Saskatchewan will be looking to qualify for the playoffs for the first time since the 2020 season. The Rush last won the NLL championship in 2018.
The Saskatchewan Rush will begin a new National Lacrosse League season Nov. 30 in Albany, N.Y.
The Rush will head to New York state to meet the Albany FireWolves to kick off the 2024-25 NLL season.
The Saskatchewan squad will follow that up with their home-opener Dec. 14 at SaskTel Centre against the Halifax Thunderbirds, the former team of Rush big free agent acquisition Austin Shanks.
The Rush will play nine regular-season games at SaskTel Centre against Halifax, Philadelphia, Las Vegas, Albany, Rochester, Buffalo, Colorado, Calgary and Ottawa.
Saskatchewan will be looking to qualify for the playoffs for the first time since the 2020 season. The Rush last won the NLL championship in 2018.
RUSH SIGN HALEY
Meanwhile, Saskatchewan has signed newly-acquired right-handed forward Brock Haley to a one-year deal.
The former Whitby Junior A star, who posted an astounding 105 goals and 70 assists in 26 regular season and playoff games in 2022, is just 23 years old. GM Derek Keenan said Haley has a “tremendous skill-set” which is hard to get in any draft.
“He will bring a lot now, and for years to come, in Saskatchewan,” said Keenan of Haley, who was the No. 7 overall pick in the 2023 NLL Entry Draft just a year ago out of the NCAA’s Division One University of Vermont.
The 6-foot-1, 180-pound attacker posted 20 goals and 34 assists on the 2024 Senior A summer circuit in Ontario.
The former Vermont team captain recorded 175 points in 67 career NCAA Division One games.
“You don’t find a 105-goal scorer in junior every day,” added Keenan. “This brings us tremendous depth and versatility. We think he’s going to be a guy who’s going to be here a long time and bring a lot to Saskatchewan.”
Saskatchewan’s right-handed forward depth now includes the likes of Haley, Robert Church, Austin Shanks, Mike Triolo and Nathaniel Kozevnikov.
Patrick Dodds has been placed on the holdout list to start the season due to work commitments. Josh Zawada, a 2023 second-round pick, has not yet been signed by the Rush.