Getting to Know….Zach Currier

The most obvious trait that makes Zach Currier an elite National Lacrosse League prospect is his speed. When he takes off with the ball, he’s almost impossible to catch. In a Major Series Lacrosse playoff game this August, he ran a circle around the entire offensive zone while killing a penalty. By the time he slowed momentarily then again sprinted away from a pair of defenders to begin another circuit, the crowd was roaring its approval. That’s how exhilarating Currier‘s speed is; it can bring fans to their feet.

He’s far from a one-trick pony, though. As an MSL rookie in 2016, Currier was told by the Peterborough Lakers that they wanted him to focus on defence and let his speed take care of creating transition opportunities. That was a substantial change for a player who had had the green light to take off at the drop of a hat through junior and was rewarded with a transition player of the year award in the OLA Jr A league. Currier took the direction to heart and evolved into a rock solid defensive player.

This summer, Currier combined his newly honed defensive acumen with his acuity in the running game to become a constant threat. The two elements of his game combined in some critical goal in the MSL finals against the Six Nations Chiefs, leading to a pair of 2-goal games that led to Lakers wins as they earned a trip to the Mann Cup finals in New Westminster.

In a typical goal in the clinching Game 5, Currier‘s floor awareness gave him the jump when a Chiefs forward lobbed a pass from the offensive corner towards a teammate coming off the bench. Currier used his speed to get there before his opponent and run past two other Six Nations players who tried to check him. Currier threw a hard fake that got Dillon Ward reaching down toward the far corner of the net then dunked it over Ward’s shoulder into the top corner. It was the kind of goal that can fire up fans and teammates alike, and you can expect to start seeing more like it in NLL stadiums for whichever team is lucky enough to add Currier to its roster at this year’s draft. Make sure you’re watching the draft on NLLTV right from the start if you want to see him get called to the stage; Currier should definitely be among the first couple of players picked.

Name: Zach Currier

Date of birth: May 30, 1994

Position: Transition

Shooting hand: Left

Jr Team: Peterborough Lakers
Sr Team: Peterborough Lakers

College: Princeton

Who was your favourite player growing up? Dan Carey and John Grant Jr.

What NLL player do you think your game is similar to or do you model your game after? Brad Self

What will you bring to the team that drafts you? Speed and tenacity

What is your biggest accomplishment or the biggest moment of your lacrosse career so far? Playing my four years at Princeton

Who would play you in the movie of your life? No idea. [Editor’s note: When player’s decline to choose an actor, I choose for them. In this case I turned to Lakers’ social media coordinator Anna Taylor and I’ll go with her suggestion of Seth Green.]