TORONTO – Morrisburg Lions forward Landen Sinfield was drafted by a professional sports league, but not for hockey. Sinfield, 21, was drafted by National Lacrosse League’s Toronto Rock in the fourth round of last weekend’s draft held in Toronto.
Sinfield, who has played three seasons for the Jr. C. Lions, also plays for the Akwesasne Thunder in the Ontario Jr. B Lacrosse League. In 2024, he amassed 106 points for the Thunder including 60 goals. He is one of only three players in the OJBLL to score 50-plus goals this season. He also played six games for the Six Nations Arrows in Jr. A this season, scoring five times and assisting four. In addition to box lacrosse, he is on the University of Ottawa’s Mens Field Lacrosse team, and it was with his teammates that he learned he had been drafted.
“I was just on the website, refreshing the page to see if I had been drafted yet,” he told The Leader. “We were just coming back from a game when I found out. It was a pretty special moment when I saw my name with the Rock.”
The Toronto Rock are the oldest Canadian team in the NLL. Growing up, Sinfield said he said they were the only pro team he knew.
“It’s really cool I can be part of that in some way,” he said.
Moving into the 2024-25 season, Sinfield said he had some decisions to make in the next few weeks. He has taken part in the Morrisburg Lions training camp, and if he plays, will finish out his junior hockey career with the team this season.
“Hockey is something I’d like to play if I can make it work,” he said.
“We are super proud of Landen,” said Lions co-owner and General Manager Kevin Casselman. “He is a great, hard-working player who we love to have around.”
The National Capital Junior Hockey League – where the Lions play – allows five 21-year olds on a team’s roster, up from four last season.
“We’d love to have him play and spend his last year of junior here,” Casselman continued. “We’re here to support Landen on where he wants to follow his career.”
Sinfield, from Cornwall, is in his second year of Civil Engineering at the UofO. He said he is looking forward to the next challenges now that he has been drafted.
“The next couple months, I am going to work to get in the best shape I can,” he said looking towards the November training camp for the Rock. There is opportunity if you show up and bring your best. It’s not going to be easy for sure,” he said.
The Toronto Rock open their training camp on November 2 in Hamilton. The Morrisburg Lions open their 2024-25 regular season on September 21 in Morrisburg.
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