Rochester inks 2 forwards and 3 defensemen to 2-year deals.
ROCHESTER, N.Y. — Rochester Knighthawks General Manager and Vice President of Lacrosse Operations Dan Carey announced on Thursday that the team has signed forwards Phil Caputo and Dan Michel, and defensemen Riley Campbell, Tyler Gaulton, and Travis Burton to 2-year contracts. All transactions are pending league approval.
Caputo, who was acquired by the Knighthawks from the Toronto Rock in exchange for Rochester’s second-round selection in the 2020 NLL Draft earlier this week, recently completed his third season with Toronto in 2018-19, appearing in 2 games and recording 22 penalty minutes.
Originally a third-round selection (28th overall) of the New England Black Wolves in the 2015 NLL Entry Draft, the Brampton, ONT., native has produced 16 points (11+5) in 21 career NLL games with the Toronto and New England.
Caputo played 5 seasons with the Brampton Excelsiors (Major Series Lacrosse), where he has registered 181 points on 88 goals and 93 assists over 59 career games. The 6-foot-3, 200-pound forward also played 4 seasons with the Junior “A” Brampton Excelsiors, appearing in 73 games and posting 88 goals and 97 assists.
Michel joins the Knighthawks after posting 6 goals and 4 assists in 7 games with the Brooklin Lacrosse Club in the summer of 2019. In 2018, he scored 16 goals with 21 assists in 14 games for the Peterborough Timbermen of the Arena Lacrosse League (ALL). He also added a pair of helpers in one playoff contest with the Timbermen while serving as an alternate captain. Originally a fourth-round selection (38th overall) of the New England Black Wolves in the 2016 NLL Entry Draft, the 5-foot-11, 188-pound forward has appeared in 28 career games, scoring 36 goals and 40 assists for 76 points with Peterborough. Michel also totaled five points (1+4) in two postseason games with the Timbermen.
Prior to turning pro, Michel, a 24-year-old native of Courtice, ONT., played 5 years with the Junior “A” Peterborough Lakers. During his time with the Lakers, he produced 106 goals, 114 assists and 220 points in 98 career games. Additionally, Michel registered 65 points (33+32) in 39 playoff games with Peterborough.
Campbell comes to Rochester after appearing in 5 games with the Cobourg Kodiaks of Major Series Lacrosse (MSL). In 2019, he also played in 2 games in the Arena Lacrosse League with the Whitby Steelheads. Originally a fourth-round selection (33rd overall) in the 2015 NLL Entry Draft by the Vancouver Stealth, the 25-year-old defenseman has also appeared in 29 games for the Peterborough Timbermen (ALL) from 2014 to 2015, recording 6 goals, 12 assists and 18 points. Additionally, he added 6 points (1+5) in 21 postseason contests.
The Bridgenorth, ONT., native played college lacrosse at Trent University, where he was named to the 2013 Honorable Mention Team for the All-Canadian Eastern Conference.
Gaulton enters his first season with the Knighthawks after spending the 2018-19 campaign as a member of the Saskatchewan Rush (NLL). Additionally, he has spent this summer with the Brooklin Redmen (MSL), registering 3 assists in 14 games.
Prior to being drafted in the sixth round (67th overall) of the 2018 Entry Draft by the Rush, the 6-foot-1, 210-pound defenseman played 79 games at Limestone College (NCAA) from 2015-2018. While with the Saints, he helped the team to 3 straight NCAA Division II National Championship games, claiming 2 of them. Additionally, Gaulton was honored as an All-American all 4 years at Limestone College, one of 3 players in Saints history to do so, and was named the 2016 Conference Carolinas Defensive Player of the Year.
Burton, who was acquired by the Knighthawks along with a second-round pick in the 2020 NLL Entry Draft from the Vancouver Warriors in exchange for Mike Mallory last month, accounted for 2 goals in 13 games this summer with the Brampton Excelsiors (MSL). He also appeared in 2 postseason contests. In 87 career games with the Excelsiors, Burton registered 20 points (6+14) and 218 penalty minutes. Burton added 7 points (4+3) in 36 playoff contests as well as 106 penalty minutes.
Originally a second-round selection (21st overall) by Vancouver in the 2018 NLL Entry Draft, Burton also spent 2 years with the Paris RiverWolves (ALL) from 2017-2018, tallying 10 goals, 15 assists and 25 points in 31 career games. Additionally, Burton played in 6 postseason contests, adding 2 points (1+1).