McComber signs with Black Bears
The 2025-2026 National Lacrosse League (NLL) season is seeing the introduction of a hard salary cap of $810,000 for the first time in league history, and with it a change to how teams must be constructed to fit the new salary structure.
That’s part of the story behind the massive youth movement in NLL free agency in the last two weeks, which includes the signing of Kahnawake’s Teioshontathe McComber by the Ottawa Black Bears to a three-year deal.
“I’m excited and thankful for the opportunity,” said McComber.
McComber is no stranger to Ottawa’s newly-hired general manager and head coach Dan MacRae - he and other members of the front office, Ken and Sean Gillies, were the 26-year-old forward’s coaches with the Junior A Burlington Blaze of the Ontario Junior Lacrosse League (OJLL).
“We got to know him and his family quite well. His parents would drive up to Burlington and watch some games. We just knew that they were great people and that was the biggest thing for us,” said MacRae, who was hired in August to take over from Rich Lisk as general manager and Dan Ladouceur as coach.
“When you’re building a team, the first thing you’re looking for is just to surround yourself with good people you can work with. So, we knew we were getting a good person coming from a great family.”
That’s not to say his skills on the floor were discounted by MacRae, though.
“What actually excites us about him on the floor as a player is his skill set as a left-handed offensive player. What we’re looking for from him with our team specifically is compete level and how ferocious he can play,” said MacRae.
Teioshontathe McComber is one of many new faces joining an Ottawa Black Bears team looking to finally make the playoffs for the first time in franchise history, dating back to its existence as the New York Riptide from 2019-2024. Courtesy Ottawa Black Bears
Ferocious here means the ability to clear space physically and give shooting lanes to someone like Jeff Teat, the organization’s first overall pick in 2020, when the team still played in New York under the Riptide name. In five seasons, Teat has 486 points in just 70 games.
“We are looking for guys that can come in and help move bodies and do a lot of the hard, dirty work stuff. I knew that that is something he’s not afraid of, doing the hard work. That’s why we were excited to give him the opportunity at training camp,” said MacRae.
McComber was originally drafted in the third round, 48th overall by the Georgia Swarm in 2022, but only appeared in four games in 2023, scoring two points.
He, like many other free agent signings who did not catch on with the team that drafted them, are now being given opportunities to try again with new teams desperate to fit talent under the cap imposed by the new collective bargaining agreement.
That new collective bargaining agreement will hopefully mean a more level playing field for teams like the Black Bears, who have never made the playoffs ever since their first year in New York in 2019.
Now in their second season in Ottawa after relocating prior to last season, MacRae is hoping their attempts at an overhaul on offense, behind the bench, and in the front office, will help what was already a solid defensive team finally get to the postseason.
Sign up for email updates from The Eastern Door
“The offense has one of the best players in the world, but statistically, we are near the bottom of the pile for goals for in the league. We see that as a huge area of opportunity to improve ourselves. That’s another reason why McComber is coming to the camp, to help us improve in that position,” said MacRae.
“We’re really excited about the opportunity. There’s a lot of great pieces there.”
Ottawa’s training camp begins on Saturday, and their first regular-season game will be at home on Saturday, November 29, against the San Diego Seals.
