This September, the National Lacrosse League returns to its storied Hall of Fame ceremonies with an all-star induction class. The Class of 2021 represents the first additions to the NLL Hall of Fame since 2016. Eight players and two referees in the builder’s category will be inducted during the ceremony on September 15 in Burlington, Ontario, the night before the 2023 Entry Draft.
John Grant Jr., Forward
John Grant Jr. played 17 seasons between Rochester and Colorado after being selected first overall in 1999. The Peterborough, Ontario native retired in the top 10 all-time with 668 goals (2nd), 778 assists (6th), and 1,446 points (2nd). He was also 12th all-time with 1,202 loose ball recoveries. He was the 2000 Rookie of the Year and named league MVP twice (2007 & 2012). JGJ was named to the All-League First Team six times and Second Team three times. He led the league four times in goals (2005, 2006, 2007 & 2012) and was also named the Championship Game MVP in 2007.
Grant set the record for points in a season in 2012 at 116, which has since been surpassed and now ranks tied for fourth highest in league history. His 37 goals as a rookie are also tied for fourth best. In his 2012 MVP season, Grant Jr. averaged 8.29 points per game, an NLL record. He scored 40+ goals in a season 10 times in his career and surpassed 100 points in four different seasons.
Grant is currently the all-time leading goal scorer for the Halifax franchise. Grant’s #24 has been retired by Colorado.
Colin Doyle, Forward
Colin Doyle played 19 seasons with Ontario, San Jose and Toronto after being selected in the second round of the 1996 entry draft. The Kitchener, Ontario native is a 6-time NLL champion with Toronto (1999, 2000, 2002, 2003, 2005, & 2011) and was named the Championship Game MVP three times (1999, 2002, & 2005). He won the 1998 Rookie of the Year award and 2005 MVP award. Doyle was an All-League First Team member four times and Second Team seven times. He finished 4th all-time in goals (527), assists (857) and points (1,384) and tied for 5th all-time in games played (266). He was a two-time scoring champion (2005 & 2009).
Doyle retired after the 2016 season, finishing second all-time with 34 playoff games played, third in playoff goals, assists and points and seventh in loose ball recoveries. Colin averaged 5.2 points per game through his career. He played 188 consecutive games between 2000 and 2011, tied for third-longest all-time.
Steve Toll celebrates with Shawn Williams
Steve Toll, Defenseman
Steve Toll played for 15 seasons with Ontario, Toronto, Rochester, San Jose, Colorado, and Edmonton after being drafted in the sixth round of the 1997 Entry Draft. He is a 5-time champion: four with Toronto (1999, 2000, 2002 & 2003) and one with Rochester (2007).
Toll was named the first winner of the Transition Player of the Year Award in 2007. The St. Catharines native retired in the top 10 all-time with 1,562 loose-ball recoveries in the regular season and an additional 160 in the playoffs. He averaged over two points per game and 7.97 loose ball recoveries per game through his career.
Toll played in 188 consecutive games between 2000-2011, which ranks tied for the third longest streak of all time.
Shawn Williams, Forward
Shawn Williams played 17 seasons with Ontario, Toronto, Buffalo, Rochester, and Edmonton. He is a 2-time champion, one with Toronto (1999) and one with Rochester (2007). He retired as one of only eight players to accumulate 1,100 career points.
Williams finished in the top 10 all-time in games played (9th), goals (9th), assists (7th).
In 2001, Williams surpassed the 100 loose ball total. He recorded 12 straight seasons of 20+ goals (six of those seasons had 30+).
He played a league-best 230 consecutive games from 2000-2014. He was named to the All-League First Team in 2004 and Second Team in 2007.
Casey Powell in action with the New York Titans
Casey Powell, Forward
Casey Powell played 11 seasons with Rochester, Anaheim, New York, Orlando, Boston, and Colorado after being selected first overall in the 1998 Entry Draft. In 2010, the West Carthage, NY native became the only American player to win the MVP award. During the MVP campaign, Powell finished 2nd in the NLL in goals scored and led the Orlando Titans to an 11-5 record. He led New York to the 2009 Championship Game, scoring 21 points in three games that postseason. Powell retired after the 2014 season, 10th all-time with 33 playoff goals in only 13 playoff games.
Powell was named to the NLL All-Star game from 2007-2009. Powell is the all-time leader in points by an American in league history.
Regy Thorpe, Defenseman
Regy Thorpe played 15 seasons for the Rochester Knighthawks, just an hour away from his hometown of Auburn, NY. He is a 2-time champion (1997 & 2007). Thorpe is the franchise leader with 193 games played, 966 loose ball recoveries and 385 penalty minutes. He also holds franchise records for games played, loose ball recoveries and penalty minutes. His 966 loose-ball recoveries ranked 11th all-time when he retired.
Thorpe also holds franchise playoff records in games played, loose ball recoveries and penalty minutes.
Kevin Finneran, Forward
Kevin Finneran played 13 seasons with Detroit, New England, Philadelphia and Toronto. The Long Island native is a 5-time champion: 4 with Philadelphia (1994, 1995, 1998 & 2001) and one with Toronto (2003). He recorded 26 assists in championship games which still ranks in the top five all-time. He was named to the All-League First Team in 1998 and twice to the Second Team (1994 & 1996).
Finneran retired after the 2003 season as the all-time league leader with 143 games played, 6th all-time in goals, 3rd all-time in assists, 5th all-time in points and 11th in loose-ball recoveries. He retired tied for most playoff games played, second in playoff assists, fourth in playoff goals and playoff points and tied for sixth in playoff loose-ball recoveries.
Finneran held the record for longest consecutive games played streak at 139 games and was the all-time leading scorer by an American prior to Casey Powell, also an inductee this year, breaking his record.
Pat McCready takes on Paul Dawson
Pat McCready, Forward
Pat McCready played 17 seasons in the NLL and won three championships. He played with the Charlotte Cobras, Rochester Knighthawks, Buffalo Bandits and Toronto Rock. Two of his championships came with Rochester – 1997 and 2012, in which he was team captain – and one with Buffalo (2008). He was named the 2011 NLL Defensive Player of the Year. The St. Catharines native retired following the 2012 season with the following records: third all-time in loose ball recoveries, second in penalty minutes, and seventh in games played.
McCready’s best season statistically came in 2002 where he set career highs with 16 goals, 24 assists and 173 loose balls while only serving 13 penalty minutes.
Roy Condon, NLL Official
Roy Condon started officiating lacrosse in 1971. He worked in the NLL for 23 seasons, from 1989 through 2011. He worked three NLL championship games: 1994, 1995 and 1999.
Bill Fox, NLL Official
Bill Fox began officiating in the early 1970s while playing Jr. A lacrosse. He had a 20-year career as an NLL official, from 1992 to 2011. He worked six championship games: 1993, 1997, 1999, 2000, 2003 and 2010.
Fox is the 2010 Recipient of the Allen G. Rae Builder Award from Sports Officials Canada that recognizes an individual who has made a significant contribution to the development of sports officials and the advancement of the sports officiating profession.
