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2017 Stealth roster features more Ladner flavour

The Vancouver Stealth will have an even more distinctive Ladner flavour for the 2017 National Lacrosse League season.
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After helping the Delta Islanders win the B.C. Junior “A” Lacrosse League championship, Evan Messenger has earned a practice roster spot with the Vancouver Stealth.

The Vancouver Stealth will have an even more distinctive Ladner flavour for the 2017 National Lacrosse League season.

The Stealth unveiled its roster on Monday, including Delta Islanders graduate Evan Messenger being one of four players named to the practice roster. The high-scoring righthander, who celebrates his 21st birthday on Tuesday, signed with the Stealth as a free agent after having a leading role in the Islanders winning their first-ever B.C. Junior "A" Lacrosse League championship and advancing to the Minto Cup.

Messenger finished third in league scoring with a career best 96 points, including 41 goals. He was also second in playoff scoring with 30 points, finishing right behind teammate Jon Phillips. He was named to the league's First All-Star team and received the BCJALL Top Graduating Player Award.

He was initially selected by Vancouver in the fourth round (39th overall) of the 2015 NLL Entry Draft.

The Stealth roster already featured lefthanded Ladner standout Logan Schuss who will once again be among the club's key offensive players. The Islanders' graduate finished second in team scoring last season with 86 points in 15 games, including 29 goals. He is entering his fifth season in the NLL after being the No. 1 pick in the 2013 Entry Draft and eventually earning league rookie-of-theyear honours.

Vancouver will be looking to improve upon a 5-13 2016 campaign. The Stealth travel to Calgary for their season opener Jan. 6 and host the same Roughnecks on Jan. 14 in their first game at the Langley Events Centre.

The Stealth initially invited the leaguemaximum of 40 players to training camp and finalizing the roster was a challenge for President and General Manager Doug Locker.

"I am really pleased with the compete level the guys showed over the last several weeks of camp and I am looking forward to the new season," said Locker. "Obviously, we had some difficult decisions, as every team in our league has, but our staff did a tremendous job evaluating each player very thoroughly and this team has the tools to compete at the highest levels of our league."

Meanwhile, goaltender Kevin Orleman, who was a standout during the Islanders' 2016 playoff run, has been named to the Buffalo Bandits practice roster. He was the Bandits' top pick in the NLL Draft and still has a year of junior eligibility remaining. Other Islander graduates in the NLL include the Colorado Mammoth trio of Eli McLaughlin, Jordan Gilles and Mike Mallory.