Lakers’ Gilray could go high in NLL draft
Local players Kyle Killen, Tyler Gaulton, Brad Lyons could also be taken in tonight’s draft in expanding winter league
Once again a Peterborough Century 21 Lakers player should hear his name called early at Tuesday’s National Lacrosse League Entry Draft in Philadelphia.
Last year, Jake Withers was selected second overall by the Rochester Knighthawks and Zach Currier third overall to the Calgary Roughnecks.
This year it’s transition standout Matt Gilray who is likely to be a top five pick. Peterborough native Kyle Killen, who plays for the Cobourg Kodiaks, and Merit Precision Jr. A Laker Brad Lyons, who still has two years of junior eligibility, as well as Lakers rookie defender Tyler Gaulton, are other candidates to be selected.
Gilray had a summer to remember. Not only did he assist the Lakers in their drive to a Mann Cup, he was a member of Canada’s silver medal winning team at the World Field Lacrosse Championships and helped the Denver Outlaws win the Major League Lacrosse title.
Ilindoor.com senior editor and Peterborough native Stephen Stamp, a two-time winner of the NLL’s annual media award, ranks Gilray third among draft prospects behind Six Nations Arrows standout Austin Staats and the Kodiaks’ Chris Clouthier. Stamp believes the expansion San Diego franchise will select Staats first overall with the Philadelphia Wings, led by head coach/GM Paul Day who is also the Lakers GM, will take Clouthier. The Buffalo Bandits hold the third and fourth picks and Stamp believes Gilray and Six Nations’ Ian MacKay will be their selections.
Stamp says of Gilray: “Gilray gets the edge over Ian MacKay because he’s bigger, more athletic and doesn’t have the injury history that MacKay has. Gilray only got into half a dozen regular season games with the Lakers this summer and wasn’t as impressive as he had been in his rookie Sr A summer of 2017. He really stepped his game up in the playoffs, though.
“Gilray played better and better defence as the postseason progressed, a key factor in Peterborough’s defensive corps gelling as the games grew more important. Add his speed and good hands in transition to his size and improving defence, and you have a defender custom designed for today’s NLL.”
Stamp ranks Killen 14th which would put him into the second round with Lyons close by at 18.
“Killen’s quickness and agility should translate to the fast pace of the NLL even better than they did to MSL, where he had a solid 35-point rookie season while getting plenty of playing time with the Kodiaks,” stated Stamp.
He said age is the biggest question for Lyons.
“I have no doubt that Lyons has the ability and drive to play, and play well, at the professional level. Whether that happens in the 2018/19 season or further down the road is not as certain,” he said. Gaulton is 34th on Stamp’s list.
“Gaulton is a stay at home type,” Stamp said. “He is steady and plays with an edge while not going overboard.”