The first-round and seventh-overall selection of the Victoria Shamrocks in the Western Lacrosse Association draft earlier this year, Messenger is still awaiting to make his debut as he nurses an ankle injury sustained in a Vancouver Stealth playoff game.
The 21-year-old, who starred with Delta in the sa国际传媒 Junior A Lacrosse League, missed the first two home games with the Shamrocks and remains doubtful for tonight鈥檚 first away outing in New Westminster at 7:30 p.m. Whether he plays at home Friday to Coquitlam remains to be seen.
What is known is Messenger鈥檚 talents should be on display for many years.
鈥淚鈥檓 just excited,鈥� he said of joining his new WLA team. 鈥淚t鈥檚 all really new for me, but just looking at everything on paper and with some of the signings we have, I think we have a Mann Cup-quality team here.鈥�
It鈥檚 a team that he has some familiarity with, having played with Rhys Duch, Corey Small and Jon Harnett with the Stealth of the National Lacrosse League.
鈥淗e鈥檒l be a guy you notice on the floor,鈥� said Small. 鈥淗e鈥檚 probably one of the best athletes I鈥檝e ever seen play. We had a pick-up basketball game this winter and he was dunking on guys. We were amazed. He鈥檚 an athletic player and we鈥檙e excited to have him, as well as some of our homegrown guys like Dallas Wade and Matt Hamilton.鈥�
The latter two were also drafted by the Shamrocks, as was Cody Nass, who played junior with Messenger in Delta.
鈥淚 never expected to be able to draft Messenger and Nass,鈥� Shamrocks general manager said at the time of the draft. 鈥淢essenger, in junior, speaks for itself and he鈥檚 going to be a star in the WLA for years to come.鈥�
With the Delta Islanders, Messenger finished top 10 in league scoring with 26 goals and 36 assists for 62 points in 16 games. The six-foot-one, 190-pound lefty was a prolific scorer in his three seasons with the Islanders racking up 240 points in 68 total games.
鈥淚t鈥檚 a huge adjustment. I know it鈥檚 a lot different than the junior game, and I鈥檓 definitely excited and ready to make the jump,鈥� said Messenger, who has always been an offensive player.
鈥淚 played a little defence when I was younger, but even when I did that, I found myself picking up the ball, running and trying to score goals.鈥�
He knows the transition will not be easy, as was the case in Vancouver where he scored two goals and three assists in four games.
鈥淏eing a first-year, I don鈥檛 really know,鈥� he said of his first WLA season. 鈥淭his will be the season to see where I鈥檓 at and I鈥檒l build from there.
鈥淚t鈥檚 definitely nice to have some familiar faces to make you feel more comfortable,鈥� he said, referring to Small, Duch, Harnett and Nass. 鈥淚 had a chance to gain some chemistry with those three guys in Vancouver and, hopefully, we can keep it going through this season.鈥�
