They have a banner to hang, but the Burnaby Lakers hope to have more in the near future to flaunt for their fans.
Last year’s mercurial season, which saw them emerge out of a crowded field as the regular season champions despite a late coaching change, has raised the bar on what should be expected.
New general manager Kevin Hill aims to do his utmost to see that the squad remains in the Mann Cup discussion for a few seasons more.
Hill accepted the job last month, with the full knowledge that a window of opportunity is gaping but won’t last forever.
He’s fine with the team’s past showings – a first-ever Western Lacrosse Association regular season title, twice pushing Victoria to a seventh game in the semifinals – but knows the goal is to be playing winning lacrosse into September.
“I guess right now we’re trying to extend our playoff run,” Hill told the NOW. “The last couple of years the Lakers haven’t had success in the playoffs, so we have to try and correct that. We have to look at what is going to make this club better. We have a fantastic club on paper, but for some reason come playoffs we just don’t seem to take it up the next level.”
Although relatively young – he backstopped the Ladner Pioneers last year to a West Coast senior B title – Hill brings multiple levels of experience. In 2013 he was named the Coquitlam Adanacs’ general manager, a position he held for 20 months, and last year worked as an advisor with the Langley junior Thunder. Prior to that, he was a coach for the junior Lakers and Adanacs.
His first transaction as GM was done this week, when the Lakers acquired Burnaby native Brad Breadon from Nanaimo for a fourth-round draft pick in 2019. Breadon played nine games last year for the T-men, supplying a strong defensive, and at six-foot-three, physical presence.
“We are always looking to add size to the D end. Brad is a steady stay-at-home (defender) who will help us out in the long run,” he said.
Last year’s progress, which saw them post a league-best 12-5-1 record, just one point ahead of Maple Ridge, tallying a WLA-leading 188 goals and allowing the fewest – 141 – against, lines up with a number of players reaching their prime.
The netminding tandem of Eric Penney and Zak Boychuk set the tone, with Penney succeeding Boychuk as the 2017 WLA top goaltender. Backed up by a veteran defensive core, Burnaby held an edge in close contests and were able to lock down opposing snipers.
On the offensive side, the Lakers’ Robert Church, Eli McLaughlin and Josh Byrne led a knee-deep attack that featured eight runners with 10 or more goals. Church, who counted 29 goals and 36 assists in just 13 games, was voted the league MVP.
The expectations of more is understandable, considering none of the above mentioned players have hit 30 yet. Hill believes while these components make them one of the favourites, to get to where they want to go requires some tinkering. Unfortunately, it appears next month’s WLA draft won’t provide much assistance as Burnaby has dealt away its first four picks.
“We have a fantastic team, a lot of firepower and a very steady (defence). We have the last two goaltenders of the year, in Zak (Boychuk) and Eric (Penney), so our goaltending situation is solid and probably the most solid roster that Burnaby has had,” said Hill.
The other element settled was turning Peter Tellis’ coaching status from ‘interim’ to ‘head coach.’ The Coquitlam native came in with three games left in the regular season after Jim Milligan was relieved of his duties. Tellis oversaw three wins to clinch the league title, and a seven-game battle with the Shamrocks.
“Peter is a great lacrosse mind, he’s a real student of the game,” said Hill. “He does his homework, he studies the game, studies plays and studies players. He’s just very knowledgable all around. I’m really looking forward to work with Pete.
“Peter is going to have a full season to tinker and tailor the gameplan to suit his style. I think this is going to work out for everyone involved. … He’ll help advance everyone’s play, that’s for sure.”
Tellis has connected with many of the veterans and, according to Hill, nearly all have indicated they will return for 2018. A few question marks remain, including one of last year’s top rookies, Cam Milligan, and Nik Bilic, who suffered a knee injury prior to the National Lacrosse League playoffs last April and has yet to return to Saskatchewan’s lineup.
Without a draft pick in the top 20, Hill acknowledges that is a constraint for the future. He’s hoping the current lineup, along with some free agent or trade acquisitions, can close the gap in their pursuit of another WLA title.
“I think our window is right now. I think our window has maybe two more years, that’s with everybody staying healthy and without other commitments coming up. But it is lacrosse and other things do come up, so we have to act now.”
The WLA schedule has not been released, but is expected to start late May.
