The PLL waiver wire period has come and gone, and featured a lot more movement than expected. Of the eight teams, all but Chaos LC made moves, with some teams scooping up as many as ten players.
Best Pickups
Archers LC
Waiver Wire Adds: Nick Washuta (G)
The Archers are literally one stud faceoff guy away from being unstoppable. If the infinity gauntlet was a team, they'd be the Archers LC and lacking just one more infinity stone.
Atlas LC
Cannons LC
Cannons LC head coach Sean Quirk was the most active, adding nine players via the waiver wire, including four former Boston Cannons in Bryce Wasserman, John Upgren, Justin Pugal and Scott Hooper
He also added a tenth player in Andrew Kew
Chrome LC
Redwoods LC
Waiver Wire Adds: Andrew Kew (A), Brian Phipps (G)
Favorite Pick Up (and then trade): Andrew Kew
I mean no disrespect to Brian Phipps, who will be a terrific backup behind Troutner and serviceable starter if there is ever a need, but Nat St. Laurent picking up Andrew Kew and trading him to Cannons LC for a third rounder in the 2021 PLL College Draft is brilliant. Adam and I have been waiting for a coach to make a move reminiscent of a big-time pro sports league, and this was it. While it doesn't necessarily forgive leaving Brent Adams unprotected, it does further cement Nat St. Laurent as the PLL trade master.
Whipsnakes LC
I was surprised the Whips didn't pick up a proven veteran to backup Kyle Bernlohr (particularly the guy whose last name rhymes with Whips), but if the team's biggest need is a backup netminder, then that is a great problem to have.
Biggest Snubs
Some have suggested that Dylan Molloy could be "black balled" from the league after undisclosed conflicts led him to leave the PLL prior to the 2019 season and sign with the MLL, but if that was the case, then he would have never re-signed with the PLL again and be in the player pool. So, while I think we can rule out that theory, why he wasn't picked up is unclear to me. One thing you can never rule out in pro lacrosse (for now at least) is conflicts with a fulltime job. Not saying this is the case with Molloy, but that was what appeared to be an issue the last time.
As for the other names I mentioned, age could be a reason why teams shied away from them, but if you look at their production on the field in 2020 and years prior, you can pretty much toss that out as a reason. CJ Costabile is still a menace up and down the field, Tommy Palasek can still light up the score sheet and Mark Matthews is still one of the best passers in lacrosse (field or box).
CJ Costabile
In 2019, Lyle Thompson led the MLL in scoring with 73. Do you know who was tied for second? Rob Pannell and Tommy Palasek. That should probably convince you right there. If it doesn't, then let's talk about the New York Lizards' 2015 MLL Championship season when all the best players were under one roof. The team's top three scorers were Rob Pannell, Paul Rabil and, you guessed it, Tommy Palasek.
As for Matthews, his success in the field game has been minimal when compared to his NLL career. Yet, this is Mark Matthews we're talking about and with the plethora of box lacrosse talent in the PLL, to see the 2018 NLL MVP left out of the mix is just insane.
I can understand why they may have not gotten picked in the PLL Entry Draft, but I do not understand why the did not get snagged off waivers. I know both Costabile and Palasek specifically were planning on playing this summer because I've talked to them both personally about it.
And then there's Garrett Thul, who has been out of lacrosse for a few years due to military commitments, but who's accolades as a pro lacrosse player and member of Team USA should make him deserving of a camp invite. He's been in the active duty military, so any concerns about fitness should go out the window. You could argue he's probably in better shape than the majority of the active lacrosse players. You also know what type of person you're getting with a West Point alum, and that's all the best qualities of a leader and teammate.
So, while none of the players picked up off waivers really shocked me, the ones who didn't get selected certainly did. I'm not saying these players deserve a starting role (though some could earn one). I'm not saying these players should even necessarily make a game day roster each week (though they probably could). What I am saying is that a PLL training camp without these players is a mistake. They deserve an opportunity to earn a roster spot. Maybe they'll get picked up following the PLL College Draft during the final waiver period, and my ranting will be all for nothing. But until then, I'll try to come up with reasons why they aren't on a roster and probably have a hard time doing so.