Nick Marrocco Signs with Redwoods LC
Why It Should Happen: The Redwoods defense that was once considered one of the better units in the league, suffered some massive setbacks in 2022 and goaltending was an issue throughout. 2019 PLL Rookie of the Year Tim Troutner had a rough start to the season, stopping only 35.7% of shots. The poor start prompted head coach Nat St. Laurent to turn to backup Jack Kelly for the back half of the season. While Kelly played better, he still managed to finish last among starting goaltenders with a 46.1% save percentage.
Marrocco didn’t have as stellar of a 2022 season either, finishing with a 49.8% save percentage, but his down year could also be attributed to a Cannons defense that ranked last in numerous defensive categories. I think the Marrocco we saw in 2021, who stopped 55.7% of shots, is the one we’ll see in 2023, especially with a potentially better defense in front of him.
Why It Won’t Happen: While Marrocco would be considered an upgrade over both Kelly and Troutner, Coach St. Laurent could be creating an even bigger goalie controversy. Additionally, he’ll already have his hands full trying to re-sign other key defensive pieces that the juice may not be worth the squeeze when it comes to signing Marrocco. St. Laurent has always been aggressive with player acquisitions, so you can’t completely rule this move out, but it’s far more likely that we see St. Laurent re-sign Kelly and roll with the same 2022 goalie tandem.
