Sports Media Report
The National Lacrosse League (@NLL), the largest and most successful professional lacrosse property in the world, today announced key dates leading up to its season start in early December, including the dates for the 2023 NLL Draft and the 2023 NLL Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony, both of which will be held the weekend of September 15 in the Toronto metropolitan area.
“We are building off the momentum of a record-breaking season and these key dates officially point us firmly toward a transformative 2023-24 season,” said NLL Commissioner Brett Frood. “There is no better way to connect the past, present and future of our league and the sport of box lacrosse by bringing the NLL Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony and the NLL Draft together for an exciting weekend, kickstarting our upcoming season.”
The NLL’s key dates in the coming months include:
Sept. 15: NLL Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony in Burlington, Ontario
Sept. 16: 2023 NLL Draft in Oakville, Ontario
Oct. 28-29: NLL Training Camps officially open
Dec. 1-2: 2023-24 NLL Faceoff Weekend
The NLL will induct 10 new members into the NLL Hall of Fame. Among the honorees are eight former players and two referees, under the Builders category:
Roy Condon, NLL Official
• 23-season career: 1989 through 2011
• Three NLL Championship Games: 1994, 1995, and 1999
Colin Doyle, Forward
• 19-year career: Ontario Raiders, San Jose Stealth, and Toronto Rock
• 6-time NLL Champion: Toronto (1999, 2000, 2002, 2003, 2005, and 2011)
• 3-time NLL Championship Game MVP: Toronto (1999, 2002, and 2005)
• 2005 NLL MVP Award
• 1998 NLL Rookie of the Year
• 4-time NLL All-League First Team and 7-time NLL Second Team honoree
• 2-time NLL scoring champion in 2005 and 2009
• Finished fourth all-time in goals (527), assists (857) and points (1,384) and tied for fifth all-time in games played (266)
Kevin Finneran, Forward
• 13-year career: Detroit Turbos, New England Blazers, Philadelphia Wings, and Toronto Rock
• 5-time NLL champion: four with Philadelphia (1994, 1995, 1998, and 2001) and one with Toronto (2003)
• NLL All-League First Team in 1998 and 2-time Second Team honoree (1994 and 1996)
• Retired as the all-time league leader with 143 games played, sixth all-time in goals (235), third all-time in assists (329), fifth all-time in points (564), and 11th in loose ball recoveries (631)
• Held the record for longest consecutive games played streak at 139 games and was the all-time leading scorer by an American prior to Casey Powell breaking his record.
Bill Fox, NLL Official
• 20-season career: 1992 through 2011
• Six Championship Games: 1993, 1997, 1999, 2000, 2003, and 2010
John Grant Jr., Forward
• 17-year career: Rochester Knighthawks and Colorado Mammoth
• NLL Champion in 2007
• 2007 NLL Championship Game MVP
• 2-time NLL MVP: 2007 and 2012
• 2000 NLL Rookie of the Year
• 6-time NLL All-League First Team and 3-time NLL Second Team honoree
• 4-time NLL Scoring Champion: 2005, 2006, 2007, and 2012
• Selected first overall in the 1999 NLL Draft
• Retired in the top 10 all-time with 668 goals (second), 778 assists (sixth), and 1,446 points (second), and was 12th all-time with 1,202 loose ball recoveries
• Set the record for points in a season in 2012 at 116, which has since been surpassed and now ranks tied for fourth-highest in NLL history, and his 37 goals as a rookie are still tied for fourth best
• Averaged 8.29 points per game in 2012, an NLL record with at least four games played
Pat McCready, Forward
• 17-year career: Charlotte Cobras, Rochester Knighthawks, Buffalo Bandits, and Toronto Rock
• 3-time NLL Champion: twice with Rochester (1997 and 2012) and once with Buffalo (2008)
• 2011 NLL Defensive Player of the Year
• Retired as the third all-time in loose ball recoveries (1,593), second in penalty minutes (470), and seventh in games played (219)
Casey Powell, Forward
• 11-year career: Rochester Knighthawks, Anaheim Storm, New York Titans, Orlando Titans, Boston Blazers, and Colorado Mammoth
• 2010 NLL MVP (the only American to win this honor)
• All-time leader in points by an American in NLL history
• Selected first overall in the 1998 NLL Draft
• Retired 10th all-time with 33 playoff goals in only 13 playoff games
Regy Thorpe, Defenseman
• 15-year career: all with the Rochester Knighthawks
• 2-time NLL Champion: 1997 and 2007
• Rochester franchise leader with 193 games played, 966 loose ball recoveries, and 385 penalty minutes
Steve Toll, Defenseman
• 15-year career: Ontario Raiders, Toronto Rock, Rochester Knighthawks, San Jose Stealth, Colorado Mammoth, and Edmonton Rush
• 5-time NLL Champion: four with Toronto (1999, 2000, 2002, and 2003) and one with Rochester (2007)
• Named the first winner of the NLL Transition Player of the Year Award in 2007
• Retired in the top 10 all-time with 1,562 loose ball recoveries in the regular season and an additional 160 in the playoffs
• Played in 188 consecutive games between 2000-2011, which ranks tied for the third longest streak of all-time
Shawn Williams, Forward
• 17-year career: Ontario Raiders, Toronto Rock, Buffalo Bandits, Rochester Knighthawks, and Edmonton Rush
• 2-time NLL Champion: one with Toronto (1999) and one with Rochester (2007)
• NLL All-League First Team in 2004 and NLL Second Team honoree in 2007
• Retired as one of eight players to accumulate 1,100 career points
• Finished in the top 10 all-time in games played, goals, and assists
The Class of 2021 will represent the first additions to the NLL Hall of Fame since 2016, with the inaugural members having been inducted in 2006.
Additional details regarding the NLL Draft and other preseason announcements will be unveiled in the coming weeks.
