Dane Dobbie - Former Jr. Laker and NLL Superstar Retires

By Todd Saelhof

Published Jan 08, 2026

Calgary Roughnecks Dane Dobbie during a game against the New England Blackwolves during NLL lacrosse at the Scotiabank Saddledome in Calgary on Saturday, January 12, 2019. Al Charest/Postmedia Al Charest/Postmedia

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Dane Dobbie knows there will be tears on his end. He can’t deny it.

The newly retired hall-of-famer in waiting is an emotional guy, and the moment is sure to pull the waterworks out of him when the team he bled for during a historical 17-year National Lacrosse League career honours him on his ‘Forever A Roughneck’ ceremony Friday night at the Rough House.

“Yeah … as of right now, I’m trying to think about how I can not make it too emotional,” said Dobbie, the all-time leader in career points (952), assists (481) and power-play goals (155) for the Calgary Roughnecks.

“But more than likely, there’ll be tears,” continued Dobbie. “There’ll be a frog in my throat for the 15 minutes I’m out there.”

During that time, Dobbie’s name and number will be hoisted to the rafters of Scotiabank Saddledome — a 7:15 p.m. start against the Vancouver Warriors (TSN5) — marking only the third time for such a ceremony in the club’s 25-year history.

The now Roughnecks lacrosse operations advisor will join former teammates and fellow 2009 NLL champs Kaleb Toth and Tracey Kelusky in being remembered that way.

Fittingly, they are two talents that helped mold his terrific career.

“Tracey was locker stall-mate right when I came here (in 2008) — he was our captain,” said Dobbie of hall-of-famer Kelusky. “He really taught us how to be pros — demanded the best, worked the hardest in practice, was an all-time competitor … Playing with him, getting to know him and how we brought family into the Roughnecks was pretty special.

“And I watched ‘Niner’ score a clutch goal as a rookie in Toronto before Calgary grabbed him,” continued Dobbie of Toth. “So being able to play with him after being at that game and watching that and watching how he was a pro and watching how the city actually loved him and what he did was amazing.

“How they gave back to the city, it was pretty inspirational. So I’m honoured to be going up there with them. There’s many more, but those two guys are definitely Calgary Roughnecks, for sure.”

Dobbie’s arguably been the best of all Roughnecks, however.

The native of Elora, Ont., was drafted fourth overall in the 2007 NLL Draft by the Riggers, with whom he played a total of 14 seasons during two different tours of duty — from 2008-21 and then returning for the 2025 campaign.

He finished with 574 goals and 1,197 points in 249 career NLL contests, becoming the seventh player in NLL history to surpass 500 goals and the 13th player to reach 1,000 career points.

And Dobbie was definitely the architect of the team’s last NLL title run in 2019, earning both NLL MVP and NLL Finals MVP that season.

“Those championship years with those group of guys is what I remember most about my career,” Dobbie said. “Going through those battles and actually coming out as a champion both times and being able to do it both times in the Saddledome was a really, really cool time.

“I wish it happened more often, because that’s what we strive for every year. But being

His highlights will all be saluted Friday at the Dome.

“It was hard to retire, but it was time,” said the 39-year-old Dobbie, who jumped on the chance this off-season to take a teaching gig with the team. “I’ve accepted it — I don’t actually think about me playing anymore, which is good. So I get to watch and help and — hopefully — mentor some of these young guys that are coming up and playing great lacrosse right now. The way they move compared to the way I’d be moving out there isn’t even close.

“Monday through Thursday on a weekly basis after games was very difficult to maintain my body and get it right for the next weekend,” continued Dobbie. “Just keeping my body in shape like that throughout the last few years of my career was really difficult, and it was time to move on.”

His retirement night — with family by his side — will be made even more special with the Warriors (2-1) in town to challenge the Roughnecks (1-3), since many of Dobbie’s fellow 2019 champs — including head coach Curt Malawsky and best-buddy Curtis Dickson — make up much of the enemy roster.

And on the Roughnecks bench will be head coach Josh Sanderson and assistant Troy Cordingley — his teammate and head coach, respectively, during the 2009 championship run — plus all his teammates from his swan-song season last year.

“I played junior with Curt in Burnaby, and he’s the one that got me started,” Dobbie said. “He’s probably a good reason why I got drafted so high and drafted to Calgary.

“So I got to win a championship with Curt and Josh (in 2009), and Troy was our coach along with Josh’s dad, Terry. And that was my introduction to the NLL, really. My second year was winning with that group of veteran guys, with Caleb and Tracey on that team.

“With ‘Mouse’ (Malawsky), I was with him since junior, since I was 19 years old until 21. I played with him in pro, and then he started coaching. He coached in Calgary forever. He’s a huge part of my success. He’s a huge part of where I am today. I’m really good friends with him.

“And that goes the same with Josh. I came into the NLL as a rookie, and Josh Sanderson was my roommate, so we were able to win the title together in 2019. And he was one of the reasons why I went to San Diego (in 2022 when Sanderson was the assistant coach there).

“So I’ve been kind of following those two guys around as role models through my career, and it’s nothing better than to have this ‘Forever A Roughneck’ thing on the night where they get to go against each other as coaches.

“It hasn’t really sank in yet,” added Dobbie. “I’m just so grateful to the Roughnecks and to the city of Calgary. Man, the fans rooted for me the whole way. I love the city so much. It was so fun playing here for the amount of years I did.

“There’s no other place I’d rather play.”