Dan Dawson (born December 11, 1981) is a retired Canadian professional lacrosse player formally playing for the Toronto Rock of the National Lacrosse League, Brampton Excelsiors (MSL) of Major Series Lacrosse, and is currently a free agent in Major League Lacrosse. Dawson ranks 2nd on the all-time NLL points list through of the 2022 season. He is a 7 time NLL All Pro selection.[1] As a professional, he is a 7 time Mann Cup Canadian box lacrosse champion, and a 1 time Major League Lacrosse (field) champion (2009 Toronto Nationals.[2] Representing Canada, Dawson has won two World Indoor (Box) Lacrosse Championship titles and was a finalist in the 2010 World (Field) Lacrosse Championship. Dawson has won two Champion's Cups as a member of the Rochester Knighthawks in 2013 and 2014.

Dan Dawson
Born (1981-12-11) December 11, 1981 (age 42)
Oakville, Ontario, CA
Height6 ft 6 in (1.98 m)
Weight220 pounds (100 kg)
ShootsRight
PositionForward
NLL team
Former teams
Toronto Rock
Saskatchewan Rush
Rochester Knighthawks
Philadelphia Wings
Boston Blazers
Portland LumberJax
Arizona Sting
Columbus Landsharks
MLL team
Former teams
Free Agent
Hamilton Nationals
MSL teamSix Nations Chiefs
Pro career2002–2023
NicknameDangerous Dan

NLL career

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Dawson was drafted in the sixth round (68th overall) by the Columbus Landsharks in 2001, and played in 11 games in his rookie season with Columbus, tallying 3 goals, 3 assists and 29 loose balls. In 2003, he played in 16 games, setting career highs in goals and loose balls. In 2004, Dawson helped Team Canada beat Team USA in the Heritage Cup. During the 2004 season, he led Arizona in assists and was 2nd in points. In 2005, Dawson finished 7th in the NLL with 84 points and 2nd in goals with 48. He scored a hat-trick in his first All-Star game with the West Division. In 2005 he was named a First Team All-Pro.

Dawson was selected first overall by the LumberJax in the 2008 dispersal draft, after the Arizona Sting and Boston Blazers announced that they would not be playing in the 2008 season.[3] After leading the LumberJax's the 2008 Champions Cup final, Dawson was again put into National Lacrosse League dispersal draft pool when Arizona ceased operations. This time, Dawson was selected first overall by the Boston Blazers.[4]

During the 2009 NLL season, he was named a starter to the All-Star Game.[5] Dawson and Josh Sanderson both finished the season with 74 assists, a new league record.[6] During the 2012 NLL season, Dawson broke the assists record he shared with Josh Sanderson. However, Garrett Billings eclipsed Dawson's total with 82 and now holds the record.

After only one season in Philadelphia, Dawson was traded along with his brother Paul to the Rochester Knighthawks for four players including Paul Rabil.[7]

Played one season with the expansion team San Diego Seals from 2018-2019.

Dawson announced his retirement on June 12, 2023 after 21 seasons in the NLL.[8] He retired leading all-time in assists and games played, 2nd in points, and 4th in goals scored.

Canadian Professional Lacrosse

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As a junior in 2002 he played for Brampton Excelsiors Jr.A, jumped to the Brampton Excelsiors (MSL) that same year and won the Mann Cup. He was signed by the Victoria Shamrocks in 2005 and helped lead them to their 8th Mann Cup victory. He won the Bill Ellison Award twice for the MVP of the 2005 WLA playoffs and the 2006 WLA playoffs.

