(NLL) - The Rochester Knighthawks completed a blockbuster trade with the Colorado Mammoth on Saturday, acquiring forwards Gavin Prout, Andrew Potter and two first-round selections in the 2010 Entry Draft. In exchange, Rochester sent the rights to Ilija Gajic and their first-round selection in the 2012 Entry Draft to Colorado.
''It is a very good deal for the Knighthawks,'' said Knighthawks owner and CEO Curt Styres. ''We got a couple of draft picks and shored up the right side with Prout. Andrew Potter won the (junior) scoring championship last year and should do very well.''
Prout enters his ninth season in the NLL in 2010. In his career, he has 230 goals and 441 assists in 127 games. The Mammoth's all-time leading scorer and team captain since 2005, Prout spent the past six seasons with Colorado. He was also a First Team All-Pro and the Championship Game MVP in 2006. Additionally, the 31-year-old was a Second Team All-Pro member four times in his career.
In 2008, Prout led the National Lacrosse League in assists with 67, a career high. The eight-year pro also captured back-to-back MLL championships in 2008 and 2009 with Rochester and Toronto, respectively.
Potter appeared in just one game for the Mammoth in 2009 following his arrival in Colorado via a trade for (the then-retired) Gary Gait. He led the Ontario Lacrosse Association Junior "A" circuit with 125 points in 22 games this summer.
Ilija Gajic was the second overall pick in this year's draft and now heads to the Mammoth. The middle of three brothers set to don Mammoth jerseys in 2010, he led the New Westminster Salmonbellies of the Western Lacrosse Association to a spot in the Mann Cup in 2008, registering 51 points in 14 regular-season games played.
The 24-year-old Burnaby, British Columbia native played three seasons of college lacrosse at the University of Denver and is expected to be an immediate impact player in the National Lacrosse League.
''Ilija Gajic is a tremendous talent who will put points on the board for us for years to come,'' said Steve Govett, the Mammoth's president and general manager. ''We were excited on draft day when we landed two of the top five prospects available with Alex Gajic and Cliff Smith,'' explained Govett. ''Now with Ilija, we have three of the top five players available this year.''
Ilija, Nenad and Alex Gajic all reside in Denver and will play a significant role in the Mammoth's community relations and fan development efforts. Ilija's first appearance in a Mammoth uniform comes this Saturday at the team's rookie camp.
''As an organization, the time had come to make some moves that will hopefully solidify our long-term, on-field success,'' added Govett. ''In the current economic climate, and following a disappointing 2009 season, it's imperative that we change some of our operating decisions. Sometimes that means making tough choices. We have effectively retooled our entire offence.''