Two players with the Maple Ridge Burrards of the Western Lacrosse Association were drafted into the professional lacrosse ranks on Saturday.
Pitt Meadows product Dylan McIntosh was the first local to be picked in the National Lacrosse League draft, as the Calgary Roughnecks called his name as the fourth pick of the second round, 20th overall.
With the 20th-overall pick in the 2021 #NLLDraft the Roughnecks have selected Dylan McIntosh! pic.twitter.com/1ndvCzqQ61
— Calgary Roughnecks (@NLLRoughnecks) August 29, 2021
Lance Andre, the GM of the Burrards, had McIntosh pegged as someone who would go in the middle of the first round, with his elite skill set and mind for the game.
“I’m shocked he slipped as far as he did,” said Andre. “That’s a steal for Calgary.”
He played NCAA field lacrosse for Hofstra University in Hempstead, New York, and served as the team captain. For his career, he has played 33 games in college, and scored 48 goals and 57 points.
Teams in the WLA are able to “protect” one player from their community, so they don’t go into the WLA draft, and the Burrards chose McIntosh to protect at the WLA draft in February of 2021.
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In the fourth round, at 57th overall, Buffalo chose another Burrard in Carson Rees. He is a Port Coquitlam athlete, who plays NCAA field lacrosse for Chestnut Hill College in Philadelphia.
Rees had 41 goals and guided his Griffins to a championship in the Central Atlantic Collegiate Conference. He was named the CACC player of the year, and the team’s MVP.
The Burrards selected Rees in the 2020 WLA draft.
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Andre expects both of these young forwards to be able to step into the WLA and contribute in the coming season. After being drafted by NLL teams, they should be eager to hone their game during the WLA’s indoor season with the Burrards.
“They’ll be two great additions to our team,” he said. “They should be trying to fine tune their box lacrosse game, to be ready for the NLL season.”
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