The Las Vegas Desert Dogs assumed their rightful seat at the high-stakes NLL poker table in time for the 2022-2023 dealing of the cards. Unfortunately, in the three seasons since placing the initial bet, the club has not been dealt the most favorable of hands, going 5-13, 5-13 and 4-14 during the franchise’s initial attempts at striking it rich.
Unsatisfied with its first three endeavors at securing the pot, Head Coach/General Manager Shawn Williams and the Desert Dogs brass decided that this offseason was the opportune time to put all the chips on the table and go all in.
Already boasting a young nucleus that includes the still unsigned Jack Hannah, along with Jonathan Donville, Sean Westley, Adam Poitras and Jackson Webster, the Desert Dogs dedicated their offseason to supplementing the younger guys on the roster with a high-profile cohort of veterans, whose respective resumes feature a combination of productivity, guile and championship wherewithal.
The brand-new cadre of Vegas showmen involves a series of headliners that go by the names of Mitch Jones, Chase Fraser, Chris Cloutier, Tony Malcom, Tyson Gibson and John Lafontaine. A collection of talent poised to inject some juice into a team hoping to take the next step.
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“We felt pretty strong about our core group up front. We felt it would be nice to add a few veteran pieces there just to help them along and take some pressure off,” explains Williams.
The 51-year-old bench and front office boss is enamored by the veteran grit possessed by the Malcoms, Gibsons and Lafontaines of the world, while feeling over the moon regarding the productivity and intangibles brought forth by the most well-known aspects of the Desert Dogs go big or go home offseason.
“Mitch Jones’ scoring prowess, over the last bunch of years, has been phenomenal,” proclaims Williams. But I think his willingness to do a lot of the little things is also big. He’s just a pure competitor who wants to win. Taking a chance on a younger team, I feel that he saw our direction and wanted to be a part of it. And we’re just very grateful that we got a guy like that.”
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As far as the dynamic duo of Bandits, who traded the shores of Lake Erie for the shores of Lake Mead, Williams, a 17-season NLL star player, feels like he pulled down the lever and hit the jackpot.
“Growing this team to where we think we can go, it is huge getting Chris Cloutier and Chase Fraser, coming from the three-time defending champion Buffalo Bandits,” bellowed Williams. “I know how probably hard it was for them to leave. But they believe in what we’re doing. It’s bringing in their championship pedigree and just all the different things they can do on the floor, showing our young guys how to do it, specifically showing them how to play offense with a championship style.”
Williams, the owner of 444 career goals and 708 career helpers, then went into further detail regarding the leadership qualities that both Cloutier and Fraser come equipped with amid their respective toolboxes.
“Having guys that have done it and can lead the way during practice is huge for us,” beams Williams. “It’s definitely not easy to score goals and to play offense in this league. Guys with their work ethic, it’s like having models on the floor pulling aside a young guy to teach him the tricks of the trade. As coaches, we have that ability at times. But, if a player that raised three cups in the last three years is sharing, that has a greater value sometimes over a coach, which is awesome for us. Essentially, we get some extra coaches in the locker room, which is a really cool thing.”
With the 2025-2026 season fast approaching, the Desert Dogs have conducted a series of training camp workouts at their home venue (Lee’s Family Forum in Henderson, Nevada), as well as taking the field in Brampton, Ontario, in conjunction with exhibition matchups at both Six Nations and KeyBank Center in Buffalo.
“It’s been great. Obviously, there’s a bunch of new faces. But you can really feel it happening. You can see the gelling and chemistry happening pretty quick, on both ends of the ball. Just the way they hang out with each other, it’s been really cool to watch that. We’re building the blocks to put us on our path. I think it’s lots of positives, that’s for sure,” boasts the lacrosse lifer.
Williams’ zest for the upcoming season exists courtesy of the quality of roster he had such a significant hand in assembling, as well as the comfort level that he and his players feel when taking the field at the aforementioned Lee’s Family Forum. The now 3.5-year-old arena became the Desert Dogs’ place of business prior to the start of last season.
In the wake of spending their first two campaigns at Michelob Ultra Arena (located within the Mandalay Bay resort property), the organization made the decision to move to the suburban municipality of Henderson, 10 miles southeast of the iconic Las Vegas Strip.
To date, Williams has been thrilled with the move down Interstate 215, which included a recent open to season ticket holders practice that drew an estimated 500 spectators.
“It was really cool being on the strip,” notes Williams. “Now, having a greater understanding of the community, it’s clear that Summerlin and Henderson is where most of our fans live, and playing on the strip makes it tough for them. I think it was a great move for us, along with partnering up with hockey’s Silver Knights and Golden Knights, who’ve welcomed us with open arms. It’s been really cool for both the business ops and lacrosse office. And with our fans, just having more of an inviting environment for them to get to, to hang out outside, notably on the big patio. There’s lots of tailgating and fun activities, and then they walk inside to essentially a brand-new facility, with the crowd right on top of you.”
With a much-improved cast of characters in the dressing room and a picture-perfect home field as their stage, the Las Vegas Desert Dogs are in prime position to become Sin City’s next blockbuster production. Time will tell just how brightly the franchise shines on the neon marquee, but all of the necessary pieces appear to be very much in place.
