With the number of close games the Saskatchewan Rush came out on the wrong side of during the 2023-24 National Lacrosse League campaign, it seemed only natural that general manager Derek Keenan would be on the lookout for some offensive firepower in the off-season.
A pair of trades later and Keenan and crew are confident they’ve found the goals to push them back into the NLL playoffs once the season begins at the end of November.
Keenan recently joined the CKRM SportsCage crew to chat about the off-season and the trades that brought forwards Austin Shanks and Brock Haley into the Rush fold.
Shanks was the first to sign on, joining the team out of free agency on Sept. 11. One the top free agents available this off-season, Shanks put up 23 goals and 85 points in 17 games for the Halifax Thunderbirds and has 112 goals and 249 points in 66 career regular season games.
“He’s just a really skilled player,” Keenan said. “He shoots the ball really well, he finishes well, he’s a good playmaker, just exceptionally skilled. I’ve known him a long time because I coached him as a kid in Whitby and in Junior A and a little bit in Senior A, as well. I’ve known him a long time so I can attest to his character, he’s a pretty good kid.”
The goal with adding Shanks is, well, goals. His ability to put points on the board is something Keenan hopes will translate into a few more wins and ideally a return to post-season for the Rush.
“We felt that last year we had so many close games that ultimately probably cost us a playoff spot, one-goal games and overtime games, and you get a little bit extra scoring power, that will help that situation,” Keenan said.
Shanks also has the benefit of being familiar with many Rush players, including Ryan Keenan and recently-signed Matt Hossack, with whom he won the 2013 Minto Cup national Junior A championship.
That familiarity should help with his transition into the Saskatchewan system.
“I think there’s a bit of that, and there’s the understanding of how we want to play the game,” Keenan explained. “The guys have been around me and know our systems, how we like to play the game, and how we like to play with tempo all over the floor. So there’s some familiarity there in terms of one another and how we want to play the game.”
Haley, 23, is more of a project, but the potential is undoubtedly there. The Rush acquired Haley in a trade with the Vancouver Warriors on Sept. 15, with his goal-scoring bona fides well-established thanks to his showing with Whitby during the 2022 season -- an astonishing 105 goals and 175 points in 26 regular season games. He wasn’t done there, either, finishing with 119 goals through the playoffs as Whitby won the Minto Cup.
“So he’s just a pure shooter, and with a couple of our other righthanded offensive players getting older and uncertainty with potential free agency, we wanted to add to our depth, but he can also help us now,” Keenan said. “He was the seventh pick in the last year’s draft, and we didn’t think we’d get anyone of that calibre in this year’s draft, so it was a pretty easy trade for us to make, to be honest. He’s a real nice pick-up for us.”
Haley also has the additional seasoning playing in the NCAA Division I ranks brings, as he had 175 points in 67 career games with the University of Vermont.
That experience always helps when it comes to making the jump to the pro level, Keenan said.
“You find if they get away to an NCAA program for four or five years that they mature both mentally and physically,” he added “So those are the guys who you’re pretty sure when they come in are ready to play, where guys who just come out of junior or enter the draft early, they might take a little bit more time to develop. Usually the kids who come out of college are 22- to 24-years-old and are physically and mentally ready to play.”
The Rush haven’t stood pat since those deals, either, having recently signed seven members of the 2024 NLL Draft class in addition to veterans Josh Zawada and Mike Messenger.
Saskatchewan opens their 2024-25 season on Saturday, Nov. 30 at the Albany Firewolves, with their home opener taking place on Saturday, Dec. 14 when the Halifax Thunderbirds visit SaskTel Centre.
You can catch the complete conversation with Derek Keenan on The SportsCage by clicking right here!