Mann Cup

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2002 - Member of Brampton Excelsiors (MSL), winners in the Mann Cup, MSL champions
2003 - Member of Brampton Excelsiors (MSL), runner up in the Mann Cup, MSL champions
2005 - Member of Victoria Shamrocks, winners in the Mann Cup, WLA champions
2006 - Member of Victoria Shamrocks, runner up in the Mann Cup, WLA champions
2008 - Member of Brampton Excelsiors (MSL), winners of the Mann Cup, MSL champions
2009 - Member of Brampton Excelsiors (MSL), winners of the Mann Cup, MSL champions
2011 - Member of Brampton Excelsiors (MSL), winners of the Mann Cup, MSL champions
Bible of Lacrosse Mann Cup Stats[9]

International lacrosse career

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2004 - Member of Team Canada, winners of the Heritage Cup (box lacrosse)
2007 - Member of Team Canada, winners of the World Indoor Lacrosse Championships in Halifax, Nova Scotia
2010 - Member of Team Canada, runner up in the World Lacrosse Championship in Manchester, England[10]
2011 - Member of Team Canada, winners of the World Indoor Lacrosse Championships in Prague, Czech Republic
Bible of Lacrosse 2011 World Box Lacrosse Stats[11]
Indoor.com[12]

Statistics

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Reference:[13]

Dan Dawson Regular Season Playoffs
Season Team GP G A Pts LB PIM Pts/GP LB/GP PIM/GP GP G A Pts LB PIM Pts/GP LB/GP PIM/GP

2002 Columbus Landsharks 11 3 3 6 29 6 0.55 2.64 0.55
2003 Columbus Landsharks 16 28 24 52 51 12 3.25 3.19 0.75
2004 Arizona Sting 16 26 48 74 43 19 4.63 2.69 1.19
2005 Arizona Sting 16 48 36 84 73 8 5.25 4.56 0.50 3 10 5 15 16 2 5.00 5.33 0.67
2006 Arizona Sting 16 34 48 82 76 8 5.13 4.75 0.50 2 4 7 11 3 0 5.50 1.50 0.00
2007 Arizona Sting 16 47 60 107 65 16 6.69 4.06 1.00 3 6 12 18 5 0 6.00 1.67 0.00
2008 Portland LumberJax 16 38 43 81 96 11 5.06 6.00 0.69 3 15 16 31 14 2 10.33 4.67 0.67
2009 Boston Blazers 16 30 74 104 54 8 6.50 3.38 0.50 1 0 7 7 6 0 7.00 6.00 0.00
2010 Boston Blazers 16 36 52 88 75 36 5.50 4.69 2.25 1 1 7 8 5 0 8.00 5.00 0.00
2011 Boston Blazers 16 31 59 90 65 6 5.63 4.06 0.38 1 2 6 8 3 0 8.00 3.00 0.00
2012 Philadelphia Wings 16 25 78 103 58 8 6.44 3.63 0.50 1 1 5 6 5 0 6.00 5.00 0.00
2013 Rochester Knighthawks 16 23 52 75 67 4 4.69 4.19 0.25 3 6 8 14 7 0 4.67 2.33 0.00
2014 Rochester Knighthawks 18 19 72 91 60 8 5.06 3.33 0.44 3 7 7 14 1 0 4.67 0.33 0.00
2015 Rochester Knighthawks 18 23 62 85 59 19 4.72 3.28 1.06 3 2 10 12 8 0 4.00 2.67 0.00
2016 Rochester Knighthawks 18 40 55 95 62 12 5.28 3.44 0.67
2017 Rochester Knighthawks 15 18 36 54 41 21 3.60 2.73 1.40
2018 Rochester Knighthawks 8 9 17 26 13 2 3.25 1.63 0.25
2018 Saskatchewan Rush 5 2 9 11 11 0 2.20 2.20 0.00 1 1 0 1 1 0 1.00 1.00 0.00
2019 San Diego Seals 18 29 59 88 49 8 4.89 2.72 0.44 1 1 4 5 1 0 5.00 1.00 0.00
2020 Toronto Rock 10 17 23 40 21 7 4.00 2.10 0.70
2022 Toronto Rock 14 17 28 45 34 2 3.21 2.43 0.14 3 2 4 6 11 0 2.00 3.67 0.00
2023 Toronto Rock 12 8 16 24 19 10 2.00 1.58 0.83 2 1 6 7 3 0 3.50 1.50 0.00
323 551 954 1,505 1,121 231 4.66 3.47 0.72 31 59 104 163 89 4 5.26 2.87 0.13
Career Total: 354 610 1,058 1,668 1,210 235 4.71 3.42 0.66

