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Halloween trade changes the face of Colorado Mammoth
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Prout, longtime Mammoth captain, moves east to join the Knighthawks.
On Halloween evening, the Colorado Mammoth weren’t busy passing out candy, but negotiating a franchise-changing trade that sent their captain of five seasons to the Rochester Knighthawks in exchange for a Denver local they hope to make the face of the franchise.
Saturday night, the Mammoth traded forwards Gavin Prout and Andrew Potter, along with two selections in the 2010 NLL Draft to the Knighthawks for the second overall 2009 draft pick, Ilija Gajic, and the team’s first round pick in the 2012 NLL Draft.
The acquisition of Gajic was described by the Mammoth almost as much of a marketing move as a talent one. Gajic, who is from the Denver area and just finished playing three seasons for Denver University, will join his two brothers on the Mammoth roster.
“As an organization, the time had come to make some moves that will hopefully solidify our long-term, on-field success,” explained Mammoth general manager and president Steve Govett. “In the current economic climate, and following a disappointing 2009 season, it's imperative that we change some of our operating decisions.” The team stated that the Gajic brothers will be a major part of their community relations and marketing efforts immediately, starting with November 7th’s rookie camp.
Gajic’s outstanding play with the New Westminster Salmonbellies of the WLA made him one of the most talked about players heading into the 2009 NLL Draft. He’s shown scoring prowess in both the indoor and outdoor game. Gajic had one year of NCAA eligibility remaining, but was dismissed from DU’s lacrosse team in late March due to a “violation of team policies,” and declared himself for the draft soon after.
However, for the Mammoth, the cost of acquiring Gajic was high: they had to say farewell to Prout, their captain since the 2005 season. Prout is the Mammoth’s all-time leading scorer, and was a key piece to their 2006 NLL championship run. He has amassed 230 career goals and 441 career assists. He has also been named to five All-Pro teams in his career.
For the Knighthawks, the deal let them reacquire their 2007 14th overall pick, Potter. The Knighthawks have been extremely active on the trading block this off-season, looking to return the team to its dominance of the past. Curt Styres, the team’s owner and CEO, was pleased with Saturday’s deal. "It is a very good deal for the Knighthawks. We got a couple of draft picks and shored up the right side with Prout.”
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