View source for Boston Blazers (2009–2011)

{{Short description|Former NLL professional box lacrosse team}}
{{For|an earlier team|Boston Blazers (1992–1997)}}
{{Infobox sports team
| name = Boston Blazers
| logo = BlazersLogo.jpg
| founded = 2007
| division = Eastern
| arena = [[TD Garden]]
| city = [[Boston, Massachusetts]]
| colors = Red, White, Black<br>{{Color box|#CE2222}} {{Color box|white}} {{Color box|black}}
| owner = Tim Armstrong
| coach_label = Head coach
| coach = Matt Sawyer
| gm = [[Doug Reffue]]
| blank_label = [[Professional Lacrosse Players' Association|PLPA]] representative
| blank_label1 = Formerly
| blank_label2 = Later
| sport = [[Box lacrosse]]
| league = [[National Lacrosse League]]
| championships = '''0'''
| first_season = [[2009 NLL season|2009]]
| disbanded = 2011
| playoff_berths = '''3''' ([[2009 NLL season|2009]], [[2010 NLL season|2010]], [[2011 NLL season|2011]])
}}
The '''Boston Blazers''' were an [[indoor lacrosse]] team in the [[National Lacrosse League]] (NLL). The Blazers were based in [[Boston, Massachusetts|Boston]], [[Massachusetts]], and began play in the [[2009 NLL season]].
The team was owned by [[Tim Armstrong (executive)|Tim Armstrong]], the former President of Advertising and Commerce for [[Google]].<ref>{{cite web|url=http://economictimes.indiatimes.com/News/International_Business/Google_exec_bets_on_niche_sports_like_lacrosse/articleshow/3630653.cms|title=Google exec bets on niche sports like lacrosse |date=October 23, 2008|publisher=Reuters|access-date=2008-10-24}}</ref> who is currently CEO of [[AOL]]. NLL veteran [[Tom Ryan (lacrosse)|Tom Ryan]] was the team's head coach until being dismissed on December 23, 2010. Ryan was replaced on December 28, 2010 by former [[Toronto Rock]] assistant coach Matt Sawyer. On April 7, 2008, the Blazers named veteran New England marketing executive [[Doug Reffue]] to the position of team president.
The team was not associated with the former [[Boston Blazers (1992-1997)|Boston Blazers]], who played in the [[Major Indoor Lacrosse League]] (MILL, predecessor to the NLL) from [[1992 MILL season|1992]] to [[1997 MILL season|1997]]. However, the name was chosen "in part due to the popularity and nostalgia associated with the former Boston Blazers franchise".<ref>{{cite web|url=http://nll.com/article.php?id=3111|work=NLL.com|title=Boston team name: Blazers|date=October 4, 2007|access-date=2007-10-04|archive-date=2007-10-04|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20071004214240/http://www.nll.com/article.php?id=3111|url-status=dead}}</ref>
On August 30, 2011, the team announced that it would be temporarily suspend operations for the 2012 season as they sought a new home facility for the 2013 season.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.nll.com/article.php?id=5154|work=NLL.com|title=Blazers to Move Operations for 2013 Season|date=August 30, 2011|access-date=2011-08-30}}</ref> However the team has yet to resume operations by 2023.
