2022 Regular Season Record: 1-9
Final Result: Missed Playoffs
Key Additions:
Grant Ammann, D
Matt Campbell, M
Adam Charalambides, A
Kyle Hartzell, D/LSM
Marcus Holman, A
Adam Ghitelman, G
Matt Kavanagh, A
Jake Phaup, FO
Matt Rees, D
Finn Sullivan, D
Jeff Trainor, M
Max Wayne, D
Key Departures:
Nick Marrocco, G
Holden Garlent, D
Matt Rahill, D
Lyle Thompson, A (Sabbatical)
Ryan Tierney, M
That’s a LOT of additions! A look at the 2022 record should explain them. The Cannons are in the midst of a rebuild. New Head Coach/GM Brian Holman is the man charged with that. He’s done it all, having coached at blue bloods like UNC and Hopkins, winning a title with UNC, but also building a program and a culture as he coached Utah when they went DI. It’ll be his job to use a bit of both of those experiences to get this team to where it needs to be. Free agency was a time where plenty of Cannons activity was expected. Previous Coach/GM Sean Quirk acquired Matt Kavanagh via trade, but the other signings are all the work of Holman. Marcus Holman will go to attack, joining Kavanagh. The question will be who takes the place of Lyle Thompson, reigning Attackman of the Year, who is taking a sabbatical this summer. Ryan Drenner or Asher Nolting likely make the move to attack, but without a doubt this will be an offense that looks very different from a year ago. With or without Thompson, that was always going to be the case. Matt Campbell, the first pick the Cannons made in the draft, is a welcome addition. Much of the Cannons offensive personnel is converted attackmen, and Campbell is a stark difference to that. He’s a true midfielder, an excellent downhill dodger who has two point range. He should be an impact player from day one.
The defense will be a mix of young and old. Max Wayne and Finn Sullivan signed in free agency, as did Matt Rees. Kyle Hartzell also signed with the Cannons, back for what is expected to be his final year as a pro. Brodie Merrill will start the year on the holdout list but is back as well. Ultimately, the key defensive personnel remains players like Zach Goodrich, Jack Kielty, and Jake Pulver. They quietly have had very good seasons on a bad team, and will be leaned on yet again to bring along the new arrivals. Ammann is a CT machine, always a stat valued by PLL coaches. Rees can play up top or down low, and Sullivan has been a DPOY level player in the MLL before.
Goalie will have a new face as well, as Adam Ghiteman comes over to replace Nick Marrocco. Marrocco remains a free agent, and it’s surprising he’s not on a roster for camp as of now. Ghitelman is one of the more athletic goalies in the league, and is also among the best with outlet passes and spotting transition opportunities. With Bubba Fairman emerging as a solid two way threat, and players like Jeff Trainor and Rees joining in free agency, his style signals a shift towards hunting more transition opportunities.
BEST CASE SCENARIO:
Holman delivers an offense that shares the ball and is positionless, as players like Rehfuss, Drenner, Nolting, and Trainor play everywhere while Holman and Kavanagh anchor at attack. Kavanagh returns to form off a down year, creating early offense and regularly winning off the dodge on the left, while Holman balances him with righty rockets. Campbell sees shortstick matchups early and wins them consistently, forcing teams to adjust and pole him to deal with his range. The defense plays as a team under the leadership of Merrill and Hartzell, with Pulver finally getting some of the recognition he deserves as the Cannons return to the postseason.
WORST CASE SCENARIO:
The Cannons rebuild is a multi year process, and year one is rocky. Still an offense with too many attackman, out of position players combined with a new coaching staff get out to a slow start. Kavanagh doesn’t bounce back, and Cambpell plays as a volume shooter but goes for a low percentage. The defense struggles in front of Ghitelman, and a serious lack of success facing off keeps the Cannons on their back foot all summer as they miss the playoffs again.
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