Stealth re-sign two key veterans
Published 7:00 pm Thursday, December 8, 2011
The Washington Stealth continue to assemble their 2012 roster by re-signing forward Jeff Zywicki and goalkeeper Tyler Richards on Thursday.
The deals are pending league approval.
Zywicki, a veteran right-handed forward, signed through the 2013 season and the veteran goalkeeper Richards signed for one year.
Zywicki was originally drafted by the Stealth in the 2005 NLL Entry Draft. He has spent every year of his six-year NLL career with the Stealth. Zywicki is among the Stealth’s all-time leaders in three major offensive categories. He ranks second all-time in goals with 181, fifth in assists with 184 and third in points with 365. He also ranks in the top ten in loose balls (419) and games played (78).
“Jeff was a big part of our championship run in 2010 and a major reason why our offense is so good,” Stealth head coach Chris Hall said in a press release. “He’s back healthy this season and I think we can expect to see the Jeff Zywicki we’ve come to know as one of the best goal scorers in the league.”
Zywicki missed 13 games in 2011 after suffering an injury in the season opener. He returned to the lineup for the Stealth’s final two regular season games and was instrumental in the Stealth’s playoff run back to the NLL Champion’s Cup, which resulted in an 8-7 loss to the Toronto Rock.
“I’m looking forward to getting the Stealth season going,” Zywicki said. “Especially with the way last season ended, just on goal away from the championship, we are going to come back hungry this season with our only goal reclaiming the title.”
Richards also returns as a key piece to the Stealth’s run to two consecutive championship games. But for the first time he enters the season as the unquestioned No.1 goalkeeper on the team. Previously, Richards has split time with Matt Roik, but Roik was shipped to the Rock in an offseason trade.
“I’m looking forward to having the pressure of being the number one guy for the first time in my career,” Richards said. “The coaching staff and entire Stealth organization have shown faith in me and I am ready to come to camp and prove them right.”
Over the past three seasons, Richards has posed an 11.25 goals against average and a .782 save percentage in 1,484 regular season minutes.
But for all Richards has done in the regular season, it is his playoff performances that make him so valuable.
Richards has a 6-2 record in the postseason with a 10.13 goals against average and an .807 save percentage. Richards saved 50 shots in the Stealth’s 2010 championship victory over the Toronto Rock and continued that great play in 2011 holding opponents to 7.71 goals per game and an .854 save percentage. Richards went head-to-head with legendary NLL goalkeeper Bob Watson. Watson, who was playing his final NLL game, got the better of Richards but both goalkeepers gave their team a chance to win with their play in the net.
The loss has Richards motivated to return to the top of the league in 2012.
“Of course it was disappointing (to lose the 2011 NLL Championship game),” Richards said. “It was a heartbreaking loss, but it’s also a reminder that championships are hard to come by. It has made me work even harder this offseason to make sure that we are in the best position to bring the championship back to Washington.”
The Stealth open training camp on Saturday in Langley, B.C. and face the Rock in an exhibition game on Saturday night. The regular season opens Jan. 14 at Comcast Arena against the Calgary Roughnecks.
