Colorado Mammoth veteran Pat Coyle, owner of five National Lacrosse League championship rings and a mainstay on the Mammoth backline the past four years, will retire after 12 seasons in the league, the team said.
“It has been a real honor to play with so many great teammates, to have the chance to compete with my brothers and I will miss that the most,” Coyle said.
The 38-year-old, who joined the Mammoth in 2005, is a three-time NLL all-star and former league defensive player of the year. Before playing with Colorado, where he won an NLL title in 2006, Coyle helped the Toronto Rock to championships in 1999, 2000, ’02 and ’03.
“I was lucky to have played most of my career with the two best teams in this league, Toronto and Colorado,” he said. “I feel very blessed to have been able to play this great game for so long and I’m really going to miss it.”
A rowdy defender and an assistant captain for the Mammoth last season, Coyle will retire with 375 regular-season penalty minutes, second most in league history.
“Pat was a big asset to our team and will never be replaced. He was a true leader that inspired veterans and young players alike,” Mammoth general manager Steve Govett said. “Although he only played the last third of his career here in Colorado, he helped shape the identity of the Mammoth franchise and will be remembered as one of the best.”
