What Athan Iannucci Brings to the Washington Stealth

Athan Iannucci, at one time, was one of the best players in the history of the National Lacrosse League. Coming into the league in 2007, he was supposed to lead a Philadelphia Wings team out of the bottom of the pack. In that year, he led the Wings in goals as a rookie. In 2008, he won the NLL MVP award, and he also scored a league record 71 goals.

He was the next NLL super star. However, in the off season of that year, he tore his knee playing summer lacrosse. He missed most of the 2009 season, but came back to have 23 goals in ten games. He would get injured again and miss the entire 2010 season. In 2011, he made his return with 29 goals in 13 games.

In the off season, he was traded to the Edmonton Rush, but did not sign. Now he will be a member of the Washington Stealth after this week's trade. The Stealth are 1-4 on the season and have struggled mightily. The Stealth have lost one of their best players for the season in Jeff Zywicki, and they are last in the western conference, and currently out of a playoff spot.

The two remaining stars of the Stealth, Lewis Ratcliff and Rhys Duch, have had rough seasons. Though Ratcliff leads the NLL with 68 shots, but he only has ten goals and twelve assists. Rhys Duch is fourth in the league with sixty shots. He also has just ten goals on the season. Duch scored the OT game winner of the Stealth's only win this season.

Washington went to the Champions Cup last year, and have kept most of their team in tact. But with the recent struggles and loss of Zywicki, the Stealth needed a spark. They needed someone to come in and give the Stealth some offense.

The one concern is that with two guys who shoot the ball almost more than anyone in the league, is there enough ball for all of them?

Iannucci is a known shooter as well. He likes to have the ball in his stick. However, maybe having three players like that can make them work together. Maybe they will be able to distribute the ball amongst themselves and it can work out.

There is no doubt that Iannucci is a talented player. Will he score 71 goals again? Probably not. At 29 years old, after two leg surgeries, he might be past his prime. However, he still has great talent, and the trade of him to the Stealth might be the spark that they needed.