Saskatchewan Rush forward Mark Matthews will be leaving the team and heading to Toronto to play continue the game in 2023.
Pending league approval, Matthews will be joining the Toronto Rock in exchange for a 2023 first-round draft pick, forward Zach Manns and defender Adam Jay.
A release from the Rush said Saskatchewan now holds three picks in both the first and second rounds of the National Lacross League Draft.
Rush general manager Derek Keenan said Matthews was the best player the team has ever had.
“I’ve been doing this job for a long time and difficult decisions are often made, but this one is on a whole different level,” Keenan said. “Mark Matthews is the best player in franchise history, period.
“The decision to trade Mark is multilayered. Firstly; what is best for Mark? I think this is a great fit for Mark, for many reasons. I think Toronto had a need and he fits that need well. I think logistically it works well for Mark.”
Matthews has spent 10 seasons with the Rush, winning three championships and earning more than 1,000 points.
“For him to play close to home and practice on a Tuesday night, it’s going to extend his career,” Keenan said. “When he retires, his jersey will be hanging from our rafters.”
Manns will join the Rush with 48 regular season and playoff games as well as 116 points under his belt. This will be Jay’s fifth season in the league, averaging 2.45 loose balls per game, and he had 15 caused turnovers last season.
The Rush have been eyeing the players, both from Victoria, for some time.
“Zach Manns is a young, strong, athletic lefty forward with experience in a great program and huge upside,” Keenan said. “Adam Jay is a solid, athletic defender we’ve liked for some time. The 12th pick in this year’s draft is a valuable asset to help continue to build the team going forward.
“We need to make the playoffs. It’s a pretty tall hill to climb to get both younger and also accomplish that, but if you make the right moves in our league, it is very doable to turn the team around quickly. You have to make the right move and bring the right people in.”
Keenan hinted more moves are coming for the team, which hasn’t played a playoff game since 2019.
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