OSHAWA, ON – Canada has long been home to legendary box lacrosse hotbeds: Whitby, Peterborough, St. Catharines, Orangeville, Six Nations, Victoria, New Westminster, Coquitlam, Calgary, and Edmonton. Beyond these major hubs, smaller ‘under-the-radar’ communities like Nepean, London, Burlington, Mimico, Delta, Kitchener, Hamilton, and Maple Ridge have also consistently produced top-caliber talent.
Maple Ridge, British Columbia—a city of approximately 108,000 nestled north of the Fraser River—is where Oshawa FireWolves rookie Jaxon Fridge first picked up a stick.
“The game was probably forced upon me—in a good way, though,” Fridge chuckled, recalling his introduction to the sport. “My dad played in the MILL (Major Indoor Lacrosse League) and coached me my entire life. I remember having a stick in my hands since the moment I could walk. I grew up in B.C., played my minor lacrosse in Maple Ridge, and had a ton of fun doing it.”
That foundation in Maple Ridge eventually led Fridge to the most prestigious trophy in junior lacrosse: the Minto Cup.
“I got the call in Junior to go play for Coquitlam,” Fridge said. “There is so much knowledge in that organization. Getting to win a Minto Cup in my final year of Junior was incredibly special.”
The Minto Cup represents the pinnacle of the sport for young players. By hoisting the trophy with the Adanacs in 2024 on their home floor at The Palace, Fridge etched his name into history and kick-started his professional aspirations. That tournament served as a perfect showcase for his defensive grit and transition game, where he tallied a goal and two assists.
Following his championship run in the Purple and Gold, Fridge moved up to the Western Lacrosse Association (WLA) as a member of the Burnaby Lakers. There, he honed his craft as a premier defender while expanding his role as a dangerous transition threat.
“B.C. has more gritty players than Ontario, I’d say, so I’ve had to adapt and evolve into that style,” Fridge noted. “Ontario plays a more finesse-heavy game with a few flashy guys.”
Fridge’s versatility is also a product of his NCAA background. When charting his path to the pros, he headed south to Canisius University in Buffalo, N.Y.
“Being recruited to Canisius was a great achievement. It was a ‘full-circle’ moment because my dad actually coached my head coach at Canisius back in the day,” Fridge added. “In Buffalo, I was put in a position where I played offensive midfield and didn’t have to focus as much on defence. It helped my entire game; it gave me the confidence to play both sides of the floor in both box and field lacrosse.”
From his days as a Burrard in Maple Ridge to an Adanac in Coquitlam, a Griffin at Canisius, and a Laker in Burnaby, every stop was a stepping stone toward the date circled on his calendar: NLL Draft Day.
After a summer of intense training in Burnaby, the call finally came on September 6, 2025 during the NLL Entry Draft.
“Glenn Clark called me, and I told him, ‘Thank you for having me. You guys won’t regret it, and the teams that passed on me will definitely know what they missed,” Fridge recalled. “Ever since then, it’s been a fun learning experience. As a rookie, I still have a lot to learn, but I’m focused on putting my best foot forward.”
The jump to the NLL is a daunting challenge, involving moving away from home and the constant pressure to prove you belong. For Fridge, the transition has been smoothed by living with FireWolves teammates and exploring the Durham Region.
Through 10 games of his rookie campaign, Fridge has recorded six points, 43 loose balls, 6 caused turnovers, and 4 blocked shots. He looks to build on those numbers this weekend as the FireWolves travel to the nation’s capital to face the Ottawa Black Bears.
Saturday Night’s matchup can be watched on TSN+, ESPN+, and NLL+ at 7:00 PM ET.
The FireWolves will return to The Den for Alphie’s Birthday Bash on Friday, March 13, against the Philadelphia Wings at the Tribute Communities Centre. Tickets can be purchased here to be a part of all the birthday celebrations.
About Oshawa FireWolves
The Oshawa FireWolves are Durham Region’s professional box lacrosse team, competing in the National Lacrosse League (NLL) out of the Tribute Communities Centre in downtown Oshawa, ON. For more information, visit OshawaFireWolves.com. Follow the team on Facebook at facebook.com/FireWolvesNLL, Twitter @FireWolvesNLL, and Instagram @FireWolvesNLL.
About National Lacrosse League
The National Lacrosse League (NLL) is North America’s largest professional lacrosse league and welcomed more than 1 million fans for the third consecutive year during the 2024-25 season. Founded in 1986, the NLL is comprised of 14 franchises across Canada and the United States, and recently unveiled its largest brand campaign ever, “Welcome to The Next Major League™” and introduced its comprehensive grassroots initiative, NLL UnBOXed™, that will expand the League’s footprint to 60 communities across North America by 2028. For the latest scores and developments in the National Lacrosse League, please visit: NLL.com and find the NLL on Facebook, Instagram, X, YouTube and TikTok. Games are available live and streaming on TSN, TSN+, the ESPN family of networks, ESPN+, and NLL+.
About Tribute Communities Centre
The Tribute Communities Centre is Durham Region’s premier sports and live entertainment facility and is managed by Oak View Group. The Tribute Communities Centre is home to the Oshawa FireWolves of the National Lacrosse League, Oshawa Generals of the Ontario Hockey League, and hosts a myriad of events including concerts, circuses, ice skating and family shows. Visit TributeCommunitiesCentre.com, and follow on Facebook, Instagram, and X.
About Oak View Group
Oak View Group (OVG) is the global leader in live experience venue development, management, premium hospitality services, and 360-degree solutions for a collection of world-class owned venues and a client roster of arenas, convention centers, music festivals, performing arts centers, and cultural institutions. Founded by Tim Leiweke and Irving Azoff in 2015, OVG is the leading developer of major new venues either open or under development across four continents. Visit OakViewGroup.com, and follow OVG on Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn, and X.
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