Shamrocks Acquire McLaughlin from Burnaby

The Victoria Shamrocks are thrilled to announce that we have acquired Eli McLaughlin in a trade with the Burnaby Lakers. This will mark a return to the WLA for the left-handed offensive player who last played out West for the Lakers in the 2019 season, before spending two seasons in Major Series Lacrosse in Ontario, where he won a Mann Cup with the Six Nations Chiefs in 2024.

The Shamrocks receive the Canadian playing rights to the 32 year-old McLaughlin for the 2026 and 2027 playing seasons, along with Burnaby’s 2nd round draft pick in 2027.

In exchange, the Lakers receive Victoria’s first round draft picks in 2027 and 2029, along with future considerations.

McLaughlin has played for the Colorado Mammoth of the National Lacrosse League for 10 years and is the club’s all-time leading goal scorer. In 183 career regular season and playoff games, he has scored 340 goals and added 387 assists for 727 points. He took this season off to begin his career as a firefighter with the Vancouver Fire Department.

In 2024 McLaughlin received a Tom Longboat Award which is awarded to Indigenous athletes for outstanding contributions to sport in Canada. He has played for Team Haudenosaunee in international box lacrosse.

Shamrocks General Manager Chris Welch said of the trade, “Eli is an outstanding player and leader both on and off the floor. Anytime you have the chance to add an elite talent such as Eli you do everything possible to take it because these opportunities don’t come along very often. We’re excited to have him back in the WLA, but in the green and white this time.”

The Shamrocks will open the 2026 campaign at home on Friday, May 22nd at home against the Coquitlam Adanacs, season tickets are still on sale at VictoriaShamrocks.com or from the team store, located inside The Q Centre.