Rush sign Corbeil, Rubisch to one-year contracts

The season may have ended prematurely for the Saskatchewan Rush, but the team is ensuring two of its key defenders will be back for another run at the National Lacrosse League (NLL) Cup in 2020.

The team announced Thursday that captain Chris Corbeil and Kyle Rubisch have signed one-year contract renewals.

“The Rush mean business in 2020. The work has already started,” head coach and general manager Derek Keenan said in a team media release.

Corbeil finished his 10th season in the NLL when the Rush was eliminated from the playoffs after an 11-10 loss to the Colorado Mammoth last week. He has captained the team to each of its three championships and has been a finalist for NLL Defensive Player of the Year in 2014, 2015 and 2016.

“I think we’ve got some unfinished business considering how this past season ended for us in the first round of the playoffs, but we certainly have the pieces in place for the upcoming season to compete for a championship,” Corbeil said via media release. “Hopefully that’s what we’ll be doing.”

Rubisch has a shot at being named a finalist for the defensive player award for the fifth time in his career. The nine-year veteran led the league with 45 caused turnovers and added 130 loose ball scoops this season.

“I love playing in Saskatchewan and I’m really excited to be coming back next year,” Rubisch said. “I love the Rush fans and the entire organization.”

Rubisch won the defensive player-of-the-year award four times in a row between 2012 and 2015. Keenan knows having Rubisch on board goes a long way in contending for another championship run.

“Kyle is still the best d-man in lacrosse,” Keenan said. “He’s a foundation-type player and we’ve been building our (defence) around him for a long time. It’s great to have him on board for another season.”