DENVER – The Colorado Mammoth of the National Lacrosse League (NLL) today announced the organization has signed forward Eli McLaughlin to a three-year contract agreement, set to begin during the 2023-24 NLL campaign.
“Over the past two seasons, Eli has taken his game to the next level and has proven that he’s one of the top big game, big moment players in our league,” Mammoth General Manager Brad Self said. “He’s just as good without the ball in his stick as he is with it and that’s rare for a player of his status. He’s not only a leader of our offense, but for our team,and we’re fortunate to have him back for another three years.”
Despite missing All-Pro forward Ryan Lee for a majority of the 2022-23 regular season, McLaughlin proved that he doesn’t need the team’s quarterback to get the job done. Racking up a team-high 83 points (44g, 39a) en route to tying his career-high point total and notching a new professional-best 44 goals, the Surrey, BC native paced the team’s offensive unit while showcasing his skills as both a passer and finisher. Adding a team-high 16 goals amongst his 33 postseason points (16g, 17a) throughout seven postseason appearances, McLaughlin finished the team’s playoff run just two points behind teammate Ryan Lee as the duo continues to serve as one of the fiercest righty-lefty combinations in the league.
An instrumental member of the organization since being selected by the Mammoth in the 2014 NLL Entry Draft (first round, fourth overall), McLaughlin has logged 492 points (226g, 266a), 413 loose balls, 36 caused turnovers and 30 penalty minutes in 133 regular season appearances, all with Colorado. Helping the Mammoth to qualify for the postseason in each of his campaigns with the organization, the 6-0, 195-lb. forward has produced 96 points (48g, 48a), 56 loose balls, one caused turnover and four penalty minutes in 20 playoff games played, including a stunning 41-point performance (20g, 21a) when the team captured its second NLL Championship just seasons ago.
A longtime fan-favorite and pillar of the franchise, McLaughlin ranks among the organization’s leaders in several statistical categories, including games played (fourth), points (fourth), goals (third) and assists (fourth).
Mammoth fans can stay tuned to coloradomammoth.com and Colorado Mammoth social media channels for the latest transactions, offseason announcements and beyond!
