How the Ottawa Black Bears Spent Their Summers
NLL Ottawa Black Bears

How the Ottawa Black Bears Spent Their Summers

Published on November 25, 2025 under National Lacrosse League (NLL)
Ottawa Black Bears News Release


Success breeds success.

That's how the age-old saying goes, and that's what the Black Bears are hoping holds true as they search for the franchise's first ever playoff berth in the NLL.

Two separate pairs of Black Bears teammates won their respective championships this summer. Jake Stevens and Jeff Teat were crowned PLL champions with the New York Atlas, while Lars Sundown and Matt Marinier helped the Six Nations Chiefs three-peat the Mann Cup for just the second time in history.

"It was an awesome summer," said Teat, who also finished as playoff MVP. "I think, maybe, everything's a little bit better and more fun when you win, so yeah, we had a great summer, and glad to do it with Jake."

Stevens and Teat have known each other for years, but they haven't always played on the same team. Teat played his high school lacrosse at The Hill Academy, a prep school just north of Toronto where he was recently named head coach. Stevens played in Indiana at Culver Military Academy, and the schools compete against each other.

Stevens said it's much more fun playing with Teat rather than against him. "He's a great leader," says Stevens. A midfielder, the Puslinch, Ont. native was drafted 10th overall in 2023 and made his debut last season, playing in all 18 games for the Black Bears and scoring three goals and 13 points, making him the team's top scoring rookie.

"He's not like a 'get me the ball' kind of guy, he plays within the flow of the game and encourages you," said Stevens. "He was really big for me last year just trying to get it going for me when it wasn't going my way."

Teat was drafted first overall by the Atlas in 2021, making him the third ever player (after Lyle Thompson and Kevin Crowley) to be selected first overall in both the NLL and professional field lacrosse drafts.

The Brampton native says he enjoys the bi-annual switch between versions of the game. "It's kind of a nice change of pace," says Teat.

"Obviously, it's still lacrosse at the end of the day, but I think that the seasons help a lot, in the summer being outside and playing a little bit different of a game, being on the field. And then playing indoor box in the winter is something I grew up playing a majority of the time. I really enjoy going back and forth, maybe a little bit of small changes when it comes to the size of the net and the physicality in box, but I do enjoy playing both."

A historic three-peat

While Teat and Stevens enjoyed a summer outside, most of the Black Bears did continue playing box lacrosse in the summer, which is more popular in Canada.

The most successful of those players were Lars Sundown and Matt Marinier, who helped guide the stacked Six Nations Chiefs to a third straight Mann Cup, awarded annually to the Canadian senior champions. A third Black Bear, Travis Longboat, played a starring role in the previous two championships, but was held out for the summer with an injury.

The Six Nations Chiefs also counted NLL stars Dhane Smith, Ryan Smith, Lyle Thompson, Shayne Jackson, Dawson Theede, Ian Mackay, Cody Jamieson, Steve Priolo, Tyson Bell, and Brad Kri on their roster.

Owing to that, even through injuries to Randy Staats and Josh Byrne, they had some reinforcements to take down the New Westminster Salmonbellies - also loaded with NLL talent - in a classic game seven on the historic hardwood of Queen's Park Arena.

"Winning doesn't get old," Sundown, who also won with the Chiefs in 2023 and 2024, told NLL.com afterwards.

"Whether you're doing it for the first time, second time or third time, it's an honour every time. It's a privilege to be in this position. When you have teammates like I do, the staff and the executive we have in our corner, it takes everyone. Everyone showed up this week. You can't put a price on watching your friends lift trophies."

For Sundown, the feeling may be familiar. But for Marinier, who was acquired in a trade with the Cobourg Kodiaks as the Chiefs loaded up for the playoff run, it was not. That trade reunited him with Sundown, who he has played with in the NLL since the pair entered together as rookies in 2021-22.

"Getting the chance to do that with a teammate of mine, who certainly, in my opinion, does all the right things, works very hard, it was awesome to see him reap the benefits as well," said Sundown. "Obviously sharing that stage with your brothers is something that you can't trade, and just really, really thankful to be a part of the team."

Marinier said the trade came as a happy surprise. "That's quite the lineup they had over there," laughed the 6-foot-6 defenceman, who said he felt the nerves entering the dressing room for the first time, knowing he had made some enemies over the years who he would now be battling in the trenches with. Ultimately, he said the team was very welcoming.

"I was just very fortunate to get that call, obviously it was quite the opportunity to get to play alongside some of those guys, some of my friends, and have the opportunity to go to the Mann Cup. I'll never forget it, I'm just fortunate for the opportunity."

Six Nations brought a healthy contingent of fans all the way to the Lower Mainland - including Sundown's parents - where the seven-game series was contested over a span of just nine days. Animosity was a constant theme, both between the teams and in the stands. That helped create an environment not easily replicated in any sport.

