The PLL trade deadline day was completely quiet last Friday, June 12, as teams sat firm as they prepared for the PLL Championship Series in late July. Next on the PLL schedule was the waiver period on Monday and Tuesday, June 15 to 16, allowing teams to fill any holes or gaps left by players unable to participate in the PLL Championship Series. Any player in the PLL player pool but not on a current roster was eligible to be claimed during the waiver period, but any player claimed must be placed on the 22-man travel roster for the championship series.
The waiver order, listed below, was the same as the order for the collegiate draft.
1. Waterdogs LC
2. Chrome LC
3. Atlas LC
4. Archers LC
5. Chaos LC
6. Redwoods LC
7. Whipsnakes LC
Here’s a look at the moves made during the waiver period:
Archers LC
Added: Josh Currier
Dropped: Stephen Waldeck, Michael Noone, Nick Tintle, Kevin Rice
The Archers made one addition picking up attackman Josh Currier. The older brother of Waterdogs Zach Currier makes his first foray into the professional outdoor game after playing with the Rochester Knighthawks and Philadelphia Wings of the NLL the last four seasons.
Collegiately, Currier spent four seasons at Virginia Wesleyan University where he was named to the USILA All-American Teams (First, Second, Honorable Mention) during each of his four years with the Marlins. Currier adds a knack and ability to the Archers lineup after finishing his college career with 214 goals in 65 games and has been over a goal per game producer in the NLL, netting 86 goals in 60 games through four seasons. He is also a great replacement in the Archers’ two-man game system, after Ben McIntosh was taken by Waterdogs LC in the expansion draft.
Atlas LC
Added: Jeremy Thompson
Dropped: Aidan Hynes (Excused Inactive), Chris Mattes (Excused Inactive), Pat Young, Brent Hiken
Atlas were the lone team to take advantage of a player that had been dropped from another team, claiming Jeremy Thompson off waivers from Chaos LC. Thompson is a versatile middie who could provide some relief to Trevor Baptiste as a change of pace at the faceoff X.
The Atlas placed collegiate draft pick Aidan Hynes as well as Chris Mattes on the Excused Inactive List on Tuesday as well. Both players rights will remain with the Atlas, despite not being on the 25-man roster which will be submitted to the league on June 30.
Chaos LC
Dropped: Jeremy Thompson
The Chaos only made one move during the waiver wire period and that was dropping Jeremy Thompson, who only saw action in four games last season. Andy Towers has spoke at lengths that he is comfortable with the current roster he has and his decision to sit pat at the deadline was not surprising.
Chrome LC
Added: Brendan Kavanagh, Eli Salama, Hunter Forbes, Jesse King, Jake Pulver, Sam Duggan
Dropped: Simon Mathias (Excused Inactive), Ryan Flanagan (Excused Inactive), Matt Danowski (Excused Inactive), Mike O’Neil (Excused Inactive), Joel White (Excused Inactive), Mike Manley (Excused Inactive), Chris Bocklet, Alex Ready, Alec Tulett, Brandon Mullins
Tim Soudan’s team was the busiest at the waiver wire out of necessity as they placed six players on the Excuse Inactive List. Those players, due to prior commitments, are unable to make the trip to Utah, leaving some noticeable gaps in the Chrome roster.
Chrome started off by adding former MLL All-Star Brendan Kavangh who had gone undrafted during the PLL entry draft last month. Kavangh now joins brother Matt Kavanagh, who plays for the Redwoods, in the PLL after spending last season with the Denver Outlaws. Kavangh became only the third Outlaws rookie to be named to the MLL All-Star game last season finishing the year fourth on the team in scoring, racking up 37 points, including 21 goals.
The Chrome looked to beef up the midfield both offensively and defensively by adding Jesse King and Sam Duggan. King, a 2015 graduate of Ohio State, has spent the last several years in the NLL with the Georgia Swam and Calgary Roughnecks while also making MLL appearances with Rochester and Atlanta. A goal-per-game player in the NLL, King is looking to get his first sustained time in the professional outdoor game, after having injuries hamper the first several years of his career. Duggan comes to the Chrome after completing the college career during the shortened 2020 season with the Cornell Big Red. An Inside Lacrosse All-American Honorable Mention during his senior season, Duggan led the Big Red in ground balls and ranked second in caused turnovers.
Defensively, the Chrome added a pair of former Dallas Rattlers picking up R.I.T product Eli Salama and 2019 MLL All-Star Jacob Pulver. Salama, also a member of the Calgary Roughnecks of the NLL, adds some offensive flair from the back end as well for the Chrome as he finished the 2019 season with five goals, paired with 38 ground balls. Pulver joins the Chrome with 16 professional games under his belt, all with the Rattlers.
Tim Soudan rounded out his moves for the night adding face-off specialist Hunter Forbes. A 2018 graduate of Jacksonville University, Forbes was drafted by the Atlanta Blaze but has yet to see action in a professional game. Forbes’ connection to the Chrome comes through Jacksonville University Head Coach and current Chrome goalie John Galloway. Forbes won just over 61% of draws for Galloway and the Dolphins during his career, and finished on a high note winning 70% of face-offs during his senior season.
Redwoods LC
Dropped: Matt Landis (Military Reserve List), JoJo Marasco, Jerry Ragonese, Kylor Bellistri
Last year’s runner-up made their big move prior to the trade deadline, acquiring Myles Jones from the Chaos for Sergio Salcido. Last month the Redwoods added Peyton Smith and Chris Price through the collegiate draft as well as Finn Sullivan and Greg Puskuidijian in the entry draft. Those moves were enough for coach Nat St. Laurent as the Woods were one of three teams to not make any additions through the waiver wire.
Waterdogs LC
Added: Jake Withers
Dropped: Reed Junkin, Dylan Johnson
The newest team in the PLL added another face-off man on Tuesday night adding NLL standout Jake Withers. Another Ohio State graduate, Withers has played sparingly in the MLL in each of the last three seasons in addition to being one of the NLL’s top face-off men. The 2018 NLL Rookie of the Year, Withers has won 72.8% of draws in the indoor game during the last three seasons. Withers joins Drew Simoneau on the Waterdogs roster, giving them a pair of face-off men heading into the PLL Championship Series.
Whipsnakes LC
Dropped: Dan Morris
The Whipsnakes were another team that made only one move, dropping goaltender Dan Morris. Former Loyola University goaltender Jake Stover was added to the Whipsnakes roster late last season, backing up starter Kyle Bernlohr along with Morris, and it is safe to assume he’ll stay on as the backup heading into the PLL Championship Series.
PLL Players Sign Extensions
The PLL released additional roster news this week as Connor Farrell, Jake Bernhardt, Mike Chanechuk, Myles Jones and Tim Troutner all announced via Instagram that they had signed extensions with the PLL. Troutner’s contract was a three-year deal, while Bernhardt, Chanechuk, Farrell and Jones all signed two-year deals.
