YORKTON - There was an old line by Maxwell Smart on TV that I vaguely recall went ‘missed by this much’ with an accompanying hand gesture.
One might imagine the same term being spoken in the offices of the Saskatchewan Rush right now.
The National Lacrosse League team needed a win in its final game to even its record at 9-9 and to secure a playoff spot.
The Rush lost to Toronto 12-11.
With the loss, the 2023/24 season came to a close with the Rush finishing 8-10, tied for eighth place, but not in a playoff spot due to the NLL's tie-breaker.
They had ‘missed it by that much’ again, having also managed 8-10 records the two previous seasons, and missing the post season both times.
“It is frustrating,” Rush coach Jimmy Quinlan told Yorkton This Week. “There was a lot of disappointment. There still is a lot of disappointment.”
For fans there has to be sense the Rush have been spinning their wheels the last three seasons, ending with the same record and no playoff action.
But, Quinlan sees it in a more positive light.
“There’s a lot more optimism heading into the coming season,” he said.
Quinlan said he truly believes the current edition of the Rush – save two lopsided losses to Halifax – were worthy of a better fate than a last game playoff mix.
“Could we have been there (in the playoffs), or did we deserve better? Definitely,” he said.
Quinlan said this past season was one of huge change on the team. For example the penalty kill was an all new group, and the powerplay had only two players from the previous year.
Not surprisingly, especially early in the campaign the Rush lacked consistency, lacked knowing just how to secure wins.
“We had to learn to win,” said Quinlan, adding they were certainly better in the latter half of the season, and better yet the last month. In fact, he suggested the season finale loss to the Rock was likely the Rush’s most complete game of the season.
While noting it “takes time” for a young group to jell, Quinlan also said “we need to be better.”
So can the current group be better, since almost the entire roster could be back next season?
“I truly believe we can be . . . There wasn’t one guy on the team that didn’t take strides (from the start of the season to the end),” said Quinlan. “. . . I believe we are a team trending in the right direction.”
Of course with three years sans a playoff game, there is a question whether Quinlan will return.
The Rush coach said he realizes that, but tells players to work hard and concentrate on what they can control, so he is taking the same approach.
“I want to be back. I’d love to be back. I feel we’re moving in the right direction,” he said.
So one final question for Quinlan was, are the Rush a playoff team in the spring of 2025?
The answer was a simple one.
“One hundred per cent,” he replied.
