If you’ve been sitting in the stands at the Peterborough Memorial Centre on recent Thursday nights, you’ve probably felt it. That unmistakable shift in the atmosphere. The crowd is a little thinner, the cheers are a little quieter, and the product on the floor? It’s missing that signature, electric bite.
As a longtime season ticket holder, I’m just going to throw this out there: Do the Peterborough Lakers have a Shawn Evans curse?
Ever since the messy "divorce" between the Lakers and our longtime franchise star, this team has been on a noticeable downward trend. You only have to look at the record so far this season to see that the powerhouse we once took for granted is searching for its identity.
The Missing Spark
Let’s be real—Shawn Evans was the heartbeat of the Lakers for over a decade. Love him or hate him, "Evvy" brought a relentless, competitive fire to the floor every single night. He was the guy who could turn a game on its head with a brilliant pass, a gritty goal, or just sheer, unadulterated will.
Right now, that’s exactly what’s missing. There is a glaring lack of a spark out there.
To be clear: I know Shawn has officially retired from playing. I am not suggesting we pull a 40-something legend out of retirement and ask him to run the offense on the floor.
But anyone who knows lacrosse knows that Shawn Evans' value wasn't just in his stickwork—it was in his determination and his leadership. He has a mind for the game that you can't teach, and a presence that demands excellence from everyone around him. That is exactly what this current roster desperately needs right now: offensive spark and veteran leadership.
The Cost of the Divide
As fans, most of us don’t know the exact, gritty details of what went down behind closed doors between management and Evans. Lacrosse politics can be complicated, and breakups are rarely clean. But whatever happened, the collateral damage is starting to affect the team, the culture, and the community.
Look around the PMC on a Thursday night. The dwindling attendance and fading attention aren't just a fluke. Peterborough is a proud lacrosse town, but fans can sense when a team has lost its mojo.
Peterborough Lakers: Then vs. Now
┌───────────────────────────────────────────┬───────────────────────────────────────────┐
│ The Evans Era │ The Present Day │
├───────────────────────────────────────────┼───────────────────────────────────────────┤
│ • Packed, electric PMC crowds │ • Noticeably thinning Thursday attendance │
│ • Relentless offensive swagger │ • Searching for a consistent spark │
│ • Multiple Mann Cup championships │ • Struggling to find an identity │
└───────────────────────────────────────────┴───────────────────────────────────────────┘
Time to Think Outside the Box
It is time to mend fences.
The Lakers organization needs to do what is right for Evans, what is right for the team, and what is right for the fans who have supported this franchise. Leaving a legend out in the cold while the product on the floor suffers helps absolutely no one.
Whether it’s bringing him into the coaching staff, installing him as an offensive consultant, or finding some minutes on the floor, the Lakers need to think outside the box. Leaving the past in the past and welcoming #88 back into the fold could be exactly the jolt this franchise needs to break the slump and re-engage a restless fan base.
It’s time to bury the hatchet, Lakers. Bring Evvy home, break the curse, and let's get back to winning Mann Cups.
What do you think, Lakers fans? Is the "Shawn Evans Curse" real, or is the team just going through a standard rebuilding phase? How would you like to see the organization handle this? Let me know in the comments below!
