Brandon Goodwin Bio
Brandon Goodwin is a Canadian professional lacrosse player who competes for the Vancouver Warriors of the National Lacrosse League and the New Westminster Salmonbellies of the Western Lacrosse Association. A transition player who shoots right-handed, he has built his career on speed, defensive awareness, and a willingness to contribute in every zone of the floor. Since turning professional in 2015, Goodwin has remained closely tied to the British Columbia lacrosse community that shaped him as a young athlete.
Born in New Westminster, British Columbia, Goodwin grew up immersed in one of Canada’s most storied lacrosse hotbeds. He carries on a family connection to the game through his father, Steve Goodwin, the head coach of the New Westminster Salmonbellies. That heritage has informed both his development and his reputation as a hardworking, team-first competitor.
Early Life and Background
Brandon Goodwin was born on April 1, 1991, in New Westminster, British Columbia, Canada. He grew up in a household where lacrosse was a central part of family life, raised by his father Steve Goodwin, who has long served as head coach of the New Westminster Salmonbellies. That connection gave Brandon an early and consistent view of what elite-level preparation looks like, long before he reached the professional ranks.
Goodwin attended New Westminster Secondary School, where he balanced his academic responsibilities with a growing commitment to competitive lacrosse. The Lower Mainland offered him year-round access to box lacrosse competition, allowing him to refine his transition game against older and more experienced players. By the time he finished high school, he was already regarded as one of the promising young players in the region.
After graduating, Goodwin moved to the United States to continue his development at the collegiate level. He first enrolled at ASA College, a two-year program known for producing competitive junior college talent, and later transferred to Adelphi University to complete his university career. This pathway gave him the chance to compete against a wide variety of styles while strengthening his physical and tactical foundation.
Path to Lacrosse
Goodwin’s rise through the sport began in earnest with the Junior A Salmonbellies, where he spent four seasons sharpening his game. The Junior A circuit is widely considered one of the toughest development pipelines in Canadian box lacrosse, and his time there helped him mature into a reliable two-way transition player. His performances earned him the attention of Western Lacrosse Association scouts as he approached draft eligibility.
In 2012, Goodwin was selected by the Langley Thunder in the WLA draft, signaling his arrival as a professional-level prospect. Just seven games into the 2013 season, he was traded to the Coquitlam Adanacs, a move that exposed him to a new locker room and a different system. The adjustment period was brief, and by the following year he had positioned himself as a top-tier draft candidate in North America’s professional ranks.
Goodwin’s most significant step toward professional lacrosse came at the 2014 NLL Entry Draft, when he was chosen with the final pick of the first round by the Buffalo Bandits. The selection validated his junior career and confirmed his readiness to compete at the highest level of indoor lacrosse. He has since continued to develop through the Western Lacrosse Association while pursuing his professional ambitions in the National Lacrosse League.
Brandon Goodwin Career
Early Career (2015–2016)
Brandon Goodwin began his professional career in 2015 after completing his collegiate career at ASA College and Adelphi University. At ASA College, he had earned two-time NJCAA All-American honors, a recognition that reflected his impact as both a scorer and a transition defender. That dual-threat profile made him an attractive fit for NLL teams looking for players who could contribute on both ends of the floor.
His transition to the professional indoor game came with the Buffalo Bandits, the franchise that had selected him in the 2014 NLL Entry Draft. Goodwin used his rookie seasons to absorb the pace and physicality of the National Lacrosse League, leaning on the lessons he had learned in the Junior A ranks and at the college level. Those early years laid the groundwork for the role he would later assume with other franchises.
NLL Breakthrough and Journeyman Years (2017–2022)
Following his initial development period with the Buffalo Bandits, Brandon Goodwin expanded his professional résumé by joining the Calgary Roughnecks. The move gave him an opportunity to play a more prominent role within a different organization and to test himself in a new locker room environment. His time with the Roughnecks allowed him to refine his transition responsibilities and to grow into a steadier, more confident contributor on a nightly basis.
Throughout these middle years of his career, Goodwin also maintained his commitment to the Western Lacrosse Association, suiting up for the New Westminster Salmonbellies, Coquitlam Adanacs, and Langley Thunder. Summer box lacrosse in British Columbia kept his skills sharp and provided a familiar environment in which he could continue to lead. The combination of NLL and WLA seasons helped him build the endurance and versatility that have defined his playing style.