"It was probably the coolest lacrosse experience I've ever had in my life," said Marinier.

"Although I've played in a lot of places that have more fans, the energy in the building was second to none, and obviously the stakes are so high when you get to that point in the season," he added.

"When the fans are not on your side, it's a little tough, but I just commend those people for their love of the game," said Sundown.

"The whole community, they love lacrosse out there, and it's obviously just really cool to be a part of a really high intensity atmosphere. Obviously I would if they're cheering for us, but I think as an athlete, being in those hostile scenarios, that's kind of something that you look forward to, and very thankful that we came out on the right side," added the forward.

"The fans that we had in our corner and their fans going back and forth, it kind of rallies you, you feel it," said Marinier. "And there were some points in the game where you'd just sit back and listen for a second, and you're like, 'holy smokes, this is actually happening.'"

The championship experience is something that Marinier and Sundown are eager to bring back to the Black Bears. Marinier pointed to learning how to take care of your body down the stretch run and picking up strategy and tactics from the skilled players around him as the biggest takeaways from the summer.

For Marinier, the summer also marked a career change. Marinier transitioned from being a primary care paramedic with the City of Hamilton to becoming a firefighter with the City of Pickering, a common job for players in the NLL which allows for flexibility around game and training schedules.

Marinier says he couldn't be happier with what he does and the people he works with, who are very accommodating with trading shifts to ensure the defenceman doesn't miss a Black Bears game. One of those current colleagues is former Black Bears captain Damon Edwards, another in the NLL-heavy unit.

He also says the mental toughness is translatable to the turf. "Obviously, games, there's highs and lows, being a team, and relying on other people, it's the same with firefighting," says Marinier.

"Especially, I'm usually with the same guys for 24 hours at a time, usually the same crew for quite some time. So you learn team dynamics, and obviously, some days are better than others. We go through those highs and lows. They're very different, in a sense, but you learn to find that baseline, to be even keel with no matter what you do. It's manageable now, I've had quite the experience doing different jobs and stuff and managing my career."

The coach becomes the teammate

Meanwhile, back in Ontario, Reilly O'Connor was putting on his coaching hat for the Toronto Beaches, along with defenceman Luc Magnan, one of the Beaches' defensive coordinators.

One of their star pupils? Liam Aston, who the Black Bears drafted in the second round this past spring. Aston played his way onto the team's practice roster in preseason.

"That'll be really fun," said O'Connor about playing with Aston. "He was such a pleasure to coach, but now I feel like it'll be a little bit different relationship, we're teammates now. We had a good relationship, player-to-coach, and now I'm hoping to roll that over to player-to-player, where I can still be there to help him just through my experiences. But at the end of the day, we're equal, and I'm excited to have him as a teammate. He was a hell of a player."

As the 32-year-old O'Connor tries to manage the wear-and-tear and avoid wearing out the speedometer by staying off the floor in the summers, he's just as happy behind the bench. "I love coaching, I love the game of lacrosse," says O'Connor.

"I love thinking about it... I feel like it's one of my biggest skills, but also sometimes, it hurts me a little bit when I'm overthinking things and sometimes I just needed to remind myself to go out and play... but I love helping others get better. It's just really fun being around the game, especially in the summer. Maybe not playing as much and helping the body recover so I can prolong my career, but staying in the game is big."

That leadership is something that the crafty playmaking forward carries with him as he returns to the floor for the NLL season. "I think that's critical, and I think that's a part of my role on the team," says the assistant captain about leadership.

"I think it's a non-negotiable of any good team, but I do want to pride myself on being a good teammate," says O'Connor, who finished third on the team with 41 points last season.

"Being there for people to help them, whether it's talking through a set play or situation, or being someone that they can ask questions about lacrosse situations, but then also I think a big part of this league is off the floor. Trying to prepare and also trying to be a professional in terms of how to act with teammates, how to act with coaches, handling yourself. I think there's so much that goes into this and it is a lot for a young player, a player with a new team. So just being a resource, I do kind of take pride in that."

The more kids the merrier

O'Connor also stepped into a new role just before the season gets underway on Saturday night. He and his wife Adrianne recently welcomed a new baby boy, Walker, to the family.

"I'm learning so much about pregnancy and fatherhood," said O'Connor. "I care so much about lacrosse, but that's going to be really important to me, to be an example to my son. It's a lot of emotions... my family and lacrosse are the two most important things in my life."

He drew upon teammate Kevin Brownell for tips on that aspect of life during training camp, as Brownell and his wife Taryn also welcomed their first child this offseason, a baby girl who arrived in early September.

"That's definitely changed the routines a little bit," said Brownell, who along with Taryn operates a chiropractic practice in Waterdown.

"She's been awesome, letting me sleep downstairs a couple nights [the week before training camp began]. With [the baby] it will be a little bit different during the week in terms of priorities, but when I'm in Ottawa, it's fully all systems go."

