Tim Joy from MaxProLax will be contributing each week to talk about the draft and top MLL prospects in the game. Here is his first story.

The next Major League Lacrosse collegiate draft will not be taking place until early 2013 – but we can start speculating about potential picks now. If we imagine that the MLL season ended today the draft order would look something like this:

Ohio Machine – G John Kemp

Which collegiate star would the Machine spend their number one overall pick on? If I was John Algie, the General Manager of the Machine, I would immediately pick Notre Dame’s goalie John Kemp. John Kemp, during his junior season, led the nation with the lowest goals against average and had the highest save percentage. After two games this season the Machine do not have a goalie with a save percentage over 37%. Adding Kemp would make a weakness of the Machine’s vanish and allow them to compete in the 2013 season.

Hamilton Nationals – A Peter Baum

The second pick is not as much of a ‘no brainer’. After watching Hamilton get dismantled by the Denver Outlaws in their first game it was difficult to pick their largest weakness. However, Hamilton’s play will pick up once their full roster arrives; thus, making it even more difficult to know their true weakness. Due to this ambiguity, I believe Hamilton will go with the best player available approach. According to my current big board, this leaves Hamilton with Colgate’s Peter Baum. Baum led the nation this season in goals per game and points per game. This weekend will be a great opportunity to further evaluate Baum as Colgate takes on Duke in the NCAA quarter finals.

Long Island Lizards – A Mike Sawyer

The third pick falls to the Long Island Lizards in this mock draft. The potentially season ending injury to Pannell, their 2012 1st round pick, is killer. The Lizards gave up Matt Danowski for the chance to draft Cornell’s Pannell. In 2011, Danowski led the Lizards in literally all of their offensive categories. For this version of the 2013 MLL mock draft I have the Lizards attempting to fill the ‘Danowski’ gap left on their offense. With the third overall pick I believe the Lizards should select Loyola’s Mike Sawyer. Sawyer had the third most goals per game, second to Peter Baum among juniors. If Sawyer can have an impressive game versus Denver this weekend he could surpass Baum.

Charlotte Hounds – D Tucker Durkin

Defenseman Brett Schmidt will most likely miss the entire 2012 MLL season. In an attempt to soften the blow the Hounds traded for defenseman Joe Cinoski. Regardless, the Hounds need to bring in young defensive talent to further develop a core group. In this version of the 2013 MLL mock draft I have the hounds taking defenseman Tucker Durkin out of Johns Hopkins. Watching the Hounds this year it is clear that their defense has not started to gel yet. I have heard people blaming their goalies but Joe Marra has a save percentage of 60.4%. Besides, the Hounds drafted Drexel’s Mark Manos in the third round of the 2012 MLL draft – he deserves a shot in net before we write off the goalies. Adding Durkin to Flanagan would create a young talented duo that could anchor the Hounds D for years.

Be sure to check back next Friday to see changes and how the rest of the first round shakes out. Think I missed big time on a prospect? Write your opinion in the comment box.

The Vermont Voyageurs have gotten their season off to a good start with two wins, and are making plenty more moves in the next few days. I talked to their owner, Jeff Culkin, about what is ahead.

Marisa Ingemi: What are your thoughts on the two wins last weekend?

Jeff Culin: I was very pleased with our ability to run the floor and create transition goals in both wins over the Cornwall Redmen and Quebec Phoenix. We have excellent team speed and will need to use that to our advantage against the well established Native teams. Our conditioning really showed on Sunday - we closed out the third period with a 7-0 run against Quebec. I was also very pleased with the play of both our goalies Pat Poirier and Vince Talbot. Pat Poirier held Quebec to only three goals in sixty minutes.

MI: What does the team need to do to win the next two weeks?

JC: Everyone has "bought in" to the system introduced by new head coach Chad Fairfoull. We need 3-4 more games to refine it and get everyone on the same page. Vermont players had a three day camp to prepare for the season. Keep in mind some of the Native teams have played together for years, all the way up the Canadian system, Bantam, Minor, Junior, Senior......

MI: Who are some of the signings coming on to the team soon?

