The Saskatchewan Rush have acquired forward Josh Currier along with the seventh overall pick in the 2020 National Lacrosse League Entry Draft from the Philadelphia Wings in exchange for forward Ben McIntosh and three draft picks.
The Rush also receive Philadelphia’s first-round pick in the 2021 NLL Entry Draft, giving Saskatchewan four first-round selections over the next two Entry Drafts.
In announcing the trade, Rush General Manager/Head Coach Derek Keenan said the move addressed the club’s present and future.
“There are many layers to this trade,” said Keenan. “Ben has been a great player for the Rush and an integral part of three championships. He’s an outstanding player and a quality person. On a personal level, I’ll miss him a lot.
“From the Rush perspective, we are happy to get a really good player in return. Josh Currier is a proven scorer in the NLL. He has the ability to produce offence in multiple ways. He’s an excellent off-ball player, and with his speed and quickness, he has the ability to create his own shot. His toughness and grit make him a great fit to our offence.
“This trade addresses the now and the future for the Rush. It enables us to compete for another championship in 2021 along with taking care of the future.”
Two of the picks the Rush sent to Philadelphia are second-round compensatory picks – 34th and 35th overall – in the 2020 Entry Draft that Saskatchewan was awarded for losing free-agent defencemen Scott Campbell and Brett Mydske. The other pick is a conditional second-rounder in the 2023 Entry Draft.
Currier was selected sixth overall in the 2016 NLL Entry Draft after a storied college career at Virginia Wesleyan where he became the all-time leading scorer in the Old Dominion Athletic Conference. He earned a spot on the 2017 NLL All-Rookie Team after registering 18 goals and 35 points in his first season with the Rochester Knighthawks. In 2018, Philadelphia selected him seventh overall in the Expansion Draft, and in the Wings’ first season, Currier set career-highs with 34 goals, 28 assists and 62 points to go with 66 loose-ball scoops and four caused turnovers.
The 27-year-old from Peterborough, Ontario, collected 17 goals, including four power-play tallies and one shorthanded marker, and 35 points over 14 games in the pandemic shortened 2019-2020 season. Through 60 regular-season games, Currier has posted 86 goals and 77 assists for 163 points.
Currier is no stranger to the Rush having scored 10 goals in the 2018 NLL Cup playoffs when the Rush defeated Currier and the Knighthawks 2-1 in the best-of-three championship series.
The 5-foot-11, 165-pounder, who is currently playing with the PLL’s Archers LC, will bring a unique twist to the NLL’s Battle of the Prairies by joining the Rush as his brother, Zack, is a member of the Calgary Roughnecks.
McIntosh was picked first overall by the Rush in the 2014 NLL Entry Draft out of Philadelphia’s Drexel University.
“On behalf of the Rush organization, I’d like to thank Ben for his outstanding contributions over his six seasons with the team,” added Keenan. “This trade is good for everyone involved. Ben now resides in Philadelphia and, given the fact his fiancee is from there, it is permanent for him. This is a good fit for Ben and I'm happy for
