Peterborough Century Lakers Draft Two Defenseman and Transition In 2023 MSL Draft

The Peterborough Century 21 Lakers drafted Matt Wright, Caleb Commandant and Tyler Grandel during the 2023 Major Series Lacrosse draft held on Sunday.

Photo courtesy of UNC Athletics.

Peterborough held three picks during the six-round draft; a first, fourth and fifth-round pick. The Lakers protected graduating Jr. A Lakers Carter Page, Tyler Hendrycks, Nick Webb and Owen Hiltz prior to the draft.

Wright was their first-round pick, third overall from the Mimico Mountaineers. The 6’1, 210 lb. right-handed defenceman from Oakville is an immediate fit for the team according to Paul Day, Lakers general manager.

“We are very excited to draft Wright,” said Day. “We feel he has a great motor and is someone that can play and make an impact right away. We need righty defencemen and he is big and fast.”

Wright is in his fourth year at the University of North Carolina. He recently won a silver medal with Team Canada at the U21 World Championships in Limerick and was on Team Canada for the inaugural World Lacrosse Super Sixes event in 2021.

The Lakers’ next pick in the fourth round was lefty transition player Commandant, drafted 21st overall. The 5’9 and 170 lbs., is an Oakville Buzz Jr. A/Guelph Regals Jr. B graduate. He is in his third year at RIT as a long-stick midfielder.

Lindsay native and Jr. A Lakers righty defenceman Grandel was the fifth-round and final pick at 27th overall for Peterborough. Standing at 6’0 and 165 lbs, Grandel was a call-up for the Sr. Lakers in a game versus Cobourg last season. He was a primary face-off man for the Jr. A Lakers.

Grandel previously won the Meredith Cup with the Jr. C Lakers and is playing for the Oshawa Outlaws of the Arena Lacrosse League.

Jr. A Laker grad Holden Lowes was selected by Cobourg in the fourth round, 13th overall while Mimico’s Justin Sykes was taken first overall by Cobourg.

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