By NLL.com
Buffalo also agrees with D. Smith, R. Smith, Thorimbert, Watt & more
Buffalo Bandits general manager Steve Dietrich has announced that the team has signed the following players all to one-year contracts: Dhane Smith, Rory Smith, Mike McNamara, Steve Priolo, Joe Resetarits, Dylan Goddard, Jay Thorimbert and Andrew Watt. In addition, Buffalo has also agreed to terms with Ryan Benesch on a two-year deal.
Dhane Smith enters 2014 on the heels of a stellar rookie season last year in which he finished atop all Bandits players with 24 goals and 113 shots, as well as third with 44 points (24+20). His rookie season goal and point totals placed him second among all-time Bandits rookies for a single season. He was also named to the NLL All-Rookie Team on top of being crowned NLL Rookie of the Week for Week 16 after a four point effort (3+1) against Rochester.
Rory Smith has appeared in 85 career games since 2008, tallying six points (0+6), 337 penalty minutes and 237 loose balls. During the 2013 season, he registered 51 penalty minutes and zero points in 15 games.
McNamara played in nine games for Buffalo during the 2013 season, tallying three assists and recovering 24 loose balls. He recovered a season-high five loose balls at Toronto (2/28) and also registered a pair of assists at Philadelphia (1/11).
Priolo, appeared in all 16 games for the Bandits last season, tallying seven points (2+5) and tying for first among Bandits players as well as fifth in the NLL with David Brock in PIM (46). He also finished second among Buffalo players with 76 loose ball recoveries.
Resetarits, a native of nearby Hamburg, NY, was acquired from Calgary on Sept. 16, along with the 15th overall pick in the 2013 NLL Draft, in exchange for the 10th overall selection in the 2013 Draft and a second-round selection in 2015. In his rookie campaign last season, the 24-year old suited up in 14 games for Calgary, recording 24 points (8+16) and recovering 24 loose balls, also notching three points (2+1) over three postseason contests.
Goddard, Buffalo’s sixth-round choice (53rd overall) in the 2013 NLL Draft, spent last season as a member of the Clarington Green Gaels (OLA Junior B). The Courtice, Ontario native finished second in league scoring with 120 points, while also becoming the Green Gaels’ all-time assists leader. He is also a two-time OLA Junior B MVP and scoring leader.
Thorimbert appeared in all 16 games for Buffalo last season, leading the team and establishing career-highs in faceoff percentage (61.0%), faceoff wins (261) and loose ball recoveries (180). Over his five year, 69 game career, he has notched 48 points (18+30) to go along with 570 loose balls.
Watt, acquired on Jul. 15 from Minnesota, along with Ryan Benesch, in exchange for a first-round selections in the 2015 and 2016 NLL Entry Draft and a third-round selection in the 2017 NLL Entry Draft. He is coming-off a season in which he appeared in 12 games for Minnesota and contributed nine points (6+3) before adding an assist in one playoff outing.
Benesch, acquired along with Watt in the aforementioned trade, notched 84 points (34+50) for Minnesota, good for seventh-best in the NLL, as well as 16 points over two playoff games. The 28-year old heads into the 2014 campaign just three years removed from an NLL-high 46 goal and 95 point season and has notched 486 points (210+276) in 103 career games.
The Bandits opened training camp in preparation for the 2014 NLL season on Sat., Nov. 23. Below is the club’s full training camp roster:
Benesch, Ryan
Brock, David
Boucher, Colin
Brownell, Kevin
Bryan, Glen
Cosmo, Anthony
Critch, Jordan
Culp, Chad
Diachenko, Nick
Fryer, Steven
Goddard, Dylan
Hominuck, Mike
Hopcroft, Derek
Johnston, Scott
Larkin, Cliff
Mathews, Joel
McNamara, Mike
Penney, Eric
Petkoff, Drew
Priolo, Steve
Pym, Kevin
Resetarits, Joe
Rooney, Jamie
Smith, Billy Dee
Smith, Dhane
Smith, Hayden
Smith, Rory
Steenhuis, Mark
Suddons, Derek
Tavares, John
Thorimbert, Jay
Wagar, Kurtis
Watt, Andrew
Wilde, Mitch
Williams, Shawn
Wilson, Aaron
LaxScoop 