Brodie Merrill (born November 5, 1981) is a Canadian professional lacrosse player. Merrill is recognized by the Premier Lacrosse League as having revolutionized the LSM position, and is the namesake for the Brodie Merrill LSM of the Year Award, being the only active PLL player to have an award named after them. Merrill is widely regarded as one of the greatest defensemen in lacrosse history, in both the indoor and outdoor game.[1]
.jpg) Merrill with the Portland Lumberjax in 2009 | |
| Born | November 5, 1981 Montreal, Quebec, Canada |
|---|---|
| Height | 6 ft 4 in (1.93 m) |
| Weight | 205 pounds (93 kg) |
| Shoots | Left |
| Position | Defense/LSM (Field), Transition (Box) |
| NCAA team | Georgetown (2005) |
| NLL draft | 1st overall, 2005 Portland LumberJax |
| NLL teams | Toronto Rock Philadelphia Wings Edmonton Rush Portland LumberJax San Diego Seals |
| MLL teams | Hamilton Nationals Rochester Rattlers Baltimore Bayhawks Boston Cannons |
| PLL team Former teams | Cannons Chaos Waterdogs |
| MSL team | Brampton Excelsiors |
| Pro career | 2005–Present |
| Career highlights | |
NCAA:
MLL:
NLL:
PLL:
All-Time Lacrosse Records:
| |
| U.S. Lacrosse Hall of Fame, 2024 | |
Early life
editMerrill was born in Montreal to Peter and Patricia, where he grew up playing hockey, soccer, and baseball. He has an older brother, Patrick, and a younger sister Tory. His family moved to Orangeville at the age of eight, in part due to the Quebec seccession movement.[2][3]
High school career
editMerrill attended the Salisbury School in Connecticut. While attending Salisbury, he was a standout lacrosse player, and was named the New England Defensive Player of the Year, was selected to the All-New England team, and was selected as a First Team High School All-American.
College career
editMerrill attended Georgetown University from 2002 to 2005. During his final two years, he was a First-team All-American, and won the Schmeisser Award in his senior year for defensive player of the year. During his final two seasons, Merrill was a Tewaaraton Award finalist, first team All-American and All-ECAC player, and won the William Corcoran Memorial Trophy for team MVP. Additionally, he was the ECAC Defensive Player of the Year in 2005 and finished his collegiate career with 250 ground balls, a Georgetown record for non-faceoff specialists.[4]
Professional career
editNLL career
edit
Merrill was the first player taken overall in the 2005 National Lacrosse League Draft by the Portland LumberJax, and in 2006 was named both the NLL's Rookie of the Year and Defensive Player of the Year. During the 2009 NLL season, he was named a starter to the All-Star Game.[5]
When the LumberJax left Portland at the end of the 2009 season, the league held a dispersal draft. Merrill was selected with the first overall pick in the draft by the Edmonton Rush.
On August 9, 2011, he was traded to the Philadelphia Wings, along with Rush forwards Dean Hill, Mike McLellan, and Edmonton's 41st selection in the 2011 entry draft, and the 4th round selection in 2013. In return, Philadelphia sent Athan Iannucci with teammates Alex Turner and Brodie McDonald, along with Philadelphia's first round draft picks in 2012, 2013 and 2014.[6]
On November 29, 2018, Brodie was signed by the San Diego Seals where he was named captain. He played under his brother, head coach Patrick Merrill.
On February 22, 2020, Merrill became the NLL's all time loose ball leader.[7]
Merrill announced his retirement from professional lacrosse on September 13, 2023.[8] Merrill's number 17 jersey was retired by the Seals in a halftime ceremony during their opening game of the 2023-24 season.[9] However, on March 15, 2024 it was announced that Merrill would be returning to the active roster, and plans to finish the remainder of the 2024 season on the Seals.[10]
MLL career
editMerrill was the MLL Rookie of the Year in 2005 as a member of the Baltimore Bayhawks. From 2006 to 2007, he played for the Rochester Rattlers. For four consecutive years he was awarded the Major League Lacrosse Defensive Player of the Year Awards.[11] He then helped the Toronto Nationals win their first MLL championship in their inaugural season, and won the defensive player of the year award for a record fourth consecutive year. Merrill is the all-time ground ball leader in the MLL.[12]
PLL career
editIn 2019, Merrill joined Paul Rabil’s new Premier Lacrosse League as a member of the Chaos Lacrosse Club.