The defenceman, whose age of 37 might surprise you based on his youthful looks, says the key to making it through the grind of a season is making sure that the focus on training or recovery doesn't slide as the season goes on.

Brownell says that the baby is the "best thing in the world," but that it obviously challenges you. "Everybody says to get your sleep while you can, and I fully appreciate it now," he laughs.

"But yeah, the big thing is obviously just communication with you and your spouse, and just dividing and conquering, and doing what you can to make their life easier, because they're usually the ones pulling the big weight."

Zach Higgins, the Black Bears' starting netminder, also welcomed a newborn in the offseason, a baby boy who arrived in May, making it a family of four alongside a 2-year-old baby girl.

That makes four kids in total for Ottawa's goaltending tandem, as Tyler Carlson - the 37-year-old vet who un-retired this season to back up Higgins - has two of his own, aged 8 and 10.

That's also an exponential increase from the first time the two shared the crease, back in 2013-14 with the Minnesota Swarm, which was Higgins' rookie season. "Yeah, it's pretty cool that 11 or 12 years later now we're playing together again," said Higgins.

"I remember just how energetic he was, he always had a smile on his face, he brings a lot of energy to the room. I'm looking forward to having that again with him back here in Ottawa.

Carlson said he was able to spend some time with his family during the year off (he last played during the 2023-24 season with Colorado, where MacRae was defensive coordinator), but realized that the game had more left for him.

"I'm just super excited to have that opportunity, I love being back with the boys," said Carlson. "When I got the call from Danny, it was really uplifting for sure, definitely opens your eyes, it's like, 'Okay, yes, I'm ready to go, let's do this.'"

Carlson still closely followed the league and his former teammates last season, ready to quickly pack up the gear again if he was called upon. "You can't let it go, right?" said Carlson.

"Especially having two kids that are into lacrosse and hockey and sport, it was nice to show them that part of it as well, to be able to watch with them and show them things."

Kenna (his 8-year-old daughter) and Jackson (his 10-year-old son) were eager to send their dad back to work when Carlson asked them what he should do following MacRae's call this summer.

"Go back, go back, go back," laughed Carlson, recalling what they told him about the opportunity. Carlson says he will still look forward to parenting and coaching both kids in both hockey and lacrosse.

"It's going to be a lot of sleepless nights depending on which kind of child you're going to get," cracked Carlson about his teammates' newborns. "Time flies, so cherish every single minute. It's crazy, you'll never get these years back, right?"

A sly piece of gamesmanship

Higgins' and forward Connor Kearnan's summers on the court didn't exactly end in the same glory as any of the Black Bears who came away with championships. The two both hail from Courtice and play for the nearby Brooklin Lacrosse Club during the summer.

Brooklin's summer ended in agonizing fashion, as they fell in game seven of the MSL semi-finals to the Peterborough Lakers after some equipment controversy.

Higgins and Toronto Rock goaltender Nick Rose were sporting the same goalie pads as they duelled throughout the seven-game series, but with slight rule differences between the MSL and the NLL, the pads were missing a tag showing the size, which would have allowed them to be used in Sr. A play.

With the Rock mounting a late comeback, Kearnan said Rose decided to pull himself with about two minutes to play and the Lakers called for an equipment check on Higgins, which landed Brooklin a five-minute major penalty. "It's unfortunate, but it is what it is, it is a rule," said Kearnan.

With Brooklin clinging to a one-goal lead at that point, Higgins was allowed to remain in the game, but the damage would be done on the power play, as Peterborough tied the game and ultimately won in overtime, sending the Lakers to play Marinier and Sundown's Chiefs in the MSL finals.

Despite the heartbreak, Higgins was able to take lots of positives from the summer. "It was good to just keep playing, it's nice to stay in shape," said Higgins. "Being almost 35 now, it's kind of cool to still be playing this sport."

Life on the tugboat

For our final glimpse into the summers of Black Bears, we head out west to the Fraser Valley, where we find Jacob Dunbar on the tugboats of the Fraser River. Dunbar broke out last season for 23 goals after being acquired by the Black Bears the summer prior.

Dunbar works as a deckhand back home, moving log booms and tow barges, a physically demanding job that requires ever-changing, long hours. He says that he loves being on the water, and he likes staying busy, because it makes the shifts go faster.

"Tug boating is definitely a hard job, and it's hard to get into," says Dunbar. "It depends on what you're doing, if you're doing log towing, that's a lot harder on the body. That's the hard one, you feel it after. You can also do barges, ships, stuff like that, that's a little easier on the body. I like the hard stuff, if I'm being honest. I like being on the busy boat, it makes the shifts go faster."

This year, the Black Bears will play four Friday home games and five Saturday home games from November to April.

The home opener will kick things off on Saturday, November 29, when the San Diego Seals come to town.

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National Lacrosse League Stories from November 25, 2025


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