JC: It is pretty common to our roster to be in flux the first two or three weekends of the season since so many Voyageurs players are coaching high school or college field lacrosse. A few prospective players are still involved in the NCAA tournament. We just finalized the inter-provincial transfer for Andrew Kirkaldy this week from the WLA Nanaimo Timbermen. He is a 6'4" 210lb lefty forward who will make an immediate impact. Greg Rogowski (Merrimack All American) was playing in MLL and will sign with Vermont in time for our next game. John Wood (Marblehead MA) just completed his degree from CW Post. He is one of our best defenders, and very effective in creating transition. Malcolm Chase 6'4" - 210 defender from Portland ME will also sign this week. He has been running Maine Premier Lacrosse clinics. Malcolm has dressed for the Boston Rockhoppers and was a selected as a QSLL all star in 2011. Lefty Forward Ed Prevost, (OCC/North Carolina) did a nice job for us last weekend and is a welcome addition.

MI: How tough were some of the cuts this season?

JC: We had 35 players in training camp competing for 25 active roster slots, and 20 dressing slots. More college grads are inquiring every day now that the NCAA season is winding down. The most difficult decisions are the last 2-3 player cuts, including some who have made a contribution in the past to help us launch the Voyageurs program dating back to 2008. The three determining factors usually come down to fitness, raw speed, and ability to commit on a regular basis

MI: How does it speak to the quality of the QSLL with some of the big names in the league?

JC: There are always some high profile "name" players in the QSLL/TNLL. Most team loaded up with NLL level talent last season because the Presidents Cup was hosted in the East on Cornwall Island . This year is it in Alberta. Box Lacrosse is a deep source of pride within the native community so some teams went on a signing frenzy to recruit top players . Last year Josh Sanderson and Blaine Manning dressed for the Muskies. Callum Crawford, Luke Wiles, Jamie Rooney and Brodie & Pat Merrill played for the Kahnawake Mohawks. Delby Powless played for the Caughnawaga Indians. The Thompson brothers and Brett Bucktooth played for Akwesasne Braves. There are also some very good young players who are "under the radar" and just need some exposure to be able to play at the next level. People in the US have not heard about Hunter Hemlock (Caughnawaga Indians) or Karahkwanoron Two Axe (Kahnawake Mohawks )- both good young players who deserve a look. Rajinder Wasson & Mickey Gilchrist both live in Ottawa and were solid contributors last year when the Akwesasne Braves won the 2011Presidents Cup.

Jovan Miller of the Charlotte Hounds has agreed to do a weekly blog here on In Lax We Trust. about his experiences in lacrosse and with the Hounds of Major League Lacrosse.

What drives you to be what you want to be? I think that answer is different for all of us. Whatever that thing may be, it should always be you avenue to greatness. Not to say that sometimes thinking about something in an attempt to motivate may do the opposite of pump you, but discourage you.

Keep a level head at all times, and be exceedingly jubilant when you play the game. I never forget how long it took me to get to where I am today. As a matter of fact, my parents still come to every pro game I play in (except in Denver). Their presence alone keeps me grounded and more ambitious to succeed.

There should be nothing out of your control as a player, and you should never take that responsibility to be happy with your own performance lightly. Be encouraged and always think on the brighter side of things, it leads to more success.

Make sure that after a game is won/lost, that you take time to appreciate your gifts and be willing to use those gifts for the God's sake. I don't mean in regards of your lacrosse gifts, but in terms of appreciating the what you have and being able to showcase that ability.

No one can stop you from what you want to accomplish.

The biggest storyline for this weekend’s game between the Hamilton Nationals and Chesapeake Bayhawks will be the return to the field of two of the greatest to ever play in the league.

Saturday will mark the Chesapeake debut for John Grant, Jr. and will also be the return from injury for Hamilton’s Casey Powell.

Grant, Jr.—who played for the Nationals franchise in Toronto and Hamilton for parts of three seasons—was acquired in an offseason trade from Long Island in exchange for a draft pick and Matt Gibson.

The attackman has missed the first three games this season due to his commitment to the NLL and the Colorado Mammoth’s run in the playoffs. He’ll be joining a team that scored a league-low eight goals last week in its first loss of the season.

Chesapeake was one of the early favorites to win the MLL Championship, but last week’s loss at home to Rochester was not a pretty outing. The Bayhawks will have to rebound quickly and they will have to do so while adding Grant, Jr. to the team chemistry.

Grant, Jr. will have to work together with Drew Westervelt, Danny Glading and Ben Rebeor on attack as well as with midfielders Kyle Dixon and Steven Brooks. It’s a very potent offense, but there is only one ball for all those scorers to play with.

“His presence will be a great bonus for our team,” head coach Dave Cottle said about Grant, Jr. on the MLL coaches’ conference call.

Hamilton has lost its first two games of the season but has been without a number of its top players because of the end of the NLL season. This week they will add Garrett Billings as well as rookie Joe Resetarits, from the University of Albany. The biggest addition will be that of Powell.

