WLA assist machine Conway inks deal with playoff-starved Stealth
For the second straight off-season, the Vancouver Stealth have added a player with an elite set-up man reputation.
The Stealth, the Langley Events Centre’s National Lacrosse League tenant, announced Monday that they had inked free-agent righthander Cory Conway to a two-year deal, pending league approval.
Conway, 29, has had modest success in the NLL, bouncing between four teams over eight seasons, the last coming in 2015. He’s flourished in the summertime Western Lacrosse Association, though, leading the league in assists the past six seasons he’s played, including this year when he recorded 63 helpers in 14 games for the Victoria Shamrocks. He also had nine goals. The Stealth traded last fall for righty Garrett Billings, 30, who set a then-NLL record when he registered 82 assists in 2012 with the Toronto Rock.
It will make for some interesting decisions with the Stealth, who have failed to make the playoffs in their first three seasons based out of the LEC.
Stealth general manager Doug Locker admits that Conway and Billings are “similar,” but contends they’re both savvy enough to adjust. As well, one of Vancouver’s main righties, Joel McCready, has been used in a transition role in the past.
Billings also missed seven games last season with injuries.
“It gives us some options,” said Locker.
Conway signing with Vancouver reunites him with Victoria’s two main snipers, Rhys Duch and Corey Small.
Conway, Duch and Small were instrumental in the Shamrocks’ claiming the Mann Cup national Senior A championship in 2015. Duch (43) and Small (33) held down the top two positions in goal scoring in the WLA this summer. Victoria lost the league finale to the Maple Ridge Burrards.
“I’m looking forward to passing them the ball. I’m looking forward to setting them up in front of the goalie and watching them do the rest,” Conway said.
In 115 career regular season games in the NLL, Conway has 89 goals and 246 assists.
Vancouver had the second-worst offence (11 goals for per game) and the worst defence (13.61 goals against per game) in the nine-team NLL last season, en route to a 5-13 record.
The NLL hasn’t announced their schedule for 2017. Vancouver’s season opener last season came on Jan. 9.