offence and in particular on defence, considering the loss of defensive leader Logan Morris.
In the MMLL Entry Draft Hannigan went with a familiar face, taking Jacob Boudreau 5th overall. Jacob was a hot-topic of conversation for a couple teams in the pre-draft process, noting his work ethic and team-first attitude.
Second round draft picks Colin Lyver and Brett Himmelman will provide good long-term depth, notably Lyver, who finished with 12 points (6 goals, 6 assists) in 14 games with the Dartmouth Bandits Midget squad last year.
Look for Hannigan to rely on last year’s Defensive Player of the Year in Trey Carvery on both ends of the floor, and the former Breakers to provide the bulk of the offence for the Bandits.
I'd also expect former provincial standouts Nile Cyr and Thomas Bakeeff to improve upon modest 2014 seasons, as well as Alex Taylor who had 62 points (39 goals, 22 assists) in 2013.
Coaching Staff
Mitch Hannigan will be manning the coaching staff this year. He will be bringing back Luke Parker and as of yesterday appointed former team standout Ian McShane as an assistant. Hannigan has experience from top to bottom within the Lacrosse Nova Scotia system, with experience at many levels as well as provincial teams.
The team is managed by Paul MacInnis, with Glenn MacDonald serving as the Team Representative. Gaetan Tremblay is the team trainer, with Coach Hannigan telling me he is an integral part of the team.
Season Outlook
The Bandits have always been a team hell-bent on finishing top two and working hard to get into the ECJLL Championship series. With Hannigan at the helm, the team is in good hands. He has a group of young, inspired, and motivated players used to winning championships. There is no doubt the Bandits can put themselves in the championship picture year after year.
The team is known for a run-and-gun style of play that can leave opponents frustrated, with an unbelievably quick transition game and great faceoff work. This year look for the team to rely on their Eastern Shore talent and on solid goaltending from league #1 Jonathan Boutin to compete against Halifax powerhouse teams Southwest and Northwest.
While there is much to say about the other teams in the ECJLL with young talent and dedicated staff, look for the Bandits to join the Hurricanes and Marley Lions in the top three of the ECJLL power rankings week after week during the 2015 season.
Next up: Dartmouth Bandits
March 30, 2015
Colin Beiswanger
Any season in which the Bandits aren’t a finals team can be considered a disappointing one, at least that was the premise of my conversation with Head Coach Mitch Hannigan.
Last year’s third place finish can be improved upon, with new addition Ryan Daley providing toughness and goal-scoring capability to an already stacked offence. The Bandits had 9 of the Top 25 scoring leaders from last year, of which all but one will be returning for the 2015 season.
This team has a substantial influence from the Eastern Shore Breakers organization with star players Breton Penney, Greg Nussey, and Justin Graham all contributing to the team. Considering the acquisition of Daley, the Bandits have a solid Eastern Shore core that will only gel more heading into the 2015 season.
Offseason
Offseason transactions:
- Traded 2016, 2017, and conditional 2018 1st Round MMLL Entry Draft picks for Ryan Daley.
- Received a 2015 2nd round MMLL Entry Draft pick for Jed MacIntyre.
- Traded 2015 1st Round MUFLL pick for 2015 1st Round MMLL Entry Draft pick.
The Bandits were relatively quiet with their offseason moves. The acquisition of Daley was a large piece of the puzzle, especially in hoping to replace their team captain Connor Lebans. Daley was 17th in scoring with 27 points (12 goals, 15 assists) in 2014 and had 29 goals in 2013. Coach Hannigan is hoping he will be getting the 2013 Daley, especially considering he will be reunited with his Eastern Shore Breakers and Team Nova Scotia teammates.
Graduating Players
The Bandits are the second team to lose a team captain, with Connor Lebans leaving the team as an over-ager. The Bandits are also losing stay-at-home defenseman Logan Morris.
Aside from Lebans, the team is staying in tact for the most part. Look for the more experienced group to improve on their offensive output (133 goals) from last season.
Rookies and Young Impact Players
This season, the team will be welcoming Alex Bungay after leading the Bandits Midget team and Metro Minor League with 33 goals in 15 games. Alex is big and physical, and will be able to contribute right away on offence and in particular on defence, considering the loss of defensive leader Logan Morris.
In the MMLL Entry Draft Hannigan went with a familiar face, taking Jacob Boudreau 5th overall. Jacob was a hot-topic of conversation for a couple teams in the pre-draft process, noting his work ethic and team-first attitude.
Second round draft picks Colin Lyver and Brett Himmelman will provide good long-term depth, notably Lyver, who finished with 12 points (6 goals, 6 assists) in 14 games with the Dartmouth Bandits Midget squad last year.
Look for Hannigan to rely on last year’s Defensive Player of the Year in Trey Carvery on both ends of the floor, and the former Breakers to provide the bulk of the offence for the Bandits.
I'd also expect former provincial standouts Nile Cyr and Thomas Bakeeff to improve upon modest 2014 seasons, as well as Alex Taylor who had 62 points (39 goals, 22 assists) in 2013.
Coaching Staff
Mitch Hannigan will be manning the coaching staff this year. He will be bringing back Luke Parker and as of yesterday appointed former team standout Ian McShane as an assistant. Hannigan has experience from top to bottom within the Lacrosse Nova Scotia system, with experience at many levels as well as provincial teams.
The team is managed by Paul MacInnis, with Glenn MacDonald serving as the Team Representative. Gaetan Tremblay is the team trainer, with Coach Hannigan telling me he is an integral part of the team.
Season Outlook
The Bandits have always been a team hell-bent on finishing top two and working hard to get into the ECJLL Championship series. With Hannigan at the helm, the team is in good hands. He has a group of young, inspired, and motivated players used to winning championships. There is no doubt the Bandits can put themselves in the championship picture year after year.
The team is known for a run-and-gun style of play that can leave opponents frustrated, with an unbelievably quick transition game and great faceoff work. This year look for the team to rely on their Eastern Shore talent and on solid goaltending from league #1 Jonathan Boutin to compete against Halifax powerhouse teams Southwest and Northwest.
While there is much to say about the other teams in the ECJLL with young talent and dedicated staff, look for the Bandits to join the Hurricanes and Marley Lions in the top three of the ECJLL power rankings week after week during the 2015 season.