The Maple Ridge Burrards have traded their WLA draft first-round pick this year in a deal with the Victoria Shamrocks.
The Burrards sent Marshal King to the island in exchange for the playing rights of Jeff Shattler and Brett Craig.
The Maple Ridge Burrards are excited to announce they have entered into a trade agreement with the Victoria Shamrocks. The Burrards send Marshal King to the Shamrocks in exchange for Jeff Shattler and Brett Craig! Please welcome both Jeff and Brett to the #BurrardsNation pic.twitter.com/TToiWxBpiY
— Maple Ridge Burrards (@Burrardslax) March 28, 2019
Shattler, 34, is a seasoned pro who plays for the Saskatchewan Rush of the National Lacrosse League, and spent 11 seasons with the Calgary Roughnecks. He was named a reserve all-star in 2009, and in 2011 was named both the NLL’s most valuable player and transition player of the year.
“He’s a world-class player who adds to our other world-class players,” said Burrards GM Lance Andre. “He’s a big [six foot, 198 pounds], strong, dominant left-handed player.
“He’s a threat every time he’s on the floor.”
Andre noted Shattler is a teammate of Burrards star sniper Ben McIntosh with the Rush, and played with his all-world forward Curtis ‘Superman’ Dickson in Calgary. He has also played with other Burrards in the NLL.
Andre said his players are excited at the acquisition, and Shattler must also like what he sees to commit to the Burrards.
“For him to want to come out and play WLA, he has to have a good fit on a team that wants to win.”
Last year with the Rush he compiled 24 goals and 60 points in 17 games, and he has 745 points in 201 games in the NLL.
He has also played on the international stage. Shattler is Ojibway, and represented the Iroquois Nationals. In summer lacrosse, he has played with the Brampton Excelsiors and Six Nations Chiefs of Ontario’s Major Series Lacrosse. He last played with the Shamrocks in 2016, and also from 2009 to 2013, and was a fan favourite.
Second-year defender Brett Craig was the other part of the deal coming back to Maple Ridge.
“Craig played his first season with the Shamrocks in 2018, coming out of the Alberta Junior A program, where he made an immediate impact on his opponents with his 6’ 5,0” 230 lb frame,” said a press release out of Victoria.
The Burrards gave up a great prospect.
King, from Victoria, led the BC Junior A Lacrosse League in points per game average last season with 72 points (31 goals, 41 assists) in 11 games played, for a 6.5 points per game average.
“We’re thrilled to get a young local player in Marshal King, who is one of the best prospects to come out of Victoria in a long time,” said Shamrocks general manager Chris Welch. “We’re sad to see Shattler and Craig go, certainly the thought of Jeff helping one of our league arch-rivals isn’t appealing, and losing a bright, young prospect like Brett was hard, but we had to give something to get something.”
The Burrards braintrust drafted King, the best available player when they picked, knowing he only wanted to play in his hometown Victoria, but also that he was a significant bargaining chip, said Andre.
Andre said he is not done dealing yet, and may announce another acquisition by the end of the current week.
It is another significant player, he said, which would give the Burrards a professional-calibre offence.