The Colorado Mammoth will expose Pat Coyle in today’s National Lacrosse League expansion draft but don’t expect to lose its all-star defenseman. Coyle, an unrestricted free agent, can sign with any team unless he’s selected in the expansion draft by Portland or Edmonton and tagged as a franchise player.
Each NLL team is allowed to name up to two franchise players by Aug. 1. Those players are allowed to earn 15 percent over the league veteran player maximum salary of $19,500 and they lose their unrestricted status, meaning they can play only for the team that holds their franchise rights.
Mammoth general manager Steve Govett is doubtful Coyle, who scored two goals with 15 assists last season, will be named a franchise player by the league’s newest entries.
“It’s a gamble, a calculated gamble,” Govett said. “I don’t think we’ll lose Pat.”
If he is not selected in the expansion draft, Coyle hopes to resign with the Mammoth.
“Like I said to Steve, business-wise, I would have done it exactly the same way,” said Coyle, 36. “Ego-wise, I hurt a bit, to be honest. But I’m older and I can’t see Edmonton or Portland as their francise player.”
Govett did not take the same gamble with Dan Stroup, the team’s leading returning goal scorer (31) for fear Portland and Edmonton would tag Stroup with the franchise label.
Stroup is among the top Mammoth players protected along with goaltender Gee Nash, forwards Gavin Prout and Brian Langtry, defensemen Jay Jalbert, Dave Stilley and Jamie Hanford, and transition players Josh Sims and Nick Carlson.
Ben Prepchuk, who held out last season, was protected by Colorado in hopes of getting compensation. Since Prepchuk lives in Edmonton, the Rush is likely to acquire him in a postdraft trade with the Mammoth.
No team can lose more than two players in today’s draft. Once each team loses a player it can pull one player off its protected list.
Portland, which announced Tuesday it will be the Lumberjax, will select first in all nine rounds via its coin-flip victory.
