Stormy Skies In Halifax?

There is trouble in Halifax for the Thunderbirds

There is no doubt that the 2023-24 season for the Halifax Thunderbirds couldn’t have ended on a more sour note: At the end of a 9-3 Quarter Finals loss to the FireWolves in Albany, veteran David Brock went from the penalty box toward a heckling fan in the stands, attempting to climb the railing to confront the fan before ultimately being stopped by arena security and some refs.

To his credit, Brock issued a heartfelt apology on social media shortly thereafter. Was this incident a random blip in an athlete’s judgement? Or was it indicative of bigger issues?

According to sources, head coach Mike Accursi has lost the locker room. This has been brewing for a year now. In fact, some Unrestricted Free Agents are unlikely to sign unless Accursi is gone. That includes star Randy Staats.

In addition, I’m told that Cody Jamieson is likely to retire after Worlds in September. The team may also lose Ryan Benesch to retirement as he hasn’t committed to re-signing for another season yet.

Unfortunately, all of this comes after a season where John Catalano was named 2023-24 NLL Executive of the Year as Halifax averaged 9,165 in attendance per game, a new team-high since moving from Rochester.

Fans bought in, but the Thunderbirds fell short again. Now, the rebuild may seem imminent. However, is there light at the end of the tunnel?

Halifax saw a breakout season from 26-year-old forward Clarke Petterson (career-highs 104 points and 91 loose balls). They also were gifted Jake Withers getting even better which didn’t seem possible (career-highs 282 loose balls and 28 Caused Turnovers). And Aaron Woods, a 28-year old rookie, looked like an offensive juggernaut at times (2 games with 6 points each to start career). Yet, there’s more.

The Thunderbirds also hold the 11th pick of the NLL Entry Draft. While that may not be super high, why not package the pick with some smaller pieces to move up? Does Buffalo need both picks 7 and 9? Would Toronto move away from 2? It’s possible.

For now, Halifax should listen to the players: get rid of Mike Accursi after the team fell short again. The rebuild doesn’t have to happen, but it might if things aren’t done correctly.

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