2023 OJLL Entry Draft to take place at TRAC on January 22
Toronto Rock Athletic Centre (Photo: Dave Fryer)
For the second straight year, the Ontario Junior Lacrosse League will be hosting their Entry Draft at the Toronto Rock Athletic Centre in Oakville, Ontario.
The 2023 OJLL Entry Draft happens on Sunday, January 22 starting at 3pm ET. Although the draft will be closed to the public, the league will be sharing selections & transactions in real time via their Twitter account, @theojll.
Last year, the Orangeville Northmen selected Jameson Bucktooth with the first overall pick. The Northmen’s number one would go on to lead the team in regular season points per game (4.5), as well as power-play production (19PPP). Bucktooth was also a finalist for the league’s 2022 Rookie of the Year Award.
Like last year, the Kitchener-Waterloo Lacrosse Club owns a number of high-ranking picks, including the first-overall selection. In addition to the coveted number one pick, KWLC will also draft second, seventh, ninth, eleventh and 17th overall on January 22. During 2022’s edition of the draft, the club took Ty Jesso, Chris Rathwell and Alex Hicks in the first round.
Provincial champions just two seasons ago, the St. Catharines Athletics hold five first round picks this year, plus another in the second. Between KW & St. Kitts, the two teams possess more than half of the picks in this year’s draft.
In addition to hosting the 2022 draft and the OJLL’s upcoming one, the TRAC also serves as homebase for the Oakville Buzz, who are coming off arguably their best Junior A season to date. The league also hosted their entire pandemic-shortened season in July & August of 2021 at the TRAC.
Below, see how many picks each of the OJLL’s eleven teams own, plus the current order of the two-round draft. In the days leading up to last year’s OJLL Entry Draft, a number of significant trades impacted draft order.
OJLL Entry Draft Team Picks
Brampton Excelsiors (0 picks)
Burlington Chiefs (0 picks)
Kitchener-Waterloo Lacrosse Club (6 picks: 1, 2, 7, 9, 11, 17)
Mimico Mountaineers (0 picks)
Oakville Buzz (1 pick: 18)
Orangeville Northmen (0 picks)
Peterborough Lakers (3 picks: 13, 16, 21)
Six Nations Arrows (2 picks: 14, 15)
St. Catharines Athletics (6 picks: 3, 4, 6, 8, 10, 22)
Toronto Beaches (1 pick: 19)
Whitby Warriors (3 picks: 5, 12, 20)
OJLL Entry Draft Order
First Round
1. Kitchener-Waterloo Lacrosse Club
2. Kitchener-Waterloo Lacrosse Club
3. St. Catharines Athletics
4. St. Catharines Athletics
5. Whitby Warriors
6. St. Catharines Athletics
7. Kitchener-Waterloo Lacrosse Club
8. St. Catharines Athletics
9. Kitchener-Waterloo Lacrosse Club
10. St. Catharines Athletics
Second Round
11. Kitchener-Waterloo Lacrosse Club
12. Whitby Warriors
13. Peterborough Lakers
14. Six Nations Arrows
15. Six Nations Arrows
16. Peterborough Lakers
17. Kitchener-Waterloo Lacrosse Club
18. Oakville Buzz*
19. Toronto Beaches
20. Whitby Warriors
21. Peterborough Lakers
22. St. Catharines Athletics
*Acquired in December 22, 2022 trade with Orangeville Northmen.