Email
Print
Around the ECJLL - Bandits Preview
2016-05-10
The Bandits came within one goal of reaching the ECJLL Garnet Knight Cup Finals a year ago, and are poised to get back into the finals for the first time since 2011 when they last won. Click READ MORE for a 2016 team preview of the Dartmouth Bandits.
May 10, 2016
Colin Beiswanger
The Dartmouth Bandits, having finished third for the second straight season, are chomping at the bit to get their hands on one of the Halifax teams after securing wins over the Mi’kmaq Warriors and New Brunswick Mavericks over ECJLL Opening Weekend. Gone is team Captain Nick Simpson, but much of the offence remains intact. All-Stars Trey Carvery and Bobby Green will be looking to get over the hump and make it into the ECJLL Finals for the first time since 2011.
Offseason Transactions
The Bandits only made one significant trade over the offseason, which was the completion of the Bruce Ingraham trade with the Mi’kmaq Warriors. As future considerations were traded, the Bandits dealt Jacob Boudreau and Bret Himmelman to the Warriors.
Graduating Players
As mentioned, 2015 team captain Nick Simpson is graduating from the program. He recently played in Prague with the Nova Scotia Privateers squad. Simpson was a spark-plug on defence and provided the offence a boost in transition, scoring 12 pts (6G 6A) over the course of 2015.
Also graduating is long-time netminder Jon Boutin, whose 2015 season was cut short after leaving the team early to pursue a career in the armed forces. The full list of graduating players also includes Adam Coveyduc, Shane MacMillan, Tanner MacDonald, and Andrew Vieira. While none of these players played on the offensive side of the ball, they provided good depth for a back-end known to be aggressive and smothering on the ball carrier.
Draft Picks
The Bandits are beneficiaries of one of the strongest minor association programs in Nova Scotia, thanks to the tireless work of Bandits President Glenn MacDonald and the rest of the executive. As a result, the Bandits traded their first and second round picks in 2015 for crucial pieces to their squad. They did however make eight selections in the 2015 ECJLL Midget Entry Draft.
Lewis Jarvie was the first player selected by the Dartmouth Bandits, a player who showed promise over the course of the High School Box Lacrosse tournament held at the Lebrun Centre in April. He has a similar playing style to Kevin Myketyn, a former Bandit from the late 2000’s who was a vacuum on loose balls and had a keen ability to carry the ball up the floor from the defensive side.
The Bandits then went for size with their next two picks, selecting Brogan Burton and David Patterson. Both showed off their size and pass-catching ability at the ECJLL Combine in February.
The final player of note is Thomas Mahaney, who in 2015 Midget Club had 35 pts (28G 7A) for the Bedford Rock.
Rookies and Young Impact Players
The Bandits have a promising young crop of homegrown talent, matching the talent level seen by the Hurricanes coming through the minors. Tyler Hinam made his first appearance as an under-ager for the squad. He had 29 pts (7G 22A) in 2015 for in Midget Select. Chris Mallette will also be joining the Bandits, at least to start the season. Chris had 22 pts (13G 9A) in Midget Select with the Bandits in 2015. Both Tyler and Chris are Midget aged, and there is no word from Head Coach Luke Parker if they will be staying with the club.
The Bandits are also welcoming Elliot Fougere to the club as a MUFLL Draft Selection. Elliot has experience with the StFX X-Men of the Maritime University Field Lacrosse League, and has played 16 games in the Rocky Mountain Lacrosse League at the Jr. B level.
The Bandits are eagerly awaiting the fate of top prospect Dalton Brown, who is looking to get some playing time with the Barrie Lakeshores in the OJALL. Dalton had 59 pts (34G 25A) over the course of the 2015 regular season in Midget Select, and established himself for a long time as a top prospect in Nova Scotia.
New Head Coach Luke Parker hinted at five names: Green, Graham, Carvery, Penney, and Nussey, who he expects will carry the bulk of the load on offence. These five players represent about 60% of the Bandits total goals from 2015, as the Bandits led the league in goals for with 186. Also expect longtime Bandit Alex Taylor to get significant minutes after returning from Ontario to play in 2016.
Coaching Staff
This past year the ECJLL said goodbye to one of it’s greatest ambassadors in former Bandits Head Coach Mitch Hannigan. He was a leader on and off the floor and played across Canada, and continues to play for the Nova Scotia Privateers. Hannigan is replaced by long-time Privateers teammate and assistant coach Luke Parker, who brings with him considerable experience at the helm.
Parker played minor lacrosse for the Northwest Rebels organization before stints across North America and is now a mainstay on the Privateers squad. He will continue to instill a disciplined and aggressive playing style that has made the Bandits synonymous in the ECJLL. He is joined by former Bandit Nick Simpson as well as former Bandit and ECJLL and MUFLL All-Star Ian McShane. Former Moncton Maverick KJ MacNeil will also be joining the club, bringing with him considerable provincial level coaching experience.
Season Outlook
The Bandits are a tough team to project. On paper they have one of the best offences in the ECJLL with a good mix of skill and size paired with a goal-scoring ability unlike any other team in the league. On the other hand, the team sometimes seems uninterested and plays an individualistic style of play. It will be interesting to see which Bandits team shows up during the ECJLL Playoffs, as they are essentially a lock to finish in the Top 3.
Last year, the Bandits and Marley Lions played en epic five game series that came down to an overtime goal by Northwest’s Paddy Quinn. Expect the Bandits to come out aggressive against both the Hurricanes and Lions, looking to establish dominance over the two other top teams in the league.
