Curve Lake First Nation lacrosse goalie named MVP of Senior B league
By Sam Laskaris
CURVE LAKE FIRST NATION – Goaltender Deacan Knott continues to make a name for himself in lacrosse circles.
Knott, a member of Curve Lake First Nation, helped backstop the Burlington Blaze to the Minto Cup, the national Junior A lacrosse championship, last year following a late-season trade from the Peterborough Lakers.
As for this year, despite being a rookie with the Brooklin Merchants, Knott, 21, continued to impress in the senior ranks. In fact, he was selected as the most valuable player (MVP) in the Ontario Series Lacrosse (OSL), the province’s Senior B men’s lacrosse loop.
“It’s pretty crazy,” Knott said of his MVP award, based solely on his regular season efforts.
Knott appeared in 11 regular games with the Merchants. He posted an impressive 9-1 record and his goals-against average of 6.85 was the second best among all net-minders in the league. Only Elan Henhawk, a member of the Six Nations Rivermen, had a better GAA with 6.80.
Knott helped the Merchants register a 15-3 regular season record. Brooklin finished second in the standings of the six-squad OSL, behind only Six Nations, which posted a 16-2 mark.
Knott also plays professionally in the National Lacrosse League (NLL) with the Philadelphia Wings; however, he saw limited action this past season as he was the backup to Zach Higgins, one of the top goaltenders in the league.
Knott was originally hoping to play his spring and summer lacrosse in Ontario with the Peterborough Lakers. The Lakers compete in the higher-calibre Major Series Lacrosse (MSL), a Senior A league.
Knott did attend the Lakers’ training camp but he didn’t crack the team’s roster.
“It wasn’t in their plans for me this year,” he said.
Since his Senior B rights were not held by any team, Knott was free to sign with any squad of his liking.
“I knew it was a good organization,” he said of the Merchants.
And the Brooklin club has certainly welcomed him with open arms.
“He has been nothing but short of tremendous since he’s been here,” said Merchants’ head coach Ryan Degerdon.
Knott said he talked to his Wings’ teammate Higgins before joining the Merchants, an affiliate team for the MSL’s Brooklin Lacrosse Club. Higgins was named as the MSL’s MVP this season for his play with Brooklin.
Former NLL star Gavin Prout is the general manager for both Brooklin squads. He’s also credited for convincing Knott to join the Merchants.
Prout and Knott have known each other for a couple of years. Prout served as the head coach of the Canadian team, which included Knott, that captured the International Indoor Junior Lacrosse world championship in Winnipeg in 2022.
“He’s a coach’s dream,” Degerdon added of Knott. “He’s personable. And he’s open to any sort of criticism of what he can work on.”
Despite being a rookie with the Merchants, Degerdon added Knott has taken on a leadership role and can be a rather vocal presence for his teammates.
“He’s someone I can count on when I leave the room,” Degerdon said.