The reigning Defensive Player of the Year is shipping up to Boston.

Garrett Epple signed a two-year deal with the Boston Cannons and for the first time in his PLL career, will be wearing some new colors. 

The league’s top defenseman dominated in 2023 for the California Redwoods. He ranked second in caused turnovers with 18, following his now teammate Ethan Rall (20). In all six of the Redwoods’ regular season victories last season, it was Epple at the heart of those wins, both for his defense and his leadership. 

Entering his eighth professional season, the veteran’s game only seems to get better and better. 

On-ball, he may not throw a ton of stick checks, but he remains the most disruptive takeaway defenseman. As Redwoods beat writer Jerome Taylor wrote last summer, Epple is such a tough defender on and off-ball because he anticipates dodges and passes – a testament to his lacrosse IQ. 

“At the end of the day, it doesn't really matter how you cause a turnover. As long as you did,” Epple told Taylor.

Boston already looked to be a scary matchup prior to the addition of Epple; they’ve been building on the defensive end all offseason. They traded for defenseman Bryce Young from the Maryland Whipsnakes in November, and extended Cade van Raaphorst in December, who they picked up off of waivers midseason last summer from the New York Atlas.

Now with the signing of the Defensive Player of the Year, they’ll carry those three plus captain Jack Kielty and Jake Pulver on their 25-man roster. 

Combine that defense with the goalie tandem of Colin Kirst and Adam Ghitelman behind them in net, the leader in caused turnovers Rall with a pole in the midfield, and the best offense in the PLL in 2023? The Boston Cannons are about to be firing from all cylinders.