“Incredible depth”: Salmonbellies Acquire Frank Scigliano

The New Westminster Salmonbellies have made a major move in their pursuit of a Western Lacrosse Association (WLA) title and Mann cup, acquiring the 2025 WLA playing rights to goaltender Frank Scigliano from the Langley Thunder. In return, the Thunder receive the Salmonbellies’ first-round draft picks in 2029 and 2030.

The undefeated Salmonbellies (8–0) have been the class of Senior A lacrosse this season, boasting a lineup that includes some of the National Lacrosse League’s (NLL) premier talent at every position. Yet, with challengers in both the WLA and Major Series Lacrosse expected to strengthen their rosters ahead of the postseason, the Bellies are ensuring they remain a step ahead, especially in the crease.

“It takes great goaltending to win in our league, and when you get to the playoffs and have games every second night, it really pays to have two top goalies,” said general manager Ray Porcellato. “When you look at who has won championships, you’ll notice that’s what they have in common. We are returning to the days of the Rod Bannister/Shawn Quinlan-style tandem here by acquiring Frankie.”

Scigliano enters the fold as one of the most decorated goaltenders in the game today. In the 2023–24 season, he set a Saskatchewan Rush franchise record with 665 saves. Most recently, he was named the 2024–25 NLL Goaltender of the Year after posting a 9.4 goals-against average and a .795 save percentage. He helped lead the Rush to Game 3 of this year’s NLL Finals.

The move also comes after last year’s WLA playoffs, where Justin Geddie was at the top of his game and had the Salmonbellies on the verge of upsetting the WLA regular season champion, until a late injury derailed the team’s hopes. The experience highlighted the importance of goaltending depth for the long grind of playoff lacrosse.

“Frank is undeniably a top-tier goalie,” said head coach Jason Bishop. “But most people don’t realize that he is also a leader. He’s built for the summer game and has proven that he has the ability to inspire greatness in the playoffs. We really wanted to add more of that hunger and mindset to our roster.

A veteran of the WLA, Scigliano has played with Maple Ridge and Langley since 2014, reaching the Mann Cup with both clubs. He was named the WLA Goaltender of the Year in 2023, repeating the feat he accomplished in his rookie season.

With a busy business and a young family, Scigliano has not played in the last two summers, but there is no doubt that he is one of the best to play in the Western Lacrosse Association in a decade.

The Salmonbellies have been in building mode throughout the offseason and early part of 2025. They added key players, including offensive stars Phil Caputo and Tye Kurtz, and on the back end, Jacob Ruest, Zac Masson, Jordan Gilles, Patrick Shoemay, and Jeff Henrick. They also acquired Adam Wiedemann from Nanaimo in a trade four games ago, and he has already been a powerhouse at the back end.

According to Salmonbellies general manager Ray Porcellato, “We felt we needed one more ingredient to truly be as resilient as we need to go all the way in 2025. We’re taking 2025 one game at a time and we never underestimate our competition, so we’ve built a roster with incredible depth.”

Catch the Belies this Thursday at 7:30. It’s Alumni Night and we will be taking on our crosstown photos, the Coquitlam Adanacs.

Tickets here.

Photos: NLL.com, Englandlacrosse.com

Graphic: Bold Photos by Shelly