San Diego Seals sign UFAs Curtis Dickson & Kevin Crowley on the same day
Curtis Dickson (Photo: Candice Ward)
The San Diego Seals have confirmed the signings of unrestricted free agents Curtis Dickson & Kevin Crowley, the duo linked to the team soon after Crowley shared a farewell to Philadelphia Wings fans on social media earlier this week.
The pair were arguably the biggest UFAs on the market alongside the recently signed Kyle Rubisch. Like Rubisch, both Dickson & Crowley have inked one-year deals.
Earlier this week, Dickson confirmed with The Lax Mag that despite rumours, his decision on his next destination had not yet been made. Yesterday, the NLL confirmed that Dickson had rejected the Calgary Roughnecks’ franchise tag offer made just prior to the start of free agency.
Kevin Crowley
The Lax Mag has learned that the Seals were not the only team making a pitch to sign both star players as a pair, San Diego ultimately winning that free-agent fight in recent days though.
An off-season ago, the Seals made an equally big splash in the free-agent market, signing another Roughnecks’ legend in Dane Dobbie. Dobbie, who’s contract expired with San Diego this summer, re-upped with the club earlier this week with another one-year deal.
Although never NLL teammates, Dickson & Crowley co-led a dangerous New Westminster Salmonbellies offense during the 2009 BCJALL season, combining for 74 regular-season goals between them.
Dickson was drafted third overall in the 2010 NLL Entry Draft, Kevin Crowley first overall a season later.
From last year’s Seals roster, the following UFAs remain unsigned: Brodie Merrill, Zack Greer, Jeremy Noble, Tor Reinholdt, and trade-deadline acquisition, Brett Hickey.
The Seals, who had a significant second-half slip during last year’s NLL season, came back strong in the playoffs, but were eliminated in the Western Conference Finals by the eventual NLL Cup champion, Colorado Mammoth.