==History==
The Blazers were originally scheduled to begin play in the [[2008 NLL season]]. On July 31, 2007 the league held an [[National Lacrosse League expansion draft#2007 Draft results|expansion draft]] and the Blazers selected a number of players.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://nll.com/article.php?id=3027|work=NLL.com|title=Pat Merrill Selected First Overall By Boston|date=July 31, 2007|access-date=2007-08-01}}</ref> In preparation for the season, the team also made a number of trades.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://nll.com/article.php?id=3030|title=Boston Deals Langtry Back To Colorado|work=NLL.com|date=July 31, 2007|access-date=2007-08-02}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://nll.com/article.php?id=3033|title=Boston Sends Croswell to Toronto|work=NLL.com|date=July 31, 2007|access-date=2007-08-02}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://nll.com/article.php?id=3065|title=Toronto / Boston Trade Revoked|work=NLL.com|date=August 28, 2007|access-date=2007-10-05}}</ref> On October 16, 2007, the NLL announced that the [[2008 NLL season|2008 season]] had been cancelled due to the failure of the league and the [[Professional Lacrosse Players' Association]] to reach a new [[collective bargaining agreement]].<ref name="cancelled">{{cite web|url=http://www.nll.com/article.php?id=3127 |title=2008 Season Cancelled |access-date=2007-10-16 |date=2007-10-16 |work=NLL.com |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20071017094708/http://nll.com/article.php?id=3127 |archive-date=2007-10-17 }}</ref> However, the negotiations continued, and on October 25, the league announced that a new seven-year agreement had been reached, and that the season would be played.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.nll.com/article.php?id=3132 |work=NLL.com |title=NLL, PLPA Reach Seven-Year Deal |date=October 25, 2007 |access-date=2007-11-02 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20071031085546/http://www.nll.com/article.php?id=3132 |archive-date=2007-10-31 }}</ref> A new schedule was announced on November 2, 2007, but only included 12 of the expected 14 teams; the Blazers and the [[Arizona Sting]] had been removed.<ref name="schedule">{{cite web|url=http://nll.com/article.php?id=3141|work=NLL.com|title=League Releases New 2008 Schedule|date=November 2, 2007|access-date=2007-11-02|archive-date=2007-11-06|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20071106023459/http://www.nll.com/article.php?id=3141|url-status=dead}}</ref> The reasons that the Blazers and Sting opted out of the season were not given, just that it was "due to a number of business issues", and that both teams would return in 2009.<ref name="schedule" /> A [[National Lacrosse League dispersal draft|dispersal draft]] was held on November 5, 2007.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.nll.com/article.php?id=3142 |work=NLL.com |title=Dawson selected first overall by Portland |date=November 5, 2007 |access-date=2007-11-07 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20071107010051/http://www.nll.com/article.php?id=3142 |archive-date=2007-11-07 }}</ref>
==Inaugural season==
The [[2009 NLL season]] was the Boston Blazers' first season playing in the league. In order to field a team for the season, the Blazers participated in the three separate drafts: the Arizona Sting [[National Lacrosse League dispersal draft|dispersal draft]], the [[National Lacrosse League expansion draft|expansion draft]] on July 24, and the [[National Lacrosse League entry draft|entry draft]] in September.
