Jesse King Helps Set the Pace on a Warriors Offence That Is Fast, Unselfish, and Still Evolving
NLL Vancouver Warriors

Jesse King Helps Set the Pace on a Warriors Offence That Is Fast, Unselfish, and Still Evolving

Published on January 28, 2026 under National Lacrosse League (NLL)
Vancouver Warriors News Release


The Vancouver Warriors are refining their offence to the sweet spot where they're playing fast, free, and connected. As that becomes consistent, forward Jesse King has been at the centre of helping drive a style that's built on speed, trust, and selflessness.

A third of the way through the season, the Vancouver Warriors forward is settling in nicely on the right side of the floor, helping the team and coming up with clutch plays. Tied for second on the team in scoring with 24 points (6G, 18A), King's been a big part of the team's 4-2 start.

For Head Coach and GM Curt Malawsky, King's influence through the first six games of the season goes well beyond the stat sheet. On a team of selfless players who always do what's best for the group, King has poured into that culture and has stepped up on and off the floor.

"He's been everything we wanted him to be," Malawsky said. "I don't judge Jesse by goals, assists, and points. I judge him by his overall contribution to the team, and by the fact that our team is 4-2 heading into a big game on the weekend, and he's been a vital part of that. I think Jesse has been great on the floor, off the floor, awesome in the dressing room, competes like crazy in practice and shootaround, and just brings that compete level up. The passion that he plays with is unrivaled."

In their last game against the Ottawa Black Bears, Malawsky liked that his team wasn't choosy about shot selection and took the shots that were given to them.

The Warriors' matchup against the Black Bears marked their third game during a demanding stretch of 12 games in 11 weeks. King says with a packed schedule, it can be easy to go on autopilot, but the loss to the San Diego Seals was a wake-up call, and the group made a conscious effort to be dialed in against Ottawa.

"Being able to go across the country and compete really well in the first five-minute segment that we try and break the games down into, is super important. That's where our success started, and we just piggybacked off that for the rest of the game," King said.

King moved his feet, found soft spots, and trusted the offensive group around him. The result was a 10-goal first half fueled by speed, ball movement, and spreading the floor.

"Getting the ball low, having a look - if nothing's there, moving your feet, moving the ball to the other side of the floor, letting everyone get a touch," King said.

"Staying out of each other's way is a big one, especially five-on-five. I feel like that's kind of something we struggle with at the top, but because we were playing faster, we were able to do that a little bit more. Everyone was moving, everyone was occupying someone or trying to get themselves or somebody else open. And I think that for us to be successful, that's how it has to be."

That willingness to trust the process has been part of King's evolution this season. Even as one of the team's leaders, he admits he's still getting comfortable with the group.

"People always tell you that you're never going to be stepping on people's toes. But I think no matter what, you kind of still feel that way sometimes. And I'm trying to get away from that, and I'm trying to go back to playing the way that I know I can play, and the reason why Curt wants me on this team," King said.

King still remains his toughest critic and talked about refining the details of his game, looking to limit turnovers and continue to capitalize on the chances. He's also working on the details of his defensive game because, although he doesn't find himself on defence often, when he does, he wants to ensure he's an asset every time.

"I just think I've gotten too many opportunities that I haven't capitalized on and personally, I could turn the ball over a little less," King said. "I think that I'm probably missing a couple of off-ball guys when I am carrying the ball."

The Victoria native said the offensive group has been building game-over-game, and in particular the first half against Ottawa showed what they're capable of.

"I think we're still trying to find that identity. There was a true flash of it last game," King said. "We just played faster and didn't play as methodical, and just trusted ourselves. It ended up with us having a 10-goal first half, which is phenomenal in my eyes. As we keep progressing in the right direction, the sky's the limit for us."

King continues to be a catalyst and a compass to help guide this team where they want to go.

Check out the Vancouver Warriors Statistics

Share: Facebook | Twitter/X | LinkedIn | Reddit | Email



National Lacrosse League Stories from January 28, 2026


The opinions expressed in this release are those of the organization issuing it, and do not necessarily reflect the thoughts or opinions of OurSports Central or its staff.

OurSports Central