Practically on the eve of the regular season, the Toronto Rock today traded forward Colin Doyle to the San Jose Stealth for three players and two draft picks.

The trade marks the first time in nine years -- since Gary Gait was traded from Philadelphia to Baltimore in December 1997 -- that a former NLL or MILL Most Valuable Player has been traded.

In exchange for the 2005 MVP, San Jose surrenders reigning first-overall draft pick Ryan Benesch, Kevin Fines, Chad Thompson and first-round selections in the 2008 and 2009 Entry Drafts. San Jose also receives Darren Halls and a 2007 first-round pick in the deal.

Doyle arrives in San Jose with an impressive NLL résumé, including 297 goals (sixth in league history), 388 assists (fifth alltime), 685 points (fifth alltime), the MVP award, the 1998 Rookie of the Year Award, seven All-Pro selections, and five championship rings (1999, 2000, 2002, 2003, 2005).

"When the late Les Bartley and I worked with Colin in Hamilton and then in Toronto, we knew that he was a special player and were able to build our franchise around him," Stealth general manager John Mouradian said. "He is a franchise player and our players are really excited to have him in San Jose."

At 29 years old, Doyle figures to remain in the Bay Area for years to come, teaming with veteran Gary Rosyski and youngsters Jeff Zywicki and Luke Wiles to form what projects to be a fairly good offense.

Ironically, the Rock appear to have traded Doyle in order to get younger. In addition to rookie Benesch, Thompson is 22 years old and Fines turns 26 next month -- and the draft picks are still two and three years, respectively, from being spent.

With the trade, Jim Veltman and Bob Watson are now the only players remaining with the Rock whose tenure dates back to the franchise's origins as the Ontario Raiders in 1998.