Dan Dawson

BornDecember 11, 1981 (age 43)
Oakville, Ontario, Canada

Height6 ft 6 in (1.98 m)

Weight220 pounds (100 kg)

ShootsRight

Dan Dawson
Born	(1981-12-11) December 11, 1981 (age 43) Oakville, Ontario, Canada
Height	6 ft 6 in (1.98 m)
Weight	220 pounds (100 kg)
Shoots	Right
Position	Forward
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 team	Six Nations Chiefs
Pro career	2002–2023
Nickname	Dangerous Dan

Dan Dawson (born December 11, 1981) is a Canadian former professional box 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.

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

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

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

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

NLL

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.

CLA

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

Preceded by Dan Carey	NLL Sportsmanship Award 2009	Succeeded by Shawn Williams
Preceded by Athan Iannucci	NLL Most Valuable Player 2009	Succeeded by Casey Powell
Preceded by Cody Jamieson	Champion's Cup MVP 2014	Succeeded by Mark Matthews

Canadian Professional Lacrosse

Mann Cup

International lacrosse career

Statistics

NLL

CLA

Awards

References

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