Vancouver Warriors Era (2023–Present)
Brandon Goodwin joined the Vancouver Warriors, returning to his home province of British Columbia to play professional indoor lacrosse. The move brought him closer to his family and to the New Westminster lacrosse community that raised him, including his father Steve Goodwin and the Salmonbellies organization. Playing for the Warriors has also allowed him to share the floor with several familiar teammates from his Junior A and WLA days.
With the Warriors, Goodwin has continued to embrace his identity as a transition player, focusing on pace, conditioning, and reliable defensive reads. His familiarity with the West Coast style of box lacrosse has translated smoothly into the NLL game, where his energy and two-way reliability have earned him consistent playing time. The Vancouver chapter of his career represents a homecoming as much as a professional step forward.
Driving Style and Strengths
Goodwin is recognized for his conditioning, his willingness to battle in loose-ball situations, and his ability to move the floor effectively in transition. Coaches have valued his defensive responsibility, his right-handed shot, and his comfort playing within a structured system. His ability to balance summer WLA play with the NLL schedule has also been a defining feature of his career.
Notable Events and Milestones
Among the standout moments of Brandon Goodwin’s career are his selection with the final pick of the first round of the 2014 NLL Entry Draft by the Buffalo Bandits and his back-to-back NJCAA All-American honors at ASA College. His continued presence across multiple WLA franchises, including the New Westminster Salmonbellies, Coquitlam Adanacs, and Langley Thunder, reflects the breadth of his experience within Canadian box lacrosse.
Brandon Goodwin Career Wins
Brandon Goodwin’s professional career has been built on steady contributions across multiple National Lacrosse League franchises and Western Lacrosse Association teams. While he is best known for his consistency and two-way play rather than headline-grabbing scoring totals, his journey from a first-round NLL selection to a veteran transition player speaks to his longevity in the sport. His continued involvement with the New Westminster Salmonbellies has kept him connected to his roots and to the community that produced him.
Western Lacrosse Association Highlights
Goodwin has suited up for the New Westminster Salmonbellies, the Coquitlam Adanacs, and the Langley Thunder across his WLA career. His longest and most meaningful stretch has come with the Salmonbellies, the organization closely tied to his family and to his development as a Junior A player. He has continued to represent New Westminster at the senior level, reinforcing his standing as a trusted contributor within British Columbia’s senior box lacrosse circuit.
Other Wins and Performances
Beyond his club play, Goodwin’s two-time NJCAA All-American distinction at ASA College stands as one of the most notable individual achievements of his formative years. His progression through the Junior A Salmonbellies, his selection by the Langley Thunder in 2012, and his trade to the Coquitlam Adanacs in 2013 each marked important steps in his rise toward the professional ranks.
Brandon Goodwin Family
Family Background and Racing Lineage
Lacrosse runs deep in the Goodwin family. Brandon’s father, Steve Goodwin, serves as the head coach of the New Westminster Salmonbellies, the same organization through which Brandon developed during his Junior A years. Growing up under the guidance of a senior coach gave Brandon an unusually clear understanding of preparation, discipline, and the expectations that come with representing one of Canada’s most historic lacrosse programs.
Personal Life
Brandon Goodwin was raised in New Westminster, British Columbia, and continues to be closely associated with the city and its lacrosse community. Standing 6 feet 2 inches tall and listed at 212 pounds, he has built a professional career rooted in the place where he first learned the game. His ongoing involvement with both the Vancouver Warriors and the New Westminster Salmonbellies keeps him connected to family, teammates, and the wider British Columbia lacrosse scene.
2025 Season Performance
Entering the 2025 season, Brandon Goodwin remains a member of the Vancouver Warriors in the National Lacrosse League and continues to compete for the New Westminster Salmonbellies in the Western Lacrosse Association. His role within the Warriors continues to emphasize transition play, defensive responsibility, and pace, while his summer schedule with the Salmonbellies allows him to stay sharp during the NLL offseason. The combination of two competitive schedules remains central to his preparation each year.
Goodwin’s experience across multiple NLL franchises, including the Buffalo Bandits and Calgary Roughnecks, gives him a broad perspective that he now brings to the Warriors locker room. Coaches and teammates have relied on his consistency and his understanding of multiple systems, traits that have only deepened as his career has progressed. His familiarity with West Coast box lacrosse continues to be an asset for the Warriors as they build toward their competitive goals.
Looking ahead through the remainder of 2025, Goodwin’s outlook remains tied to his ability to balance dual commitments in the NLL and the WLA while contributing as a reliable two-way player. With his family ties to the New Westminster program and his established presence in the league, he is well positioned to remain a steady contributor for the Vancouver Warriors.