SIX NATIONS ‑ When the Canadian Lacrosse League began operations with its inaugural game played on January 7, 2012, one of their goals was to work closely with the National Lacrosse League as a developmental league, similar to the AHL in hockey.
Every year since then, the five-team semi-pro lacrosse league has more than fulfilled that goal. This off-season was no different as C-Lax proudly published its list of players picked up by various NLL franchises, who have been following the C-Lax very closely as a feeder system to their organizations.
This 2016 season, the most C-Lax grads have signed NLL contracts since it started, with 28 C-Lax alumni, and nine recent draft picks named to NLL rosters. Starting locally with those players from Six Nations graduating from the Ohsweken Demons are:
Alex “Kedoh” Hill who was signed to the Buffalo Bandits active roster; Joe Maracle who was signed to the active roster of the Georgia Storm; Quinn Powless and Wenster Green both signed to the New England Black Wolves (Powless to the active roster and Green to the practice squad) ; and Brandon Styres signed with the Rochester Knighthawks.
Mike Burke, of last season’s Southwest Cyclops, based in Paris Ont., went to the Colorado Mammoth, while teammate Jim Purves was picked up by the New England Black Wolves.
“On behalf of C-Lax I would like to congratulate all of these players in achieving their goal of playing in the NLL,” says C-Lax Executive Vice President and Director of Lacrosse Operations, Jeff Dowling. “This is a great indication of the talent level that exists in our league and the opportunity that it provides players to develop their skills in their hopes of playing in the National Lacrosse League.”
This coming Sunday January 3rd, 2016, the Ohsweken Demons host Southwest Cyclops at the Iroquois Lacrosse Arena in an exhibition game, at 5 p.m., which will be free to the public.