On June 30, in the Arizona Sting dispersal draft, the Blazers selected [[Dan Dawson]] first overall and forward Peter Veltman with the first pick of the second round.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.nll.com/article.php?id=3533 |work=NLL.com |title=Dawson joins Boston Blazers |date=June 30, 2008 |access-date=2008-06-30 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080702002101/http://www.nll.com/article.php?id=3533 |archive-date=2008-07-02 }}</ref> On July 24 the team picked 12 additional players for their roster in the [[National Lacrosse League expansion draft#2008 Draft results|2008 expansion draft]], including goaltender [[Mike Poulin]] with the first overall selection.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.nll.com/article.php?id=3556 |title=Boston selects Poulin first overall |date=July 24, 2008 |publisher=NLL.com |access-date=2008-07-25 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080728003859/http://www.nll.com/article.php?id=3556 |archive-date=2008-07-28 }}</ref>
{| class="wikitable"
|-
! Player
! Original Club
! Position
|-
| [[Mike Poulin]]
| [[Toronto Rock]]
| [[Goaltender]]
|-
| [[Mitch Belisle]]
| [[New York Titans (lacrosse)|New York Titans]]
| [[Defense (sport)|Defenseman]]
|-
| Matt Lyons
| [[Rochester Knighthawks]]
| Forward
|-
| Kyle Laverty
| [[Buffalo Bandits]]
| [[Defense (sport)|Defenseman]]
|-
| [[John Gallant]]
| [[Colorado Mammoth]]
| [[Defense (sport)|Defenseman]]
|-
| [[Jake Bergey]]
| [[Philadelphia Wings (1987–2014)|Philadelphia Wings]]
| Forward
|-
| [[Devan Wray]]
| [[Calgary Roughnecks]]
| [[Defense (sport)|Defenseman]]
|-
| Kyle Ross
| [[Minnesota Swarm]]
| [[Defense (sport)|Defenseman]]
|-
| [[Tom Johnson (lacrosse)|Tom Johnson]]
| [[San Jose Stealth]]
| Forward
|-
| Matt Holman
| [[Chicago Shamrox]]
| Forward
|-
| Michael Kilby
| [[Portland LumberJax]]
| [[Defense (sport)|Defenseman]]
|-
| [[Cam Bergman]]
| [[Edmonton Rush]]
| Transition
|}
Shortly after the draft concluded, the Blazers traded [[Cam Bergman]] back to the [[Edmonton Rush]] for F [[Brenden Thenhaus]] and G [[Kurtis Wagar]].<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.nll.com/article.php?id=3556 |title=Boston Adds 12 in Expansion Draft |work=NLL.com |date=July 24, 2008 |access-date=2008-12-13 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080728003859/http://www.nll.com/article.php?id=3556 |archive-date=2008-07-28 }}</ref>
On July 29, the Blazers and Rochester Knighthawks swapped defenders, with Kyle Laverty going to Rochester in exchange for [[University of Massachusetts Amherst]] alum [[Jack Reid (lacrosse)|Jack Reid]].<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.nll.com/article.php?id=3558|work=NLL.com|title=Blazers and Knighthawks Swap Defenders|date=July 29, 2008|access-date=2008-12-13}}</ref>
On July 30, the Blazers, San Jose Stealth, and Calgary Roughnecks completed a 3-way trade that sent [[Tom Johnson (lacrosse)|Tom Johnson]], Travis Gillespie, and Boston's 3rd-round pick in the 2009 NLL Entry Draft to San Jose, Devan Wray to Calgary, and forward [[Sean Morris]] (another [[UMass]] alum and [[Marshfield, MA]] native), defenseman Steve Panarelli, Calgary's 3rd-round pick in the 2009 NLL Entry Draft, and San Jose's 2nd-round pick in the 2010 NLL Entry Draft to Boston.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://nll.com/article.php?id=3560|title=Five Players Swapped in Three-Way Deal|work=NLL.com|date=July 30, 2008|access-date=2008-12-13}}</ref>
Only weeks before the season began, the [[Chicago Shamrox]] suspended operations, and another dispersal draft was held. The Blazers had the first overall pick, and chose former Goaltender of the Year [[Anthony Cosmo (lacrosse)|Anthony Cosmo]].<ref>{{cite web|url=http://nll.com/article.php?id=3672|work=NLL.com|date=December 12, 2008|title=Cosmo Selected First Overall By Boston|access-date=2008-12-13|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090417170043/http://nll.com/article.php?id=3672|archive-date=April 17, 2009}}</ref>
==Final roster==
{{NLL roster
|TeamName=Final Boston Blazers
|NLLcomName=
|BC1=Red
|FC1=White
|BC2=Silver
|FC2=#FFFFFF
|Website=http://www.blazerslacrosse.com/ Roster
|Date=2009-02-04
|Goaltenders=
{{player|44| CAN | [[Anthony Cosmo (lacrosse)|Anthony Cosmo]]}}
