The Maple Ridge Burrards swung a big off-season deal, sending Dylan Mcintosh to the New Westminster Salmonbellies in exchange for Tyler Pace, in a swap of elite offensive talents.
“We’ll have one of the better players in the game playing for us,” assessed Burrards GM Lance Andre. “He (Pace) was an integral part of the New West run to the Mann Cup last year.”
Both guys are Western Lacrosse Association stars who are pros in the National Lacrosse League.
Pace, 30, was fifth in the WLA in points per game last season with 3.9, as he posted 10 goals and 35 points in nine games. In the league playoffs he had 11 goals and 28 points in nine games, then in six Mann Cup games he had 15 points.
In a career that spans 102 games in the NLL, all with the Calgary Roughnecks, he has scored 155 goals and put up 419 points.
Andre said Pace will bring valuable experience and leadership to the young Burrards, and is still a top contributor who can be part of the team when it’s once again competing for a league championship.
“He’s a guy who can see the whole floor, and make players around him better,” said the GM.
Coach Rob Williams said Pace plays the game like a traditional number one, quarterbacking the offence.
“He’s got a really high lacrosse IQ. He’ll make our offence better,” said Williams.
He sees Mcintosh as a great finisher.
“I think both teams did well, which is important,” said Williams.
He expects the WLA standings to be tight again, with parity and talent across the league, and the resurgent Burrards competitive.
“We’ll be in the hunt,” predicts Williams.
Mcintosh was one of the Burrards most productive players with 22 goals and 30 points in just eight games last season. He also had eight goals and 15 points in four playoff games, which was good for second on the Burrards.
In the NLL, he was traded by the Vancouver Warriors to the Colorado Mammoth in October.
Mcintosh is a local player, but life is taking him outside of his hometown.
Pace has strong ties to the community – he runs Pro Caliber Lacrosse in Port Coquitlam, with a goal to training young players and moving them on to scholarships in the NCAA.
The Burrards will open the new season on May 22 in Burnaby.