Optimistic Roughnecks start season
New campaign full of stability for NLL club
It was this time last year defender Andrew Mcbride took the floor for the first time as the new captain of the Calgary Roughnecks — a 12-9 victory over former captain Tracey Kelusky and the Buffalo Bandits. From then on, Mcbride was the face for the franchise as they went through financial difficulties, a surprising run to the NLL season title, a disappointing end against the Washington Stealth on home turf, and eventual sale to the Calgary Flames. “It was a growing experience for me in the sense of I put a lot of pressure on myself to really lead by example and be positive both on the floor and off the floor,” said the 29-year-old. “We had such a great leader here in Tracey Kelusky and guys like Kaleb Toth and Josh Sanderson. “I took it upon myself to try and do everything. I think I learned in the last year that as much as you want to lead on an individual basis, leadership is about bringing everyone together and letting everyone have a voice.” Now it’s starting all over, with the Roughnecks opening their regular season against the defending NLL champs against the Toronto Rock Sunday on the road. Mcbride will hopefully continue on with his leadership qualities. He pointed out guys like Dane Dobbie, Scott Ranger and Mike Poulin as emerging leaders inside the locker-room.
“That’s something I really take to heart and have other people speak their opinions,” he said. “I think it’s been a successful formula for the teams here in Calgary.”
There are two things of note going on though for the Toronto game, starting off with the pre-game ceremony when the Rock will raise their championship banner to the rafters.
“I think one or two guys kind of get pissed off that they are there for banner raising,” Mcbride said. “It’s almost like a reverse motivation. We aren’t mad that we lost the championship — well obviously we are — but it’s almost a disrespecting thing that we have to wait here for an extra 20 minutes when they hand out their rings and raise their banner. We want to get out there and play.
“Let’s use it as motivation and beat the champs.”
Head coach Dave Pym wouldn’t have it any other way than facing the champs off the start.
“It’s going to be a huge challenge for us coming out of the gate,” Pym said, entering his third season as the bench boss. “Our feet literally are going to be right in the fire out of the hop.
“Who wouldn’t want it that way?”
Second, Bruce Codd will be facing the Roughnecks for the first time after four years in Calgary. The defender signed with the Rock over the offseason.
“He’s one of the guys that has really impacted my playing career and really my life,” said Mcbride, who coached alongside Codd during the off-season with the Okotoks Raiders. “I’m going to go out there and bust his butt and work him hard and I expect him to do the same with me.”
Game time is 4 p.m. mountain time and it will be televised on TSN.
NOTES: Veteran Kaleb Toth has come off the physically unable to perform list and will play Sunday . . . Defencemen Scott Carnegie will not play Sunday, serving his one-game suspension held over from last season . . . Former Roughneck defender Ryan Mcnish is the only player on the Riggers practice squad . . . The Roughnecks will also debut a new set of white (home) and red (away) jerseys produced by Reebok. The logo remains the same, but the home jersey will have a black bar down the side while the road version will feature black sublimation on the side. The team says the uniforms will have lightweight material and slimmer design to enhance player movement.