IT’S DRAFT WEEK!

Just six days remain until the 2025 NLL Draft, and in the days leading up, there are usally a slew of names that throw their respective names into the ring and see if they can be drafted. With some of the names that will now be in this year’s class, let’s jump in and discuss a few of the early renunciations.

Photo: Josh Shute/St. Catharines Athletics

Ari Steenhuis, RT, St. Catharines (OJLL)

We found out today that Steenhuis would be entering his name in the draft. The transition ace for St. Catharines has been a standout for his hometown Athletics since joining them in 2023.

The son of Mark Steenhuis and the nephew of Billy Dee Smith, Steenhuis is a bit of a change-up from his older brother, Tye, who played mainly as a forward during his junior career. Ari has excelled out the back gate, and he’s been a shot in the arm for them, surging up the floor and creating offence regularly. At 6-foot-3, 195 pounds, he’s a big body who is also a pure athlete with strength to boot.

At just 19 years old, Steenhuis also thinks the game at a high level, finding himself in good spots to jump passing lanes or slide to help on defence.

Another player with junior eligibility to spare, Steenhuis has a bright future ahead of him. He can step in and be a threat on both ends of the floor right away in the NLL.

Photo: Clark Dunford/Peterborough Jr Lakers

Waukiigan Shognosh, G, Peterborough (OJLL)

We recently talked about a 2007-born goaltender in Caleb Khan who could shake up the board in the NLL Draft a bit. How about a 2007-born goaltender who is fresh off being named the OJLL’s Goaltender of the Year?

In his first season on Junior A lacrosse, Shognosh was spectacular, helping to lead Peterborough to the OJLL’s semi-finals on the strength of a 7.51 goals-against average and an .851 save percentage. The former second overall pick in the OJLL Draft also took home the OJBLL’s Rookie of the Year last summer for his play in Wallaceburg.

Shognosh is athletic with a solid frame at 6-foot-2, 190 pounds. His positioning is solid, and he tracks the ball very well. With another three years of junior left to round out his game, he’s another tender who will be a long-term candidate to stash and develop.

Levi Touhey, D, Orangeville (OJLL)

After appearing in his first Minto Cup last year with Port Coquitlam, Touhey found himself in different colours on multiple occasions in 2025. He was initially traded to New Westminster ahead of the WLA deadline, but after playing just a few games with the Salmonbellies, he was headed East to join Orangeville.

Helping the Northmen back to the Minto for the second consecutive year, Touhey had just four points in 15 combined games between regular season and playoffs, but he was a presence on the back end, setting the tone with his physical play and grittiness.

He can transition the ball up the floor and isn’t afraid to lay out an opponent to cause a turnover. He’ll be another defender that steps into camp and contends for a spot on the final roster.

Bryce Wismer, G, Kitchener-Waterloo (OJLL)

Wismer is another interesting name in this class. He was the starter for K-W for the majority of last summer. But the trade deadline saw Zach Richards sent over as a part of the three-team trade that landed Connor O’Toole in Orangeville.

Playing behind the graduating Richards this year, Wismer started just one game and made it into four, and while his stat lines haven’t been as flashy as other goalies in the OJLL, he was a bright spot for K-W a year ago.

Wismer is in line to be the full-time starter for K-W next summer, which will give him a chance to build on his solid 2024 season.

Mathias Houlahan, G, Nepean (OJBLL)

Another goalie that deserves mention is Houlahan, who took over the cage in Nepean from Thomas Kiazyk when he departed to play in the OJLL full-time.

A 6-foot-4, 205-pound netminder, Houlahan plays a similar style to Kiazyk, with a low stance that he expands out of to stop the ball. We got a small sample size of

Now, with all of the goaltenders in this draft, a player who spent almost the whole year in Junior B might not hear his name called. But Houlahan will presumably be the Beaches starter next year with both of their goalies from this summer aging out. He could be someone who gets a look a year from now, or a name a team could grab at the tail end of this draft to try at camp.

Zach Vanderwal, RD, Toronto (OJLL)

Vanderwal was another trade-deadline pickup by Toronto in the big trade with K-W that saw the Beaches acquire four bodies — fellow renunciation Seth Martineau included. While Vanderwal is a 2006-born defender who played further down the lineup for the Beaches, his impact was felt on the back end for Luc Magnan and Damon Edwards’ unit.

The Strathroy, Ontario native is a massive body at 6-foot-5, 205 pounds, and he plays more of a stay-at-home game. He’s a bruiser who will make all the effort plays to help a defence thrive. He lays the body, steps into shooting lanes to soak shots, and he continues to improve across the board with every game.

Another two years of junior in Toronto will help him develop. Another project that could prove to be a solid addition in the future, Vanderwal is likely a name that could go towards the back end of the draft. Next year will be his first full-time Junior A season, which should help him make another jump in his development.

Will White, RD, Pfeiffer & Peterborough (OJLL)

White wrapped up his junior career with Peterborough this summer. He opted to declare, leaving Pfeiffer after one year with the program.

One thing you can depend on when it comes to a defender from Peterborough is a relentless motor, physicality, and fearlessness. White will give all of that while being able to take regular reps out of the back gate.

Marcus Diabo, LD, Kahnawake (OJBLL)

Diabo was able to be a defensive stalwart for the Founders Cup Champion Kahnawake Hunters.

He put an exclamation point on his strong season in the Hunters’ Ontario Championship-clinching game in Elora, where he had a hat trick and four points in transition. Diabo excels in the two-way game, finishing with a little under a point per game this summer. A 2007-born runner, He’s got a ton of time to develop as a player, and he’s just scratched the surface of what he could be in the future.

2025 NLL Draft - Early Declarations to Watch