The Maple Ridge Burrards obtained a huge asset with their first-round pick in the Western Lacrosse Association draft.
Huge, as in six-foot-four, 290-pound Frankie Scigliano, a goaltender from Coquitlam who is currently a backup with the Calgary Roughnecks, in his second season in the National Lacrosse League.
Burrards new coach Chris Gill was surprised and delighted when Scigliano was still available when it was their turn to pick, at third overall.
“Frankie was left for us, and that’s one position you want to have security at, for 10 or 15 years.”
He said nobody on the Burrards is guaranteed a starting job, considering the team missed the playoffs, but Scigliano will come in and compete for the starting job with last year’s veteran starter Chris Levis and backup Carson Michaud.
As big and athletic as a football lineman, Scigliano’s game is said to be playing the angles and blocking shots. A former New Westminster junior Salmonbelly, he has long been considered one of the best goaltending prospects in the sport.
Lacrosse people are already telling Gill that the Burrards have landed “the missing piece.” He is not that excited yet.
“We’re not one player away from winning the Mann Cup,” he said.
So far, Scigliano has played 237 minutes in the NLL, allowing 12.12 goals against and a .760 save percentage.
The second round brought defender Danny McDermott of the Delta Islanders Junior A team. He was an All-American with the New York Institute of Technology and one of the best defenders in Canadian field lacrosse.
“He’s going to help,” said Gill. “He’s a real solid, stay-at-home defender with size.”
Gill said both guys are not the types of players who are generally drafted early, but in two or three years could emerge as cornerstone players.
The Burrards were surprisingly good in the first half of last season, with a high octane offence led by league MVP Curtis Dickson. But they showed an inability to lock down games, and were shockingly bad down the stretch, eventually missing the playoffs.
The draft was obviously intended to address some of those needs.
The draft was held on Thursday at the Langley Events Centre.
The Roughnecks will be in the neighbourhood this weekend, as they take on the Vancouver Stealth at the Langley Events Centre at 6 p.m. on Saturday. That will bring the Burrards sniper Curtis Dickson back to town, along with Scigliano.
Burrards draft picks
1. Frankie Scigiliano (N/W Jr A)
2. Danny McDermott (Delta Jr A)
4. Zach Porter (Langley Jr A)
5. Cory Cop (Poco Jr A)
6. Dylan Quinn (Langley Jr A)
7. Spencer Evans (Langley Jr A)
8. Dalton Nicholson (Pr Geo Sr C)
9. Brenden Kidd (Langley Jr A)
10. Jeremey Funk (Maple Ridge Jr B)