The man is the MLL’s all-time leader in points and his next goal with be the 200th of his career. Last season when he joined the Nationals in August he was the spark that propelled the team all the way to the MLL championship game.

“I joined the team late last year and we had a good shot at the championship,” Powell said in an interview on the team’s website. “I am hopeful we can continue to grow with the players we have returning and get a nice boost from the new guys.”

The original sight of Powell’s injury had some fans concerned that his career would be over. While he is ready to play now, the nature of the injury and where it’s located and at the age at which he suffered it there is still some concern about how effective he can be.

Despite the questions that surround two of the game’s greatest players, the presence these two living legends will bring to an already good match-up will make for a must-watch.

There will probably be a time frame where the two need to readjust to being out on the field, but when they get going there will most assuredly be plenty of offensive fireworks to go around.

We have heard the Nicky Polanco trade rumors for months, and today he was shipped to the Chesapeake Bayhawks for draft prospect CJ Costabile, according to Inside Lacrosse.

Polanco has not played in either of the Lizards two games this season, a win at Chesapeake and a loss in Denver against the Outlaws. However, Polanco has been a perennial all star and is known as one of the best defenders in MLL history.

A second round pick for the next two collegiate drafts will go to the Bayhawks along with Polanco in exchange for Costabile and a fifth round draft pick. Costabile is currently playing on Duke in the NCAA lacrosse tournament. He is known for scoring a break away goal for Duke in OT to help them defeat Notre Dame in the championship in 2010.

Lizards head coach Joe Spallina said yesterday that while Polanco sitting does not help the Lizards, they still can't trade him for the sake of it and they need to get fair value in return. Via Inside Lacrosse:

"It's a tricky situation because he's an older player, but he has been an all-star in the league. He's a No. 1 shutdown defender. It's difficult for both sides. The buying side is getting an older veteran, but who's still at a high level, and from our side it's getting equal value for a perennial all-star."

The Lizards have seen a lot of changes now, with Polanco, a career Lizard, gone. They have also lost players like Matt Danowski and Stephen Berger in their deal with the Charlotte Hounds. They have also gotten some bad luck, as their number one overall pick Rob Pannell is probably not going to play this season for Long Island.

They were able to get Max Seibald and Grant Catalino this off season to try to change the face of their team, and that is also what they are doing with Costabile once he joins them, and what they were hoping for with Rob Pannell.

Wednesday night PLL Commissioner Brett Vickers joined myself, Jack Goods, on Goods On Lacrosse to talk about the upcoming PLL season. It was my second PLL guest in a row on the show, as last week I talked to Pennsylvania Shamrocks owner Jim Jennings. Over the course of a half an hour we learned a few more things about the PLL when it comes to the first season and the future.

Vickers name first arose when he became a co-owner of the Jacksonville Bullies when they were a member of the PLL. However, now Vickers is no longer a member of the franchise. When asked if he is still a part of the organization, he said, "on a day to day basic I'm not. We've frozen my sales to sell to other investors who have interest." Those shares will be sold for the first season. "We have a few interested local people," he followed up later.

When it comes to NLL players futures in the league, Vickers said, "there was a lot of interest from some pretty big name people which was eluded to, Casey Powell for instance. Casey's contract with the NLL excluded him from playing for another team in the same time of the year. I'm not sure about an offseason time of the year if they are allowed to." However it was made clear that from the PLL side, "anyone is eligible to play in the league."

He talked about various ways the league will be attractive to players. "Its going to allow more players the opportunity to actually make the sport of lacrosse their full time job," Vickers stated. "The guys will play in the MLL and the guys who excel will have an opportunity to play in the PLL and show off their skills for the NLL." The PLL will be playing in the Fall, meaning when the season is over some of the top names in the league could be invited to try out for NLL training camps.

He also discussed a possible future deal with the NLL and the MLL. "I think that there's a possibly of having an affiliation," he said. "I think that there will be some discussions in the future, that's just my gut." He also addressed the fact that the two leagues have been around for awhile, and might want to see that the PLL is in for the long run. "From there prespective they are solid, they are stable, those leagues. So they probably want to see us show a little stability at first.

Finally, and probably the biggest news story out of tonight's episode, had to do with the idea of expansion for 2013. Even though the PLL is primarily on the east coast and currently only in the States, they are not limiting themselves to any footprint. "We're open to really any group," Vickers said when it came to the cities that would be looked at. A large organization has expressed interest, as well as several other groups. "I've had several discussions with an extremly large sports organization about actually coming into the league that would be extremlely exciting for all the lacrosse world... I've had several discussions with other teams interested in coming into the league."

