Three longtime New Westminster Salmonbellies could be suiting up in the National Lacrosse League.
When the NLL’s draft wrapped up on Sunday night, three lacrosse players who started their lacrosse careers as kids in New West had been drafted to the pro league. A fourth player who played for the Junior A Salmonbellies was also drafted.
Lukas Nielsen was selected in the first round by the Buffalo Bandits, who won back-to-back NLL championships in 2023 and 2024. He was the seventh overall pick in the draft.
“It's a dream come true to be drafted to Buffalo, and it will be pretty cool getting to be a part of a team that are back-to-back champions,” he said in an email to the Record.
In Buffalo, Nielsen won’t the only Bellie player in a Bandits’ jersey, as Buffalo is also home to Josh Byrne. The former Salmonbellie led the NLL with 135 points this past season and was named the league’s Most Valuable Player.
Nielsen has grown up playing lacrosse in New Westminster, most recently for the Junior A Salmonbellies. In addition to being named a BC Junior A Lacrosse 1st Team all-star in 2024, he also received the Henry “Del” Delmonico Trophy as the league’s Most Valuable Player.
Nielson had 50 goals and 25 assists in his 18 games with the Junior A Salmonbellies – one of only two Junior A players in Canada to score 50 goals in the 2024 season. He also played seven regular season games and five playoff games for the Senior A Salmonbellies.
Although Nielsen was eligible for the National Lacrosse League’s 2025 draft, he declared early for the 2024 NLL entry draft.
But Nielsen was not the only New Westminster player selected in Sunday’s draft.
Austin Ducommun, who has grown up playing lacrosse in New West, was drafted by the Calgary Roughnecks in the fourth round. He was the 48th overall pick.
Ducommun played 17 regular season games for the Senior A Bellies in the 2024 season, where he was sixth in points (11 goals and 16 assists). He also had four assists in five playoff games.
Towson University in Maryland is proud that one of its graduates is heading to the NLL, describing it as the “premier professional indoor lacrosse league in the world.”
“Playing at Towson from 2021 to 24, Ducommun competed in 33 career games for the Tigers as a midfielder,” said a Towson University news release. “He played all 17 games on the second midfield line in 2024, helping Towson win the Coastal Athletic Association (CAA) title with 11 points on the season off six goals and five assists.”
Kai George, who also grew up playing lacrosse in New Westminster, was selected in the fifth round by the Vancouver Warriors.
A former Junior A Salmonbellie, George spent the 2024 season with Lewis University, appearing in one game, while also suiting up for the Burnaby Lakers in the WLA.
Prior to his time with Burnaby, the 22-year-old defenseman played Junior A for the Salmonbellies and the Burnaby Lakers.
“Kai’s very physical and he plays on the edge, and he can get up and down the floor really well,” Warriors GM and head coach Curt Malawsky said in a news release. “On the back end, he finishes his checks and holds guys accountable going to the middle of the floor.”
Aiden Hindson, who played defence for the New Westminster Junior A Salmonbellies, was a fifth-round pick for the Calgary Roughnecks. He was the 62nd overall pick in Sunday’s draft.
