Chaos LC has sent attackman Connor Fields to Archers LC in exchange for midfielder Ian MacKay. The deal has been finalized ahead of Sunday’s (2/28) 14-man protected roster deadline.

Let’s dive into Fields’ fit in the Archers offense and how MacKay meshes with Chaos’ box-on-a-field style of play.

Chaos receives: Ian MacKay

A big midfielder with two-point range, MacKay will seemingly slide right into retired great Kevin Buchanan’s spot in this offense.

“He can play everything from offensive midfield to extra man to short-stick d-middie to long-stick,” said Chaos LC head coach Andy Towers. “To have that kind of versatility in a kid that’s coachable and mentally tough and physically durable is invaluable to any team.”

MacKay has connections to the Chaos locker room. He played for defensive coordinator Ryan Curtis at Vermont; he lives with attackman Josh Byrne and midfielder Dhane Smith.

His heavy shot was seen mostly on the powerplay with the Archers. Look for MacKay to be more involved in settled sets with Chaos. Three-man games on the lefty wing with Byrne and Austin Staats could be the lifeblood of this offense all summer.

Archers receive: Connor Fields

There’s no sugarcoating it: Fields needed a fresh start. He has one now.

This Archers offense – already an embarrassment of riches – added a player ranked third in the world by his peers in 2019. Let that sink in. You cannot pole Grant Ament, Marcus Holman, Will Manny, Tom Schreiber, and Connor Fields. One will draw a short-stick (and we haven’t even mentioned Ryan Ambler and company rolling out of the box).

“Picture Will Manny and Connor playing together. Picture Tom and Connor playing together. These are all guys who are comfortable in two-man or comfortable in a 1-4, and they can come at you with some different angles,” said Archers LC head coach Chris Bates. “It’s exciting. I’m like a kid in a candy shop.”

Fields probably fits in as a four-man type of midfielder. That means less time at X and more time above GLE. On the wing, Fields makes overaggressive poles pay for chasing stick. He baits them into mistakes, then buries as soon as his hands are free. (Remember: Fields shot 33.3% off the dodge in 2019. League average off the dodge is 23.4%.)