You can listen to the episode in its entirety here. Goods On Lacrosse is a weekly show on the Lacrosse Radio Network appearing every Wednesday at 5:30. It is hosted by Jack Goods of InLaxWeTrust and discusses each of the pro lacrosse leagues.

The professional lacrosse league is a professional indoor lacrosse league which currently has four (4) teams. The four (4) teams are; the PA Shamrocks, PA Haymakers, Charlotte Copperheads, and Jacksonville Bullies. The league plays a twelve (12) game schedule from the end of September, 2012 until the beginning of December, 2012. Many top US college lacrosse players will play in the league.

The National Lacrosse League has announced the All-Rookie Team for the 2012 season. Rookie of the Year Adam Jones of the Colorado Mammoth is joined by Kevin Crowley of the Philadelphia Wings, Jordan MacIntosh and Evan Kirk of the Minnesota Swarm and Johnny Powless and Stephen Keogh of the East Division Champion Rochester Knighthawks round out the remainder of the squad.

The third overall selection in the 2011 NLL Entry Draft from Canisius, Jones led all rookies with 76 points on 29 goals and 47 assists to win the Rookie of the Year Award. Jones' 29 goals broke the Mammoth franchise's single-season rookie record set by Brian Langtry in 2003.

Crowley, the top overall pick last September from Stony Brook, was the rookie leader with 36 goals and finished second with 71 points. He also collected 81 loose balls and was named Rookie of the Week three times to help the
Wings reach the playoffs for the first time since 2008.

MacIntosh, taken fourth overall from RIT, led the Swarm's rookies with 51 points (23 goals, 28 assists) and was fifth in the NLL with 153 loose balls - also a Minnesota team record - and fourth with 151 face-off wins. He was named the league's rookie of the week once and Transition Player of the Week twice. He was also voted as Rookie of the Month for March.

Kirk, selected sixth overall from Hobart, was the only qualifying goaltender to allow fewer than 10 goals per game (9.81). Kirk, who had a 4-4 record with an .807 save percentage, was twice named Rookie of the Week and also took Rookie of the Month honors for February

MacIntosh and Kirk helped Minnesota post a 9-7 record and reach the West Divisional Semifinals.

Powless and Keogh were key to the Knighthawks reaching the Champion's Cup final for the first time since winning it in 2007. The fifth overall pick from Six Nations, Ontario, Powless totaled 50 points (26 goals, 24 assists) in 16 games and had only 10 penalty minutes to win the NLL's Sportsmanship Award.

Powless was a three-time winner of the league's Rookie of the Week award, including back-to-back honors in April.

Keogh, the second overall pick from Syracuse, was third among rookie scorers with 58 points (26 goals, 32 assists). He was named the league's top rookie for Week 17.

Rochester will face Edmonton in the Champion's Cup final at 7:30 p.m. ET Saturday night from the Blue Cross Arena and broadcast on CBS Sports Network.

With four games of Major League Lacrosse action this week, we will be seeing several changes. We already looked at some transactions earlier today, but with players like this coming back, you can understand them.

The biggest news is probably that Casey Powell will play for the Hamilton Nationals this week when they play the Chesapeake Bayhawks. The Nationals play on Friday morning, so even though he still has NLL announcing commitments, his last game will be on Saturday night in Rochester. Joe Resetarits will also play for the Nationals this week.

John Grant Jr will be back for the Bayhawks with Colorado Mammoth season ending. Head coach Dave Cottle also said earlier today that goalie Kip Turner will travel with the team to Hamilton, a big step to getting him back in action.

In some bad news for the Charlotte Hounds, Joe Marra sustained a concussion and is questionable. They do have rookie Mark Manos, who could play this week when the Hounds host the Long Island Lizards. There was also some talk of Andrew Hennessey today, who was released by the Hounds, with head coach Mike Cerino saying that they thought could help but it just wasn't working.

Mitch Belisle will be back for the Boston Cannons this week. The defender had been playing with the NLL's Minnesota Swarm, who were eliminated from the playoffs by the Edmonton Rush last week. In news for the Long Island Lizards, rookie Tim Desko out of Syracuse will be dressed and playing this week against Charlotte.

Bray Malphus will be playing in his last MLL game for the Bayhawks this week, as he will head down to Georgia for military duties afterwards. For the Ohio Machine, head coach Ted Garber said that both goalies Brian Phipps and Stefan Schroder have injuries, and we could see third string Johnny Rodriguez this week.