Nicholas Volkov selected in the 1st Round, Seventh Overall

By Mark Stehlin

With this second in a series of five feature stories, we look at our selections from the 2025 Major Series Lacrosse (MSL) entry draft. General Manager Gavin Prout engaged in his first draft in the position. He was able to secure two picks in the first round, two in the second round and one in the third round. The draft is comprised of five rounds (seven picks in each) for 35 players total.

Prout selected Will MacLeod with his first pick, going second overall. He was forced to wait until the seventh pick in the opening round for his second selection, Nicholas Volkov.

Prout said, “Nick, although still young, has a couple of years experience playing in the National Lacrosse League with the Albany Firewolves. He is a big athletic defender who can run the floor and make good decisions. He helped the Burlington Blaze to a Minto Cup win in 2023.”

Nicholas Volkov split his 2024 Junior A season between the Burlington Blaze and the Mimico Mountaineers. He played 13 games with Burlington prior to his trade to Mimico where he logged an equal number of games. He had a total of three goals and three assists while amassing 29 penalty minutes between the two teams. One of the highlights of his Junior A career was as a member of the 2023 Minto Cup champion Burlington Blaze.

He and fellow draftee, Will MacLeod were teammates on that winning Blaze team and Volkov reported, “I learned I was drafted by Brooklin when Will sent me a text as I was waiting for a flight after a road game with Albany.”

He said, “I was very happy to be selected by Brooklin and I’m looking forward to playing at this level.”

In the 2023 National Lacrosse League entry draft, Volkov was selected by Albany in the first round, going 14th overall.  He was in a prestigious draft class with Dyson Williams, Adam Poitras and Callum Jones going first, second and third. Williams and Poitras are well known in Durham Region lacrosse circles.

He added, “I know some of the D guys from Brooklin as we play together in Albany.” In addition, he commented, “I have learned a great deal about the position just by sitting and talking with team captain, Colton Watkinson.”

When describing his transition to the NLL, Volkov said, “ It’s been a great experience and I am now in my second full season. I had a wake-up call in my first training camp but have learned a great deal. The coaching staff have been demanding but that is needed to improve, and I get along well with my teammates.”

Members of that Firewolves team include Watkinson, Mike Byrne, Ben MacDonnell, Jakson Raposo and Nick Chaykowsky, all of whom are on BLC or Brooklin Merchants active rosters. Glenn Clark, also very well known to BLC fans as a former player with the Brooklin Redmen, is the General Manager and Head Coach with Albany.

As for what he brings to the team, Volkov said, “I think I bring size and with that I am still pretty fast out there.” He added, “I am also able to bring that ball up the floor and am good at making quick decisions on the floor.”

Volkov is a student at the University of Guelph where he also plays on the men’s lacrosse team. He recalled in his first year the team made it to the Canadian University Field Lacrosse Association finals, but they haven’t had the same level of success since.

The Brooklin Lacrosse Club will play an 18-game regular season scheduled to start late May or early June with pre-season camp set for May.