I am always looking for new features for the web site so when Head Scout Andrew McKay was in the front office earlier this week, we developed the concept of a “Scout’s Corner” for the web site. Every week, McKay will give you, the fans, some insight on each of the 16 regular season games.

Please look next week on our web site for the newest feature “Shamrox Mail Bag,” which I stole from other professional teams (please don’t tell them). Questions submitted by fans will be answer by me on a weekly basis. If you have a question, send your name, hometown and question to joe@chicagoshamrox.com

Early-season games are the hardest to scout in the NLL. With consistent turnover on rosters, it’s hard to get a decent feel for what the opposition will do without having seen them in live game action. But preparation is pivotal in a season where every game matters; last season, we missed the playoffs by the slim margin of a one-goal loss to the Toronto Rock, our opponents in the season opener on Saturday.

Toronto played two exhibition games this year, and I got to see them both. Unfortunately, they played both games without their two most important players: Josh Sanderson and Jim Veltman. So the report I put together for this game was based on a combination of what the team did without them, and how the team performed with those two in the lineup last year.

Most of Toronto’s core returns for the 2008 season, and those players have quite the pedigree. Toronto has won 5 Champion’s Cups since 1999, most recently in 2005, and a large number of the players on that team remain on the roster. They’re led, in every facet of the word, by Jim Veltman, who is playing his last season in the NLL before moving into a coaching role with the rock in 2009. Veltman, the team’s captain, is also the all-time NLL loose ball leader, and can play both offense and defense with great impact.

Sanderson is the best pure passer in the NLL. He’s patient and accurate, and makes plays happen in the blink of an eye. Think Steve Nash. He makes everyone else on the floor better.

On offense, one other player to watch is Ryan Benesch. Last year’s #1 overall pick and Rookie of the Year is only getting better. He’s got a knack for catching passes in traffic, being patient, and placing his shots. And we can’t forget Cam Woods, our captain from 2007 who is now patrolling the Rock’s defense.

Depending on the coaching staff’s decisions, we could have up to 7 new faces in the lineup on opening night. so while it’s difficult for me to scout the opposition, it will be equally difficult for them to get a feel for what we might do. Which makes early-season games exciting and unpredictable - part of the reason we all love this sport.

Andrew McKay is the Chicago Shamrox’ head scout. Watch this space each week for a preview of our opponents.