The senior B Nanaimo Timbermen have attracted more top-tier lacrosse talent.
The team, now called the Re/Max Timbermen, announced several player signings last week, and confirmed this week the addition of goaltender Pete Dubenski, who was the No. 1 goalie with the senior A Nanaimo Timbermen last season.
Shawn Swanson, general manager of the senior B T-men, said “getting Pete’s pretty massive” to round out the goaltending picture. Nick Patterson is still with the team and Danny Walters is also in the mix.
Senior A Timbermen president Chris Bowman told the News Bulletin last month that Dubenski had made the club aware of his intentions to play senior B early in the off-season, allowing the team time to prepare.
Swanson said it was Dubenski who approached the senior B T-men.
“He wants to win a championship for Nanaimo. He’s all about Nanaimo and he sees this as an opportunity for Nanaimo lacrosse,” the GM said. “Obviously he wants to be playing WLA, but he sees this as a once-in-a-career chance to play for a championship in front of his town.”
The senior B Timbermen are nationals-bound in 2018 as they are the host team for the Presidents Cup.
Dubenski is one of several players coming from senior A. Former senior A T-men players Cayle Ratcliff, Doug Langlois and Myles Kenny are also joining the senior B T-men, and Steve Higgs, who was with the senior A Victoria Shamrocks, is returning to the senior B Timbermen.
Ratcliff was the captain of the senior A Timbermen, but didn’t play lacrosse last season due to work commitments.
“He wants to win a title and he wants to do it for Nanaimo,” Swanson said. “He’s a huge signing for us because he’ll play from Day 1 and I think what he brings is pretty huge when you get into a tournament like the Presidents Cup.”
Earlier this off-season, the senior B Timbermen made waves with the signing of Jeff Shattler, a former National Lacrosse League MVP. Swanson said more player additions are in the works.
The GM said the team is also excited about representing its new team sponsor as the Re/Max Timbermen.
“We’ve had a few years of not having a sponsor, so just knowing for the next three years we’ve got that influx of some money and support from a company like that means a lot to operating and getting bills paid,” he said.
sports@nanaimobulletin.com
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