With draft in the books, Rush coach waits for a season with no clear start date

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He’s chatted with Saskatchewan’s seven draft picks, and told them to keep working out and staying in shape.

From there, it’s anybody’s guess as to when they gather. Last year’s NLL season was stopped in mid-stream by the pandemic, and McComb said absence does indeed — as they say — make the heart grow fonder.

“I have a 12-year-old son who finally got back to some lacrosse here in Ontario in late August,” he related. “Getting to see his games and practices right now, you appreciate them even more. For example, he had a practice last night, and I just loved it. And sitting and watching the game …

“You appreciate it more when you can’t do something you love.”

When the Rush do get together, McComb is intrigued by what he’ll see from the team’s picks. Two of those seven — forward Marshall Powless, and defender Connor McClelland — were first-rounders.

“He’s one of those guys, and they’re few and far between, who sees the game two or three steps ahead,” McComb said of the 6-foot, 185-pound Powless, who declared early for the draft. “He’s got some work to do. He’s a young kid, and he needs to put on a little size and strength, but that comes as you grow into your man-body. We think he has a really high ceiling.”

Powless was chosen seventh overall, and McClelland — who comes out of Marquette University — 12th.

“(McClelland is) the prototype, typical Rush defender we look for,” McComb said. “He’s athletic, he’s fast, he has skills in transition, he can play the pressure-d we play. He was the guy we wanted at 12, and that’s who we got.