Six players from the Whitby Warriors are moving up to the professional level this season, joining the Brooklin Lacrosse Club to compete in Major Series Lacrosse. The transition marks a significant milestone for the local program, with several members of the 2022 Minto Cup championship team making the jump to the senior league.
Ahead of the draft on January 24, 2026, Brooklin General Manager Gavin Prout protected four graduating Warriors players: Lucas Littlejohn, Owen Tapper, Jack Oldman, and Ben Kromer. Littlejohn, who led the Ontario Junior A Lacrosse League in scoring last season with 118 points, is expected to bring significant offensive power to the team. The group of protected players also includes Kromer, a 6-foot-4 defenseman who was drafted by the Philadelphia Wings of the National Lacrosse League.
Following the protection period, the club selected two more Whitby products during the draft: Ethan Lee and Ryan Langille. Langille, who recorded 39 points in 16 games for the Warriors last year, joins the roster alongside his former teammates. The club also drafted Riley Knox, who played with the Brampton Excelsiors but has familiarity with the Whitby program. Prout, a former Warrior himself, noted that the depth of talent emerging from the Whitby program made it difficult to choose only a few players to protect, adding that he expects all of the graduating Warriors to have long and successful careers in the senior league.
The Whitby Warriors, a program with eight Minto Cup titles in its history, continues to serve as a key pipeline for the senior level. Residents can catch the new additions in action when the club plays its home opener on May 27, 2026, at the Iroquois Park Sports Centre against the Cobourg Kodiaks.
