Schuss grateful for another chance to play in the NLL
Veteran back on the floor with Roughnecks after missing a year with a knee injury
Wednesday marked a year since Logan Schuss went under the knife to fix the knee he wrecked in an ugly National Lacrosse League incident.
Complete tear of the ACL and damage to the MCL. Ouch.
But he's back on the floor, now contributing for the Calgary Roughnecks, his love of the game shining through and helping him to return to full action, which isn't easy for a player at the advanced — at least for a lacrosse pro — age of 33.
“I didn't want this injury to be the reason why I'd retire,” said Schuss, one of a handful of key off-season additions made by the Roughnecks heading into the 2023-24 NLL campaign. “I wanted to prove that I could come back from this and that I still had a shot in the NLL, and it's been great so far.
“You know, I'd love to obviously have been able to play more games, but I'm pretty proud of where I'm at right now.”
Schuss is just two games — and four assists — into that return, with another two tilts on tap this weekend.
The Roughnecks (6-8) host the rival Saskatchewan Rush (6-8) in a pivotal contest in the NLL playoff chase Friday night on Westjet Field at Scotiabank Saddledome (7 p.m., TSN). The teams then rematch Saturday evening in Saskatoon (7 p.m., TSN+), with one of them hoping to rip off the double and pull themselves in to a post-season position ahead of the seventh-place Panther City Lacrosse Club (7-7 heading into Friday's game with the host San Diego Seals (11-4)) and/or the eighth-place New York Riptide (7-8).
And playoffs? That's why Schuss switched allegiances in the fall and signed a one-year deal with the Roughnecks after nearly a decade with the hometown Vancouver Stealth/warriors.
“I played there for so many years,” said the born-and-bred native of Ladner, B.C. “And I had the injury last year, and I wanted to have a fresh start somewhere else and get a chance to play for a competitive team that's looking to win a championship.”
Schuss has only played in one NLL post-season game since being drafted first overall by the Minnesota Swarm in 2013.
“But it was a big playoff game,” said Schuss, recalling that appearance with the Stealth in 2017. “I think I had about nine points, if I remember correctly. I guess all you have to do is get me into the playoffs and that's when I start to perform.”
Make no mistake about it, he's always been a performer.
Specifically, Schuss can shoot the ball, with 213 goals as part of 549 career points in 133 NLL games over 11 seasons.
He broke in hot with the Swarm in 2014 to snipe 36 goals and earn the league's rookie of the year honour.
And his best year stats-wise came after being traded to the Stealth in his first season on the West Coast, when he put up 57 assists and 86 points.
While the veteran knows he won't reach the 24-goal mark for a sixth time this year, he is finding different ways to complement his new teammates on the floor.
“I think the injury's opened my eyes to having to kind of think about taking care of your body more and more each year,” added Schuss. “I'm not going into the gym looking to squat 400 pounds or bench press two plates on each side for 20 times. I'm looking to be more pliable. I kind of think about a guy like Tom Brady or these NHL players like Sidney Crosby and Alex Ovechkin, and they are playing at the highest level late into their 30s, right? That's something that I strive to hopefully do.
“I think when you get a little bit older in your sport, you've got to find ways to stay relevant to stay in the league. I'm 33 now, and I look at the some of the guys on my team being 22 or 23. I've got 10 years on them, but I'm having to keep up with them in sprints and chasing them around and working hard to compete with them. So I think the older you get, the more you've gotta find different ways to stay relevant
and stay in the league.
“And I've gotta keep telling myself some people don't come back from this injury.”
QUICK STICKS: Faceoff ace and transition Justin Inacio (lower body), who has missed several weeks, has been cleared to return to the Roughnecks lineup for the double dip ... After missing the last game — a 10-9 overtime victory against the visiting Albany Attack — defender Ethan Ticehurst (sick) also has the green light to come back for the Riggers ... Forward Thomas Hoggarth (upper body) is probable for Calgary after sitting out the Dome win two weeks ago.