Ever since debuting as a 3rd general decide for the Saskatchewan Rush within the 2016-17 season, Mike Messenger has carried out nothing however rating well timed objectives and supply a number of the largest hits within the Nationwide Lacrosse League.
One thing that goaltender Frank Scigliano noticed on the opposite aspect of the ground for years, earlier than getting an up shut look in his first season at SaskTel Centre final yr.
“Clearly Rush followers know what Mike brings to the desk,” stated Scigliano. “He’s carried out it for a few years right here.”
Messenger is considered one of simply 4 gamers left on the Rush roster with championship caliber expertise, profitable all of it with Saskatchewan in his sophomore season in 2018 alongside Robert Church, Ryan Keenan and Matt Hossack.
Rising into one of many group’s de facto leaders since then, Messenger has acquired some assist in that division with veteran acquisitions by the group within the low season within the return of Hossack from Panther Metropolis Lacrosse Membership and the signing of Halifax Thunderbirds sniper Austin Shanks.
“It’s massive,” stated Messenger. “The final couple of years we’ve been fairly younger. We’re not younger any extra, however including these guys again into it like [Hossack] and [Shanks] is massive for our group.”
That’s not the one space the place Messenger’s function on the group will look just a little totally different in 2024-25, as he’s additionally taking a step again from the face-off dot in favour of rookie standout Jake Naso.
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A transfer which co-head coach Jimmy Quinlan believes shall be helpful not just for his alternate captain, however for the group as an entire.
“I’ve been actually impressed with Mike Messenger,” stated Quinlan. “I believe having Jake Naso take some attracts, we noticed it allowed him to free [Messenger] as much as possibly play just a little bit extra his fashion the place he doesn’t need to be so exhausted taking all of these attracts. We’ll nonetheless use him I’m certain now and again in there.”
Seeking to keep his endurance via a complete NLL season, the 31-year-old Messenger stated he’s embracing the brand new function and the deal with each ends of the ground after profitable slightly below 42 p.c of his attracts final yr.
“It’ll assist give me a bit extra relaxation and let me play my recreation extra on defence and on offence there,” stated Messenger. “As a substitute of [myself] taking the entire attracts, having [Naso] out there’s going to be an enormous assist for me.”
That veteran presence took on a historic observe in Saskatchewan’s first recreation of the season in Albany, with Messenger shifting into second in profession video games performed in a Rush uniform with the 119th contest of his NLL profession.
Whereas Messenger noticed his face-off totals dip in 2023-24, he had a profession season offensively reaching new highs with 12 objectives and 27 factors in 18 video games.
Nonetheless anticipated to hold most of the massive minutes on Saskatchewan’s again finish alongside Hossack and Holden Garlent, a well-rested Messenger may go a protracted solution to ensuring that model of energy and physicality stretches into the spring.
To achieve playoffs for the primary time since his 2019 season.
“The final two seasons we’ve been like one recreation shy,” stated Messenger. “I believe this yr we’re actually pushing for playoffs and preventing for one recreation at a time after that.”
Kicking off the 2024-25 season with a 1-0 report and popping out of a bye week, the Rush will maintain their residence opener on Saturday night time at SaskTel Centre dealing with Halifax at 7:00 pm.
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