GP–Games played; G–Goals; A–Assists; Pts–Points; LB–Loose balls; PIM–Penalty minutes; Pts/GP–Points per games played; LB/GP–Loose balls per games played; PIM/GP–Penalty minutes per games played.

Season Team League   GP G A Pts PIM NRB
1998 Brampton JR A 21 8 17 25 8 43
1999 Brampton JR A 20 2 12 14 10 38
2000 Brampton JR A 19 11 17 28 24 52
2001 Brampton JR A 20 13 28 41 10 56
2002 Brampton OLA 4 4 1 5 0 51
2003 Brampton OLA 14 7 11 18 12 47
2004 Brampton OLA 16 17 23 40 13 49
2005 Victoria WLA 6 8 17 25 17 89
2006 Victoria WLA 15 19 34 53 17 -
2007 Victoria WLA 15 39 41 80 16 -
2008 Brampton OLA 14 16 25 41 16 -
2009 Brampton OLA 8 15 18 33 2 -
2010 Brampton OLA 6 11 22 33 10 -
2011 Brampton OLA 12 14 32 46 11 -
2012 Brampton OLA 7 4 15 19 0 -
CLA Totals 217 219 360 579 196  

Awards

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Preceded by NLL Sportsmanship Award
2009
Succeeded by
Preceded by NLL Most Valuable Player
2009
Succeeded by
Preceded by Champion's Cup MVP
2014
Succeeded by

References

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  1. ^ "Dan Dawson". Knighthawks web site. Archived from the original on September 5, 2015. Retrieved August 17, 2015.
  2. ^ "Toronto Nationals - Dan Dawson Stats". www.pointstreak.com. November 19, 2012. Retrieved 2012-11-19.
  3. ^ "Dawson selected first overall by Portland". NLL.com. November 5, 2007. Archived from the original on 2007-11-07. Retrieved 2007-11-05.
  4. ^ "Dawson joins Boston Blazers". NLL.com. June 30, 2008. Archived from the original on July 2, 2008. Retrieved 2008-06-30.
  5. ^ "All-Star reserves announced". NLL.com. February 19, 2009. Retrieved 2009-03-05.
  6. ^ "Sanderson & Dawson Set New Assists Record". NLL.com. April 17, 2009. Archived from the original on April 17, 2009. Retrieved 2009-05-02.
  7. ^ "Wings acquire Paul Rabil, move Dawsons in big trade". NLL.com. December 14, 2011. Retrieved December 14, 2012.
  8. ^ mhancock (2023-06-12). "Dan Dawson Retires After 21 Season Hall of Fame Career". Toronto Rock. Retrieved 2023-06-12.
  9. ^ "Bible of Lacrosse - Mann Cup Stats". wampsbibleoflacrosse.com. November 19, 2012. Retrieved 2012-11-19.
  10. ^ "Dawson scores at 2010 World Lacrosse Championships". teamcanadalax.wordpress.com. November 19, 2012. Retrieved 2012-11-19.
  11. ^ "Bible of Lacrosse - 2011 World Box Lacrosse Stats". wampsbibleoflacrosse.com. November 19, 2012. Retrieved 2012-11-19.
  12. ^ "Team Canada adds Dan Dawson and Jordan Hall to WILC roster, only those showing interest will be selected | IL Indoor". Archived from the original on 2012-07-08. Retrieved 2012-11-19.
  13. ^ "Player National Lacrosse League". NLL.com. Retrieved March 9, 2020.