On March 11, 2021, Merrill was selected first overall by Cannons Lacrosse Club, the reincarnation of the Boston Cannons, in the PLL Expansion Draft.[13]
Merrill played in his 200th professional field lacrosse game on August 21, 2021, the most of any player in history. [14]
Canadian Box career
editJunior
editMerrill played his junior lacrosse with the Orangeville Northmen of the OLA Junior A Lacrosse League. In 2000, Merrill lead the Northmen to a league championship. In 2001, Merrill was awarded the "John McCauley Award" for Best Defensive Player, and shared the "B.W. Evans Award" for Top Graduating Player with Dan Bowman the following year.[15]
Senior
editMerrill began his senior career with the Coquitlam Adanacs of the Western Lacrosse Association, and later the Brampton Excelsiors of Major Series Lacrosse, winning two consecutive Mann Cup championships (2008–2009). Merrill is currently playing for the Kahnawake Mohawks in the Quebec Senior Lacrosse League.
International career
editIn 2006, he helped the Canadian national lacrosse team to an historic win at the World Lacrosse Championship in London, Ontario. He had an outstanding tournament, being named Best Defender and earning All-World honours.
Personal
editBrodie and his brother Patrick were a member of the Toronto Rock. Both Brodie and Patrick are members of the Brampton Excelsiors in the Major Series Lacrosse and both were members the Hamilton Nationals of Major League Lacrosse. Additionally, Patrick currently coaches Brodie with the San Diego Seals. He was named by Inside Lacrosse as "The Best Player in the World."-Inside Lacrosse.[16] He is also the Dean of Students and head men's lacrosse coach at The Hill Academy in Caledon, Ontario. At a very young age, he was best friends with lacrosse player Kyle Miller. Both loved the game and chose to play together at the Salisbury School, a prep school in Connecticut, but went on to different colleges. Kyle and Brodie were reunited as teammates on the Canadian roster for the 2006 World Lacrosse Championships. Kyle was diagnosed in 2011 as having Osteosarcoma. He died on June 8, 2013. Brodie is the main editor for the online lacrosse magazine, Brodie Merrill Lacrosse.[17]
Merrill is a fan of the Montreal Canadiens.[18]
Legacy
editMerrill is regarded as one of the best players in the history of lacrosse. He is the NLL's all-time leader in loose balls with 2,778, and is tied with Greg Gurenlian for the most ground balls in the history of professional outdoor lacrosse with 1,120. His 200 games between MLL and PLL are also a record for a field lacrosse player. Additionally, Merrill is the highest scoring long stick in professional field lacrosse history, tallying 146 career points in MLL and PLL. He won the NLL Transition Player of the Year Award a record setting 3 times, and the MLL Defensive Player of the Year a record setting 6 times, all consecutive. Merrill revolutionized the LSM position with his offensive abilities, with the Premier Lacrosse League naming their award for the top LSM in the league after him.[19]
Statistics
editNLL
editReference:[20]
| Brodie Merrill | Regular Season | Playoffs | |||||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Season | Team | GP | G | A | Pts | LB | PIM | Pts/GP | LB/GP | PIM/GP | GP | G | A | Pts | LB | PIM | Pts/GP | LB/GP | PIM/GP |
| 2006 | Portland LumberJax | 16 | 17 | 32 | 49 | 214 | 33 | 3.06 | 13.38 | 2.06 | 1 | 0 | 4 | 4 | 15 | 0 | 4.00 | 15.00 | 0.00 |
| 2007 | Portland LumberJax | 15 | 4 | 19 | 23 | 196 | 49 | 1.53 | 13.07 | 3.27 | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – |
| 2008 | Portland LumberJax | 16 | 17 | 21 | 38 | 211 | 53 | 2.38 | 13.19 | 3.31 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 9 | 43 | 0 | 3.00 | 14.33 | 0.00 |
