Seals Reel in Rising Stars Dustyn Birkhof, Andrew Dalton and Cameron Dunkerley, Along with a Conditional Second-Round Pick, in Trade with Ottawa
NLL San Diego Seals

Seals Reel in Rising Stars Dustyn Birkhof, Andrew Dalton and Cameron Dunkerley, Along with a Conditional Second-Round Pick, in Trade with Ottawa

Published on October 9, 2025 under National Lacrosse League (NLL)
San Diego Seals News Release


On Thursday morning, the San Diego Seals pulled the trigger on a trade with the Ottawa Black Bears, landing three rising stars in defensemen Dustyn Birkhoff and Andrew Dalton, along with goalie Cameron Dunkerley and a conditional second round pick, in exchange for forward Rob Hellyer.

Just 24 years old, the 6-3, 215-pound Birkhof gives the Seals another young and feisty defender on the back end. He appeared in four games for Ottawa as a rookie during the 2024-25 season.

Dalton (6-0, 185) is a rookie defenseman out of Cornell who appeared in all 19 games for The Big Red as a fifth-year senior in 2025. A midfielder at Cornell, Dalton scored 20 goals and recorded seven assists last season.

Dunkerley meanwhile, is a 26-year-old goaltender (6-0, 155) who saw limited action as the backup to Zach Higgins in Ottawa this past season. He was originally selected 42nd overall by Saskatchewan in the 2019 NLL Draft and also spent time with the New York Riptide.

Hellyer played just one season in San Diego, signing as a free agent ahead of the 2024-25 season and he made an immediate impact. Playing alongside forward and team captain Wes Berg, Hellyer led the Seals with 93 points on 29 goals and a team-leading 64 assists during the regular season.

Hellyer's departure opens the door for young players like forward Trent DiCicco, last year's first round pick, and the highly-regarded Pat Kavanagh to see more time on the field this upcoming season.

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National Lacrosse League Stories from October 9, 2025


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