For the last 11 years, Calgary Roughnecks fans have been accustomed to watching a tenacious 5’9 lefty running up and down the turf at the Scotiabank Saddledome. The kind of player you love to have on your side and opposing teams hate to play against. A throwback player, not motivated by statistics or personal achievements, but a player determined to do whatever is needed to push the team to victory.
That player is Dane Dobbie. And on Saturday night he became the most prolific scorer in Roughnecks’ franchise history with 685 points.
Dobbie showed us everything that makes him far more valuable than any statistic could show. Coming to the aid of a teammate, banging bodies down low, running the floor to chase down an opponent, and yes, coming off the bench and flying through the air to score a game-tying goal.
Coach Curt Malawsky extolled the warrior character of Dobbie.
“I’m proud to have him as a Roughneck. I think this organization knows what he’s laid on the floor night in and night out. To have a guy to stand up to say I’m your all-time point leader – can’t be a better guy.”
Drafted fourth overall in the 2007 NLL Entry Draft by Brad Bannister, Dobbie has been teammates with some of the best lacrosse players to play the game. As those teammates and friends moved on or retired, the one constant in the Roughnecks’ lineup has remained Dane Dobbie.
“Kaleb Toth, Malawsky, Shooter – Tracey (Kelusky) sat right next to me,” Dobbie said. “Those guys made this franchise what it is today. They were the heart and soul guys. Those were the guys that taught me. It was a pleasure to play with them and I still miss them. I try to bring their leadership to this team.”
It seemed fitting that on the night Dobbie broke the record, he would be playing against his old friend and teammate Jeff Shattler.
“There’s not a better guy to break my record,” Shattler said. “All the best for him. I love the guy like a brother. We’ve had a lot of great years together and we’re going to continue doing that off the floor. I’m very proud of him. He deserves it and he’s a heart and soul kind of guy.”