ECJLL SCHEDULE
Halifax Southwest Hurricanes Preview
Colin Beiswanger
The Dartmouth Bandits, having finished third for the second straight season, are chomping at the bit to get their hands on one of the Halifax teams after securing wins over the Mi’kmaq Warriors and New Brunswick Mavericks over ECJLL Opening Weekend. Gone is team Captain Nick Simpson, but much of the offence remains intact. All-Stars Trey Carvery and Bobby Green will be looking to get over the hump and make it into the ECJLL Finals for the first time since 2011.
Offseason Transactions
The Bandits only made one significant trade over the offseason, which was the completion of the Bruce Ingraham trade with the Mi’kmaq Warriors. As future considerations were traded, the Bandits dealt Jacob Boudreau and Bret Himmelman to the Warriors.
Graduating Players
As mentioned, 2015 team captain Nick Simpson is graduating from the program. He recently played in Prague with the Nova Scotia Privateers squad. Simpson was a spark-plug on defence and provided the offence a boost in transition, scoring 12 pts (6G 6A) over the course of 2015.
Also graduating is long-time netminder Jon Boutin, whose 2015 season was cut short after leaving the team early to pursue a career in the armed forces. The full list of graduating players also includes Adam Coveyduc, Shane MacMillan, Tanner MacDonald, and Andrew Vieira. While none of these players played on the offensive side of the ball, they provided good depth for a back-end known to be aggressive and smothering on the ball carrier.
Draft Picks
| Round | Pick | Name | Association |
| 3 | 13 | Lewis Jarvie | Bedford Rock |
| 3 | 14 | Brogan Burton | St. Margaret’s Storm |
| 3 | 15 | David Patterson | Bedford Rock |
| 4 | 19 | Thomas Mahaney | Bedford Rock |
| 5 | 24 | Noah Beaton | Truro Bearcats |
| 6 | 29 | Elijah Baker | St. Margaret’s Storm |
| 7 | 34 | Che Morales | Valley Thunder |
| 8 | 39 | Braden Pittman | Valley Thunder |
The Bandits are beneficiaries of one of the strongest minor association programs in Nova Scotia, thanks to the tireless work of Bandits President Glenn MacDonald and the rest of the executive. As a result, the Bandits traded their first and second round picks in 2015 for crucial pieces to their squad. They did however make eight selections in the 2015 ECJLL Midget Entry Draft.
Lewis Jarvie was the first player selected by the Dartmouth Bandits, a player who showed promise over the course of the High School Box Lacrosse tournament held at the Lebrun Centre in April. He has a similar playing style to Kevin Myketyn, a former Bandit from the late 2000’s who was a vacuum on loose balls and had a keen ability to carry the ball up the floor from the defensive side.
The Bandits then went for size with their next two picks, selecting Brogan Burton and David Patterson. Both showed off their size and pass-catching ability at the ECJLL Combine in February.
The final player of note is Thomas Mahaney, who in 2015 Midget Club had 35 pts (28G 7A) for the Bedford Rock.
Rookies and Young Impact Players
The Bandits have a promising young crop of homegrown talent, matching the talent level seen by the Hurricanes coming through the minors. Tyler Hinam made his first appearance as an under-ager for the squad. He had 29 pts (7G 22A) in 2015 for in Midget Select. Chris Mallette will also be joining the Bandits, at least to start the season. Chris had 22 pts (13G 9A) in Midget Select with the Bandits in 2015. Both Tyler and Chris are Midget aged, and there is no word from Head Coach Luke Parker if they will be staying with the club.
The Bandits are also welcoming Elliot Fougere to the club as a MUFLL Draft Selection. Elliot has experience with the StFX X-Men of the Maritime University Field Lacrosse League, and has played 16 games in the Rocky Mountain Lacrosse League at the Jr. B level.
The Bandits are eagerly awaiting the fate of top prospect Dalton Brown, who is looking to get some playing time with the Barrie Lakeshores in the OJALL. Dalton had 59 pts (34G 25A) over the course of the 2015 regular season in Midget Select, and established himself for a long time as a top prospect in Nova Scotia.
New Head Coach Luke Parker hinted at five names: Green, Graham, Carvery, Penney, and Nussey, who he expects will carry the bulk of the load on offence. These five players represent about 60% of the Bandits total goals from 2015, as the Bandits led the league in goals for with 186. Also expect longtime Bandit Alex Taylor to get significant minutes after returning from Ontario to play in 2016.
Coaching Staff
This past year the ECJLL said goodbye to one of it’s greatest ambassadors in former Bandits Head Coach Mitch Hannigan. He was a leader on and off the floor and played across Canada, and continues to play for the Nova Scotia Privateers. Hannigan is replaced by long-time Privateers teammate and assistant coach Luke Parker, who brings with him considerable experience at the helm.
Parker played minor lacrosse for the Northwest Rebels organization before stints across North America and is now a mainstay on the Privateers squad. He will continue to instill a disciplined and aggressive playing style that has made the Bandits synonymous in the ECJLL. He is joined by former Bandit Nick Simpson as well as former Bandit and ECJLL and MUFLL All-Star Ian McShane. Former Moncton Maverick KJ MacNeil will also be joining the club, bringing with him considerable provincial level coaching experience.
Season Outlook
The Bandits are a tough team to project. On paper they have one of the best offences in the ECJLL with a good mix of skill and size paired with a goal-scoring ability unlike any other team in the league. On the other hand, the team sometimes seems uninterested and plays an individualistic style of play. It will be interesting to see which Bandits team shows up during the ECJLL Playoffs, as they are essentially a lock to finish in the Top 3.
Last year, the Bandits and Marley Lions played en epic five game series that came down to an overtime goal by Northwest’s Paddy Quinn. Expect the Bandits to come out aggressive against both the Hurricanes and Lions, looking to establish dominance over the two other top teams in the league.
ECJLL SCHEDULE
Halifax Southwest Hurricanes Preview