ROCK ACQUIRE WILES & HOAR ON DRAFT DAY

TORONTO – The Toronto Rock Lacrosse Club traded Aaron Wilson and a first round pick in the 2009 NLL Entry Draft today in exchange for Rochester Knighthawks defender Stephen Hoar along with a first round selection in this morning’s 2008 Entry Draft. Following this deal, the Rock then traded the newly acquired 2008 first round pick to the San Jose Stealth for Luke Wiles. Terms of the deals were not disclosed due to club policy.

Acquired by the San Jose Stealth in a mid-season trade in 2006 with the Philadelphia Wings, Luke Wiles earned NLL All Rookie Team honours in 2006 and tallied 54 points (20 goals, 34 assists) last season with the Stealth. In 2007, Wiles accumulated 30 goals, 52 assists and 95 loose balls in the regular season, a team high for San Jose that year.

Hoar, drafted by the Knighthawks in the second round (23rd overall) in the 2002 Entry Draft, accumulated 22 points (5 goals, 17 assists) in the 2008 season and went 204-394 at the faceoff circle. A consistent draw man for the Knighthawks over the last few seasons, the 26 year old from Oshawa Ontario sits fifth on the NLL All-Time Faceoff Leader with 892 wins over five seasons with Rochester.

“We feel that the addition of Luke and Steve will improve our team at both ends of the floor” said Mike Kloepfer, Director of Lacrosse Operations for the Toronto Rock. “They are both young talented NLL players who will help the Rock be a contender this year.”

Rock forward Aaron Wilson will head to Rochester having played with the Rock for his entire NLL career since 2003 after he was acquired by Toronto in 2002.

The Rock also picked up Mike Fleming from Robert Morris College (2nd round, 17th overall) as their first pick in the Entry Draft today. Fleming tallied 3 points (2 goals, 1 assist) in yesterday’s Player Combine game at the TD Banknorth Garden in Boston during the Draft weekend scheduled events.

Nick Rose, goaltender from the Orangeville Northmen Junior A, Ontario was also selected by the Rock (3rd round, 28th overall) along with Rama Kings Junior A goalie Derrick Gordon who made 37 saves on 50 shots in the Player Combine game yesterday.

Tommy Hurley from Burlington, Ontario was also selected by the Rock this afternoon in the 6th round, 66th overall.

For all the 2008 NLL Entry Draft results, please visit www.nll.com.
-T.Workman-