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Lacrosse Ravens deal for one solid rock righthander
The National Lacrosse League Vancouver Ravens finally got their New Year's wish signed, sealed and delivered.
The second-year Ravens traded two draft picks to the Toronto Rock for 34-year-old righthander Dan Stroup Thursday, Jan. 2.
The trade ended months of speculation over what it would take to keep the former Burnaby Laker forward on the West Coast.
Stroup, a Vancouver firefighter and father of three, had made it widely known that he was unhappy making the weekly trips back east to play.
Stroup helped the Rock win three NLL championships while having his most productive pro season to date, scoring 37 goals and 23 assists in last season's title-winning year.
In exchange for Stroup, known for his diving, crease-level goal-scoring, Vancouver gave up its first-round entry-draft pick in 2004 and its second-round pick this season.
Stroup has played in the NLL for the past five seasons and 14 in the summer Western Lacrosse Association. He was also a member of Team Canada's national field lacrosse team in Perth, Australia last summer.
The long-anticipated trade had seemed doomed earlier in December when Sherwood Park, Alta. sniper Ben Prepchuk, rumoured to be a key element in a three-way deal for Stroup, was re-acquired from Calgary by New York.
At the end of the 2001 season, Vancouver pried all-star lefty Chris Gill away from Toronto after the gifted scorer had also expressed concerns about travelling time.
The Ravens played their home opener at GM Place Friday against the Philadelphia Wings. They also play Rochester at home, Sunday, Jan. 12.
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