Faceoff Competition in San Diego
Max Adler (Chaos) signing with the San Diego Seals has been an under-the-radar signing (one-year contract) that could have implications on the upcoming NLL season. I am interested to see if the San Diego coaching staff decides to follow the Philadelphia/New York/New England route for dealing with faceoffs. If Patrick Merrill chooses to roster a FOGO, it would give the Seals a better chance against the league’s increasing number of faceoff specialists. A key factor in the decision will be if they have the confidence to let Adler play sheltered defensive minutes. Throughout the PLL season, San Diego supporters should pay attention to Adler’s off-ball awareness when caught on defense and how he fares during 50/50 groundball battles.
A Pair of “Do Not Leave the Field” Midfielders
Ryan Terefenko (Chrome) and Bryan Costabile (Atlas) are utility midfielders that possess the potential to be horses in transition for Halifax and Philadelphia, respectively. From my understanding, neither of the 2nd round NLL draft picks have any documented box lacrosse experience, which leads me to believe that the practice squad is where both would reside for a season. My gut tells me that Terefenko would be more likely to make the NLL commitment. For their PLL teams, Costabile tilts toward the offensive side of the ball. Terefenko will likely spend most of his time on defense and the rope unit. The athletic traits for both are undeniable and transcend all versions of lacrosse.
