Mimico makes massive trade to land K-W's Kurtz
Mimico Mountaineers (Photo: OLA)
Just days after the Oakville Buzz acquired Brayden Mayea in a blockbuster trade with the St. Catharines Athletics, the Mimico Mountaineers & Kitchener-Waterloo Lacrosse Club dropped a dandy pre-draft deal of their own.
The KWLC have sent 2018 1st overall draft pick, Reed Kurtz, plus a 2nd round selection in the 2026 Ontario Junior Lacrosse League Entry Draft to the Mountaineers in exchange for 1st round picks in the 2022, 2023 and 2026 drafts.
K-W will now draft 2nd overall this Sunday, with the #1 selection owned by the Orangeville Northmen, who won the league’s draft lottery earlier this month. The KWLC now have three coveted picks in this year’s first round, selecting 2nd, 3rd and 10th overall.
The 1st rounder that the Mountaineers parted with today, was actually the previous property of the Northmen and originally the Six Nations Arrows. Mimico obtained that selection in the Nathan Scholes swap with Orangeville this past January. The Mounties still have their 1st round pick (8th overall) in Sunday’s draft, which is taking place at the Toronto Rock Athletic Centre in Oakville.
Of the 23 total picks in this year’s OJLL Entry Draft, only six still belong to the club that originally owned the selection.
Toronto Rock Athletic Centre, site of the 2022 OJLL Entry Draft (Photo: Dave Fryer)
Kurtz, a Junior who is currently playing defense for the University of Delaware, was drafted 1st overall in the 2018 OJLL Entry Draft by the Barrie Lakeshores. In three seasons with the KWLC, he scored 28 goals and registered 36 assists over 27 regular season games. Kurtz had also previously played Junior B lacrosse for Guelph & Oakville.
His older brother, Tye, who graduated from the KWLC program after last year’s OJLL season, also plays for Delaware, as a Senior attackman. Tye, who impressed while playing for Coburg in the MSL’s mini-exhibition season last summer, will be eligible for the 2022 National Lacrosse League Draft.
Today’s trade allows Kurtz to compete for a Mimico club that will likely challenge for the OJLL Iroquois Trophy, while K-W, who went 0-8 and finished last during the condensed 2021 regular season, are clearly rebuilding their roster, but are well positioned in multiple coming-soon drafts.
After today’s trade, the 2022 OJLL Entry Draft, which takes place this Sunday at the Toronto Rock Athletic Centre, two-round order will be:
1st Round
1. Orangeville Northmen
2. Kitchener-Waterloo Lacrosse Club (from Mimico)
3. Kitchener-Waterloo Lacrosse Club (from Burlington)
4. Peterborough Lakers (from Toronto)
5. Peterborough Lakers
6. Orangeville Northmen (from Oakville)
7. Burlington Chiefs (from Kitchener-Waterloo)
8. Mimico Mountaineers
9. Six Nations Arrows (from Whitby)
10. Kitchener-Waterloo Lacrosse Club (from Brampton)
11. Peterborough Lakers (from St. Catharines)
2nd Round
12. Orangeville Northmen
13. Toronto Beaches (from Six Nations)
14. Peterborough Lakers (from Burlington)
15. Toronto Beaches
16. Peterborough Lakers
17. Six Nations Arrows (from Oakville)
18. St. Catharines Athletics (from Kitchener-Waterloo)
19. Six Nations Arrows (from Mimico)
20. Brampton Excelsiors (from Mimico)
21. St. Catharines Athletics (from Brampton)
22. Six Nations Arrows (from St. Catharines)
23. St. Catharines Athletics (Barrie Dispersal Draft)
See full results from the British Columbia Junior A Lacrosse League & Rocky Mountain Lacrosse League Entry Draft here.