(Rochester, NY)… The Rochester Knighthawks selected Syracuse University forward Finn Thomson first overall tonight in the 2026 National Lacrosse League Entry Draft, presented by Capelli Sport. It marked the second time in franchise history that the new Knighthawks made the first selection, taking forward Thomas McConvey in 2022.
“Finn is an incredible talent. He’s a versatile player who can play with and without the ball,” said Knighthawks President and General Manager Dan Carey. “He has a knack for finding open space and has the skill and finishing ability to score when he gets his chances.”
The former Syracuse standout had an illustrious college and Junior “A” career and will now take his talents to the professional ranks. The 6-foot-2 forward played five summers (2019-2024) of Junior “A” lacrosse for the Mimico Mountaineers, where he played alongside McConvey for two seasons.
“Being selected first overall by the Knighthawks is an incredible honor,” said Thomson. “Rochester is an awesome organization with great coaches, and it’s been one of my favorite teams since I was a kid. Playing in this league has been a dream of mine for as long as I can remember, and I can’t wait for the opportunity to put on a Knighthawks jersey and compete with the team.”
As a Mountaineer, Thomson amassed 511 points (206+305) between the regular season and playoffs, making him Mimico’s all-time leading scorer. That total ranks in the Top 100 all-time in Ontario Junior Lacrosse League (OJLL) scoring. He finished his career just ahead of NLL Hall of Famers like Darris Kilgour and Jim Veltman.
Thomson also took home some hardware during his junior days. In 2022 and 2023, he led the OJLL in scoring and received the Bobby Allan Award. In 2024, he was awarded the Billy Evans Award as the Most Outstanding Graduating Junior “A” Player.
In 2024, Thomson led his team to the Ontario Finals, where they fell to the Orangeville Northmen in seven games. He notched 14 goals and 33 points in that series and finished with a career-high 173 points. That was his third OJLL season with over 100 points, putting him in an exclusive club of 21st-century lacrosse players. He is one of only four, including Reilly O’Connor, Willem Firth, and Jeff Teat, to surpass 100 points in three consecutive OJLL seasons. He is the only righty forward to do so.
In 2025, the Toronto, Ontario, native was the No. 1 overall pick in the Major Series Lacrosse Draft, going to the Brampton Excelsiors. He was named MSL Rookie of the Year after scoring 18 goals and recording 22 assists in nine games. His best game was in early July against Brooklin when he bagged four goals and four assists for an eight-point night.
Thomson also excels in the field game as an off-ball specialist. At Syracuse, he notched 111 goals, 48 assists, and 73 groundballs in 65 games. He advanced to three NCAA tournaments despite missing the end of his junior year with an injury. He served as one of the team captains his senior season (2026).
Despite his offensive output at Syracuse, Thomson went undrafted in the Premier Lacrosse League Entry Draft in April. Once he was given a shot, though, he quickly proved every scout team wrong. In four games with the California Redwoods, he scored seven goals and added two assists. Only five other rookies matched or surpassed that 2.25 points-per-game output. Later in August, he led Team Canada in scoring at the Pan-American Men’s Lacrosse Championship in Kingston, Jamaica, tallying 19 goals and seven assists in five games.