The California Redwoods continue to add players in an attempt to bolster their offense, and once again, general manager Joe Spallina leaned on someone from Long Island he knew well. 

Unlike the signings of Vince D’Alto and Aiden Danenza, however, this addition comes with a more established professional lacrosse resume, as California signed two-time All-Star Dylan Molloy.

This is the second time in his career as a GM that Spallina has signed Molloy. In 2019, Spallina was the GM of the New York Lizards in Major League Lacrosse, and he signed the former Tewaaraton Award winner; Molloy played 13 games that season, tallied 42 points (28G, 14A) and was named the MVP of the All-Star Game.

Spallina said Molloy was one of the first phone calls he made once he got the job as GM of the Redwoods.

“With Rob Pannell leaving … it created a large gap in our attack and the style of lacrosse we’re trying to establish with our offense,” he said. “We needed somebody that was a point producer, somebody who – like Rob had done – late in the shot clock could win a matchup.”

After playing five seasons in Major League Lacrosse and scoring more than 25 points in three of them, Molloy joined the Premier Lacrosse League late in the 2021 season. 

In his first full season with the Chrome in 2022, Molloy enjoyed a 25-point season (16G, 11A). In the following two years, however, he didn’t play more than four games.

Spallina said Molloy is disappointed about the 2024 season, which parallels the feelings of other players on California’s roster. Molloy only appeared in three games for the New York Atlas last year, and he didn’t play in a game after June. His four goals and two ground balls were both tied for the lowest totals of his career, equaling the numbers he accumulated in 2023. The 10 shots he took were also the fewest of his career.  

“I don’t think he’s thrilled with the way last season went or [how] things have gone thus far, and he’s looking to turn things around,” Spallina said. “He’s got a chip on his shoulder. He’s eager to have an organization that believes in him, that trusts him and that’s going to give him the ability to play to his skill set.”

On the field, Redwoods head coach Anthony Kelly pointed out Molloy’s shots on goal percentage as something that would be a great asset to the team. 

Although it was a small sample size, seven of Molloy’s 10 shots were on goal last year. Over the course of his career, he has a 31.8% shooting percentage, and about 60% of his shots are on goal. More than half the time he shoots, he puts the ball on cage, which results in either a goal, a rebound opportunity or a save, as opposed to the goalie being able to stand and do nothing.

He’s also known as a physical presence who’s not afraid to throw his shoulder into his defender’s chest.

TRIGGER WARNING: Dylan Molloy was unstoppable in the 2023 Championship Series Final… hitting THREE 2-pointers down the stretch 🙄😅

Back at the 2025 Lexus Championship Series and THIS TIME suiting up for the good guys!#LexusPartner // @lexususa pic.twitter.com/nN9SgqD6zm

— New York Atlas (@PLLAtlas) January 24, 2025

“It’s huge to have a guy that’s stubborn with the ball in his stick,” Kelly said. “Especially when the shot clock is winding down, and you’re getting under 10 seconds, and you have to get to the goal, it’s definitely helpful to have a big, physical attackman. When you look at some of the other guys in the league that have the ability to do that, it’s definitely a game-changer.”

Molloy’s first season in professional lacrosse was Kelly’s final season as a player. Now a seasoned veteran himself, Kelly is excited about how Molloy can use his experiences to help lead a relatively young Redwoods roster.

Part of that experience will be knowing how to adjust to a new locker room. California will be Molloy’s fifth team entering his ninth season and third in the past three years. Because of that, Molloy also has some familiarity with a few of the Redwoods’ other new additions, including attackmen Jackson Morrill and Brendan Nichtern and midfielder Ronan Jacoby.

Kelly knows that feeling as well, playing for seven different organizations during his career. 

“It’s always tough when you’re walking into a locker room that has a lot of pieces solidified already,” he said. “If you come in, and you have some personal relationships and have been a previous teammate with some of the guys, I think it helps accelerate that timing to come together as a group, which in turn, should lead to more success for us.”