{{player|66| CAN | Nick Rose}}
|Defenseman=
{{player|85| USA |[[Mitch Belisle]]}}
{{player|12| CAN | Jon "Bubba" Durno}}
{{player|28| CAN | Dilan Graham}}
{{player|33| CAN | [[Jon Harnett]]}}
{{player|&nbsp;4| CAN | Carter Livingstone}}
{{player|15| CAN | Curtis Ptolemy}}
{{player|18| USA | Jack Reid}}
|Forwards=
{{player|22| CAN | Bryan Bendig}}
{{player|&nbsp;9| CAN | Gary Bining}}
{{player|&nbsp;6| CAN | [[Dan Dawson]]|captain=1}}
{{player|&nbsp;8| USA | [[Greg Downing]]}}
{{player|19| CAN | Matt Lyons}}
{{player|17| CAN | Geoff McNulty}}
{{player|25| USA | [[Sean Morris]]}}
{{player|23| USA | [[Brett Queener]]}}
|Transition=
{{player|47| CAN | [[Jason Bloom (lacrosse)|Jason Bloom]]}}
{{player|37| CAN | Nick Cotter}}
|Practice=
{{player| 20 | | Travis Brown}}
{{player| 05 | | Paul Manesis}}
|Injured=
|Holdout=
|Unable=
|Restricted=
|Head coach=
* Matt Sawyer
|Assistant coaches=
* Todd Francis
* Randy Fraser
* Corey Hallman
|}}
==All time record==
{| class="wikitable"
! Season !! Division !! W-L !! Finish !! Home !! Road !! GF !! GA !! Coach !! Playoffs
|- ALIGN=center
| [[2009 NLL season|2009]] || Eastern || 10–6 || 3rd || 4–4 || 6–2 || 181 || 168 || rowspan="2"|[[Tom Ryan (lacrosse)|Tom Ryan]] || Lost Division Semifinal
|- ALIGN=center
| [[2010 NLL season|2010]] || Eastern || 8–8 || 4th || 5–3 || 3–5 || 161 || 162 || Lost Division Semifinal
|- ALIGN=center
| [[2011 NLL season|2011]] || Eastern || 8–8 || 4th || 5–3 || 3–5 || 166 || 155 || Matt Sawyer || Lost Division Semifinal
|- ALIGN=center bgcolor="#e0e0e0"
! Total !! 3 seasons !! colspan="2" | 26&ndash;22 !! 14&ndash;10 !! 12&ndash;12 !! 508 !! 485 !! colspan="2" |
|}
==Playoff results==
{| class="wikitable"
! Season !! Game !! Visiting !! Home
|- ALIGN=center
| [[2009 NLL season|2009]] || Division Semifinal || Boston 8 || '''Buffalo 11<ref>{{Cite web |url=http://www.nll.com/game/show/2777774?referrer_id=395168 |title=Boston Blazers at Buffalo Bandits - 2009 Playoffs |access-date=2013-05-06 |archive-date=2013-06-30 |archive-url=https://archive.today/20130630014549/http://www.nll.com/game/show/2777774?referrer_id=395168 |url-status=dead }}</ref>'''
|- ALIGN=center
| [[2010 NLL season|2010]] || Division Semifinal || Boston 11 || '''Orlando 12'''
|- ALIGN=center
| [[2011 NLL season|2011]] || Division Semifinal || Boston 10 || '''Buffalo 11'''
|}
*[[National Lacrosse League]]
*[[Box lacrosse]]
*[[Lacrosse]]
*[[Boston Blazers (1992-1997)]]
*[[New England Blazers]]
*[[Boston Cannons]]
== Awards and honors ==
{| class="wikitable"
|+
!Year
!Player
!Award
|-
| rowspan="2" |[[2009 NLL season|2009]]
| rowspan="2" |[[Dan Dawson]]
|[[National Lacrosse League MVP Award|Most Valuable Player]]
|-
|[[National Lacrosse League Sportsmanship Award|Sportsmanship Award]]
|}
== Draft history ==
=== NLL Entry Draft ===
'''First Round Selections'''
* [[National Lacrosse League entry draft#2007 NLL|2007]]: [[Craig Point]] (3rd overall), Matt Lyons (11th overall)
* [[National Lacrosse League entry draft#2008 NLL|2008]]: [[Daryl Veltman]] (1st overall)
* [[National Lacrosse League entry draft#2009 NLL|2009]]: Max Seibald (8th overall)
* [[National Lacrosse League entry draft#2010 NLL|2010]]: [[Kyle Rubisch]] (2nd overall), [[David Brock (lacrosse)|David Brock]] (7th overall)
* [[National Lacrosse League entry draft#2011 NLL|2011]]: None
==External links==
*[http://www.nll.com NLL Official Website]
*[https://web.archive.org/web/20070512194146/http://www.nll.com/article.php?id=2944 Team Announcement Press Release at NLL.com]
==References==
{{reflist}}
{{NLL}}
{{Defunct NLL}}
[[Category:Defunct National Lacrosse League teams]]
[[Category:Lacrosse teams in Boston]]
[[Category:Lacrosse clubs established in 2007]]
[[Category:Sports clubs and teams disestablished in 2011]]
[[Category:2007 establishments in Massachusetts]]
[[Category:2011 disestablishments in Massachusetts]]
[[Category:Lacrosse clubs disestablished in the 2010s]]