Photo Courtesy of David Pickering
The Century 21 Lakers back end is ready for the 2026 season.
Over the last week, the team announced a number of veteran defenders returning for another run at the Mann Cup national championship.
Foremost among the returnees is captain Robert Hope, the 14-year Sr. Laker stalwart. A Peterborough native and Jr. A Laker graduate, Hope was named captain in 2017 and has led the team to four Mann Cup championships.
He is joined by fellow Peterborough natives Dustyn Birkhof and Dylan Hutchison. Assistant captain Matt Gilray also returns for his 10th season.
Sophomore Chris Harland is expected to play a bigger role this season for the Lakers after honing his skills with the Arena Lacrosse League’s Toronto Monarchs.
Newcomer Brenden Boyle, drafted by the Lakers in 2024, has committed to the team for the season after playing in Nanaimo for the last two summers.
All three Lakers’ goaltenders are back. Nick Rose and Drew Hutchison will join the team when the NLL season concludes. The two are set to face off against each other in the NLL Cup championship, which begins tonight in Hamilton with Rose’s Toronto Rock taking on Hutchison’s Halifax Thunderbirds in a best-of-three series.
Deacan Knott will hold down the fort until they return.
The Lakers will continue to announce more player signings in the coming days.
Tickets for all home games including the May 21st home opener versus Six Nations are available now at the Doane Grant Thornton box office in person, by phone at 705-743-3561 or online at https://www.ticketmaster.ca/century-21-peterborough-lakers-tickets/artist/958709.
(Article submitted by: Anna Taylor, Social Media Coordinator with the Century 21 Lakers)