| 2009 | Portland LumberJax | 16 | 14 | 33 | 47 | 216 | 38 | 2.94 | 13.50 | 2.38 | 1 | 2 | 5 | 7 | 14 | 2 | 7.00 | 14.00 | 2.00 |
| 2010 | Edmonton Rush | 16 | 17 | 36 | 53 | 190 | 31 | 3.31 | 11.88 | 1.94 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 24 | 2 | 1.00 | 12.00 | 1.00 |
| 2011 | Edmonton Rush | 16 | 9 | 38 | 47 | 187 | 34 | 2.94 | 11.69 | 2.13 | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – |
| 2012 | Philadelphia Wings | 16 | 17 | 15 | 32 | 157 | 29 | 2.00 | 9.81 | 1.81 | 1 | 3 | 0 | 3 | 7 | 2 | 3.00 | 7.00 | 2.00 |
| 2013 | Philadelphia Wings | 14 | 10 | 16 | 26 | 123 | 16 | 1.86 | 8.79 | 1.14 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 2 | 4 | 0 | 2.00 | 4.00 | 0.00 |
| 2014 | Philadelphia Wings | 18 | 8 | 26 | 34 | 189 | 29 | 1.89 | 10.50 | 1.61 | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – |
| 2015 | Toronto Rock | 18 | 8 | 24 | 32 | 151 | 21 | 1.78 | 8.39 | 1.17 | 4 | 0 | 3 | 3 | 31 | 2 | 0.75 | 7.75 | 0.50 |
| 2016 | Toronto Rock | 18 | 4 | 12 | 16 | 180 | 54 | 0.89 | 10.00 | 3.00 | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – |
| 2017 | Toronto Rock | 18 | 7 | 12 | 19 | 171 | 41 | 1.06 | 9.50 | 2.28 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 6 | 36 | 2 | 2.00 | 12.00 | 0.67 |
| 2018 | Toronto Rock | 17 | 6 | 16 | 22 | 127 | 33 | 1.29 | 7.47 | 1.94 | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – |
| 2019 | San Diego Seals | 16 | 3 | 11 | 14 | 123 | 24 | 0.88 | 7.69 | 1.50 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 7 | 0 | 0.00 | 7.00 | 0.00 |
| 2020 | San Diego Seals | 12 | 2 | 10 | 12 | 95 | 19 | 1.00 | 7.92 | 1.58 | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – |
| 2022 | San Diego Seals | 17 | 3 | 7 | 10 | 134 | 23 | 0.59 | 7.88 | 1.35 | 4 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 24 | 2 | 0.25 | 6.00 | 0.50 |
| 2023 | San Diego Seals | 17 | 2 | 12 | 14 | 116 | 56 | 0.82 | 6.82 | 3.29 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 9 | 0 | 0.00 | 9.00 | 0.00 |
| 2024 | San Diego Seals | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – |
| 276 | 148 | 340 | 488 | 2,780 | 583 | 1.77 | 10.07 | 2.11 | 22 | 13 | 24 | 37 | 214 | 12 | 1.68 | 9.73 | 0.55 | ||
| Career Total: | 298 | 161 | 364 | 525 | 2,994 | 595 | 1.76 | 10.05 | 2.00 | ||||||||||
GP–Games played; G–Goals; A–Assists; Pts–Points; LB–Loose balls; PIM–Penalty minutes; Pts/GP–Points per games played; LB/GP–Loose balls per games played; PIM/GP–Penalty minutes per games played.
|season18_games_played= |season18_goals= |season18_assists= |season18_loose_balls= |season18_penalty_minutes= |season18_playoff_games_played= |season18_playoff_loose_balls=
Premier Lacrosse League
edit| Brodie Merrill | Regular Season | Playoffs | |||||||||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Season | Team | GP | G | 2PG | A | Pts | Sh | GB | Pen | PIM | FOW | FOA | GP | G | 2PG | A | Pts | Sh | GB | Pen | PIM | FOW | FOA |
| 2019 | Chaos | 10 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 36 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 2020 | Waterdogs | 5 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 10 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 0 | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – |
| 2021 | Cannons | 9 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 40 | 2 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 2022 | Cannons | 6 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 15 | 2 | 1.5 | 0 | 0 | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – |
| 30 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 101 | 6 | 4.5 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 6 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | ||
