BCJALL 2019 Season Preview

The 2019 BCJALL Regular Season is promising to be one of the most interesting in years. 

The reigning Minto Cup champion Coquitlam Adanacs have been weakened by some key departures, none bigger than 2018 BCJALL MVP Christian Del Bianco, while other teams have circled this season on their calendars as one of the biggest chances to make some noise. 

Complicating that picture, even more, is the fact that the BCJALL receives two berths to the 2019 Minto, which is being held at Langley Events Centre. You know the Langley Thunder will want to be a part of the festivities given that the national championship will be in their own backyard, but they will have to battle with some traditional mainstays. The New Westminster Salmonbellies have already started adding imports from back East, while the Victoria Shamrocks always have a deep, talented squad that draws from the best of the best on Vancouver Island. Teams like Port Coquitlam and Delta would argue they are reloading instead of rebuilding. 

Unlike seasons past, all eight teams come into this year with strengths in at least some areas; that includes the Burnaby Lakers and Nanaimo Timbermen, who look to vault out of the league’s basement. 

If I had to give the season a label, parody is the first to come to mind. Given what I’ve just laid out above, nothing else really makes sense. Gone are the days teams can stroll on to the ferry to Nanaimo with a reduced roster and expect an easy win. With the number of players continuing to head south to further their field lacrosse careers (as well as, more importantly, their education), the bar has been set higher than ever. Not only does that raise the level of quality in the league, it also raises the competitiveness. 

It doesn’t just end with the players, either. Look at some of the hires made during the offseason; Dane Dobbie takes over in Langley, Hall of Famer Russ Heard will hope to return Burnaby to Minto glory, Dan Stroup already had a handful of games at the end of last season to get acclimated, but his resume is extensive including previously stops in the NLL. That alone will immediately raise expectations for players, knowing they are getting some of the best coaching in the world. 

We won’t get a true picture of what each team’s talent levels are at until players return from the NCAA, but points will be at a premium even in early May. It raises the stakes and creates a day-in-day-out product that will be exciting and intriguing for fans to follow along with. 

Join us as we preview the 2019 BCJALL Season Preview.

BURNABY LAKERS - APRIL 24

COQUITLAM ADANACS - APRIL 24

DELTA ISLANDERS - APRIL 25

LANGLEY THUNDER - APRIL 25

NANAIMO TIMBERMEN - APRIL 26

NEW WESTMINSTER SALMONBELLIES - APRIL 26

PORT COQUITLAM SAINTS - APRIL 27

VICTORIA SHAMROCKS - APRIL 27