| Career Total: | 33 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 107 | 6 | 4.5 | 0 | 0 | ||||||||||||
GP–Games played; G–Goals; 2PG–2-point goals; A–Assists; Pts–Points; Sh–Shots; GB–Ground balls; Pen–Penalties; PIM–Penalty minutes; FOW–Faceoffs won; FOA–Faceoffs attempted
Major League Lacrosse
edit| Brodie Merrill[21] | Regular Season | Playoffs | |||||||||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Season | Team | GP | G | 2PG | A | Pts | Sh | GB | Pen | PIM | FOW | FOA | GP | G | 2PG | A | Pts | Sh | GB | Pen | PIM | FOW | FOA |
| 2005 | Baltimore Bayhawks | 11 | 3 | 0 | 1 | 4 | 8 | 52 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 2006 | Rochester Rattlers | 11 | 6 | 1 | 5 | 12 | 17 | 95 | 0 | 9 | 0 | 1 | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – |
| 2007 | Rochester Rattlers | 12 | 5 | 0 | 9 | 14 | 14 | 101 | 0 | 5 | 0 | 0 | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – |
| 2008 | Rochester Rattlers | 10 | 6 | 0 | 12 | 18 | 10 | 75 | 0 | 4.5 | 0 | 0 | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – |
| 2009 | Toronto Nationals | 12 | 8 | 0 | 12 | 20 | 20 | 69 | 0 | 5.5 | 3 | 11 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 2 | 2 | 14 | 0 | 0.5 | 0 | 0 |
| 2010 | Toronto Nationals | 10 | 3 | 0 | 9 | 12 | 13 | 55 | 0 | 2.5 | 1 | 3 | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – |
| 2011 | Hamilton Nationals | 12 | 4 | 1 | 12 | 17 | 14 | 77 | 0 | 7.5 | 0 | 1 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 13 | 0 | 0.5 | 0 | 0 |
| 2012 | Hamilton Nationals | 13 | 4 | 1 | 6 | 11 | 21 | 96 | 0 | 5.5 | 0 | 0 | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – |
| 2013 | Hamilton Nationals | 13 | 2 | 0 | 9 | 11 | 16 | 91 | 0 | 4.5 | 0 | 3 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 11 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 0 |
| 2014 | Boston Cannons | 13 | 4 | 0 | 1 | 5 | 7 | 62 | 0 | 3.5 | 0 | 0 | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – |
| 2015 | Boston Cannons | 7 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 33 | 0 | 1.5 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 2016 | Boston Cannons | 13 | 3 | 1 | 0 | 4 | 4 | 60 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – |
| 2017 | Boston Cannons | 9 | 1 | 0 | 4 | 5 | 3 | 39 | 0 | 1.5 | 0 | 2 | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – |
| 2018 | Boston Cannons | 11 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 6 | 49 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0 | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – |
| 157 | 50 | 4 | 82 | 136 | 155 | 954 | 0 | 55.5 | 4 | 21 | 8 | 4 | 0 | 1 | 5 | 6 | 40 | 0 | 4 | 0 | 0 | ||
| Career Total: | 165 | 54 | 4 | 83 | 141 | 161 | 994 | 0 | 59.5 | 4 | 21 | ||||||||||||
GP–Games played; G–Goals; 2PG–2-point goals; A–Assists; Pts–Points; Sh–Shots; GB–Ground balls; Pen–Penalties; PIM–Penalty minutes; FOW–Faceoffs won; FOA–Faceoffs attempted
Canadian Lacrosse Association
edit| Regular Season | Playoffs | |||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Season | Team | League | GP | G | A | Pts | PIM | GP | G | A | Pts | PIM | ||
| 1997 | Orangeville Northmen | OLA Jr.A | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | ||
| 1998 | Orangeville Northmen | OLA Jr.A | 20 | 8 | 9 | 17 | 44 | 9 | 1 | 2 | 3 | 8 | ||
| 1999 | Orangeville Northmen | OLA Jr.A | 15 | 13 | 20 | 33 | 20 | 10 | 6 | 25 | 31 | 10 | ||
| 2000 | Orangeville Northmen | OLA Jr.A | 14 | 21 | 24 | 45 | 32 | 14 | 13 | 30 | 43 | 19 | ||
| Minto Cup | Orangeville Northmen | CLA | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | 6 | 3 | 11 | 14 | 4 | ||
| 2001 | Orangeville Northmen | OLA Jr.A | 14 | 20 | 33 | 53 | 49 | 5 | 7 | 7 | 14 | 15 | ||
| 2002 | Orangeville Northmen | OLA Jr.A | 14 | 16 | 15 | 31 | 30 | 11 | 8 | 14 | 22 | 31 | ||
| 2003 | Coquitlam Adanacs | WLA | 14 | 6 | 12 | 18 | 41 | 10 | 5 | 7 | 12 | 25 | ||
| 2004 | Brampton Excelsiors | MSL | 6 | 2 | 7 | 9 | 21 | 14 | 8 | 9 | 17 | 56 | ||
| 2006 | Brampton Excelsiors | MSL | 7 | 7 | 12 | 19 | 6 | 11 | 7 | 14 | 21 | 27 | ||
| 2007 | Brampton Excelsiors | MSL | 4 | 4 | 1 | 5 | 4 | 9 | 12 | 17 | 29 | 12 | ||
| 2008 | Brampton Excelsiors | MSL | 4 | 0 | 9 | 9 | 10 | 9 | 4 | 10 | 14 | 21 | ||
| Mann Cup | Brampton Excelsiors | CLA | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | 4 | 2 | 3 | 5 | 13 | ||
| 2009 | Brampton Excelsiors | MSL | 7 | 7 | 6 | 13 | 12 | 9 | 3 | 5 | 8 | 31 | ||
| Mann Cup | Brampton Excelsiors | CLA | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | 7 | 2 | 2 | 4 | 14 | ||
| Junior A Totals | 78 | 78 | 86 | 164 | 175 | 49 | 35 | 78 | 113 | 83 | ||||
| Minto Cup Totals | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | 6 | 3 | 11 | 14 | 4 | ||||
| Senior A Totals | 42 | 26 | 47 | 73 | 94 | 62 | 39 | 62 | 101 | 172 | ||||
| Mann Cup Totals | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | 11 | 4 | 5 | 9 | 27 | ||||
Awards
editReferences
edit- ^ "Brodie Merrill LSM of the Year Award". Twitter. Retrieved 2021-08-23.
- ^ Rice, Nelson (2019-06-13). "Fooling Father Time: Brodie Merrill". Premier Lacrosse League. Retrieved 2023-06-17.
- ^ Leonard, Tod (2019-01-12). "Merrill brothers bring experience, drive to Seals' inaugural lacrosse season". San Diego Union-Tribune. Retrieved 2023-06-17.
- ^ "Brodie Merrill to Embark on 16th Pro Lacrosse Season". Georgetown University Athletics. Retrieved 2022-03-07.
- ^ "All-Star reserves announced". NLL.com. February 19, 2009. Retrieved 2009-03-05.
- ^ "Wings Acquire Brodie Merrill in Six-Player Deal". Laxpower.com. August 9, 2011. Archived from the original on December 6, 2017. Retrieved 2011-08-08.
- ^ "Brodie Merrill". NLL. Retrieved 2022-03-07.
- ^ "Brodie Merrill Retires from Lacrosse". www.usalaxmagazine.com. Retrieved 2023-09-16.
- ^ NLL (December 9, 2023). "Watch as Brodie Merrill becomes the FIRST player in San Diego Seals franchise history to have his number retired". X (formerly Twitter). Retrieved 2023-12-10.
- ^ Levi, Adam (Mar 15, 2024). "Brodie Merrill Returns to Seals Active Roster". National Lacrosse League.
- ^ "Brodie Merrill earns fourth straight Warrior Defensive Player of the Year award". www.insidelacrosse.com. August 18, 2009. Archived from the original on August 30, 2009. Retrieved 2009-08-18.
- ^ "Brodie Merrill | Hamilton Nationals Lacrosse". Archived from the original on 2012-06-24. Retrieved 2012-07-20.
- ^ "2021 Expansion Draft Results". Premier Lacrosse League. 2021-03-12. Retrieved 2021-03-12.
- ^ @warriorlax (August 20, 2022). "Game #200 for the legend! Congrats to Brodie Merrill on this huge milestone. Most games played in pro lacrosse history! #warriorlax" (Tweet). Retrieved 18 July 2023 – via Twitter.
- ^ "O.L.A. Junior A Trophy Winners". wampsbibleoflacrosse.com.
- ^ "Interview with Brodie Merrill: Hill Lacrosse Director named "Best Player in the World"". www.thehillacademy.com. Archived from the original on 2007-06-16.
- ^ "Brodie Merrill LacrosseBrodie-Merrill-Lacrosse". Archived from the original on 2014-02-01. Retrieved 2014-01-19.
- ^ Merrill, Brodie. "Brodie Merrill: Sport the magnet that draws my family together". www.inquirer.com. Retrieved 2023-06-17.
- ^ "Legend Brodie Merrill Announces Retirement From Playing Professional Lacrosse". Inside Lacrosse. 2023 [September 13, 2023].
- ^ "Player National Lacrosse League". NLL.com. Retrieved March 9, 2020.
- ^ "Brodie Merrill - Major League Lacrosse - player page | Pointstreak Sports Technologies". pointstreak.com. Retrieved 2022-03-07.