2024 NLL Player Rankings: Rookie of the Year

While The Lax Mag’s National Lacrosse League Player Rankings typically orders the league’s Top 30 players from #1 to #30 since soon after the league’s opening weekend and right up to the end of the regular season, now that we’re in playoff mode, we’re shifting focus to our NLL year-end awards.

Specifically, who our rankings system (more on that here) says should win all of the NLL’s most important end-of-season honours (our award-winning history here), although expect an extra one from the league this year.

Alex Simmons, Albany FireWolves (Photo: Kyle Hess)

Rookie of the Year

Before we get into our Top 5 picks for this year’s best rookies, including our pick for ROTY, we looked at every NLL roster to determine who relied on rookies most in 2024.

While all the rookie buzz seemed to circle around the Albany FireWolves this year, for very good reasons – like the fact that they were by far the youngest roster in the league with an average player age of under 26 (Source: NLLStats.com) – they didn’t actually have the highest count of rookies on their roster.

The most rookies rostered goes to the Philadelphia Wings, who at times scrambled to fill injury-related losses in their lineup this year, while the Las Vegas Desert Dogs saw the most games played by rookies in 2024.

Below, see how many rookies, by both total players and combined games played, impacted each team’s season. Note: Ranked by combined rookie games played.

Brayden Laity, Vancouver Warriors (Photo: John Harrison)

Las Vegas Desert Dogs

Total Rookies: 7
Rookie Games Played: 70
Rookies: Cam Badour, Zach Cole, Josh Jackson, Spencer Milne, Jake Saunders, Dylan Watson, Sean Westley

Philadelphia Wings

Total Rookies: 8
Rookie Games Played: 69
Rookies: Mitchell Armstrong, Tanner Buck, Taggart Clark (traded to New York), Jackson Ganton, Jack Jasinski, Deacan Knott, Kevin Lynch, Nicholas Rowlett

Albany FireWolves

Total Rookies: 6
Rookie Games Played: 68
Rookies: Andrew Kidd, Tye Kurtz, Alex Simmons, Jeff Trainor, Nicholas Volkov, Zachary Young

New York Riptide

Total Rookies: 7
Rookie Games Played: 58
Rookies: Matt Anderson, Taggart Clark, Zack Deaken, Will Johnston, Callum Jones, Corson Kealey, Colton Lidstone

Vancouver Warriors

Total Rookies: 5
Rookie Games Played: 55
Rookies: Owen Grant, Tyson Kirkness, Marcus Klarich, Brayden Laity, Dylan McIntosh

Panther City Lacrosse Club

Total Rookies: 4
Rookie Games Played: 40
Rookies: Elijah Gash, Jason Knox, Ronin Pusch, Ryan Sheridan

Thomas McConvey, Rochester Knighthawks (Photo: Micheline Veluvolu)

Rochester Knighthawks

Total Rookies: 5
Rookie Games Played: 37
Rookies: Pent Eistrat, Taylor Jensen, Ben MacDonnell, Thomas McConvey, Dylan Sprentz

Saskatchewan Rush

Total Rookies: 3
Rookie Games Played: 36
Rookies: Keegan Bell, Thomas Kiazyk, Nathaniel Kozevnikov

Toronto Rock

Total Rookies: 4
Rookie Games Played: 35
Rookies: Marley Angus, Tyler Hendrycks, Zack Kearney, Justin Martin

Buffalo Bandits

Total Rookies: 4
Rookie Games Played: 35
Rookies: Zack Belter, Connor Farrell, Christian Watts, Cam Wyers

Colorado Mammoth

Total Rookies: 4
Rookie Games Played: 26
Rookies: Owen Down, Brett Draper, Sean Kriwokon, Ben McDonald

Halifax Thunderbirds

Total Rookies: 5
Rookie Games Played: 23
Rookies: Brett Beetow, Cole Kirst, Caelan Mander, Briley Maxwell, Aaron Woods

Calgary Roughnecks

Total Rookies: 2
Rookie Games Played: 17
Rookies: Justin Inacio, Bennett Smith

Georgia Swarm

Total Rookies: 2
Rookie Games Played: 8
Rookies: Brady Kearnan, Dustin Hill

San Diego Seals

Total Rookies: 3
Rookie Games Played: 6
Rookies: Ben Stewart, Xander Dickson, Payton Rezanka

In total, 68 rookies played at least one game this year, while only seven runners (Alex Simmons, Tye Kurtz, Cam Wyers, Dylan Watson, Justin Martin, Owen Grant and Brayden Laity) and two backup goalies (Will Johnston and Deacan Knott) appeared on game-day game sheets 18 times.

Who were this year’s Top 5 rookies from that promising pool of 68 based on The Lax Mag’s NLL Player Rankings rules? Keep reading…

Justin Martin, Toronto Rock (Photo: Christian Bender)

5. Justin Martin

Age: 25
Position: Defense
Team: Toronto Rock
Acquired: Free Agent (Sept. 15, 2023)
From: Six Nations, ON

As noted above, Justin Martin was one of the few rookies this year to fit into all 18 of his team’s games, but unlike the others, not many were anticipating that type of immediate impact from the undrafted pro prospect. Rock staff were impressed by Martin while watching him at the 2023 Presidents Cup (Canada’s Senior B National Championship) held at the Toronto Rock Athletic Centre. They were even more wowed by the Six Nations speedster at Toronto’s pre-season training camp. One of only eight Rock players to play a full schedule during Toronto’s injury-plagued campaign, Martin was a blaze bounding up the floor in transition, scoring ten times and assisting on six others. He finished Top 5 in all of Toronto’s defensive player stats (78LB, 20CTO, 13BLK), which is no small feat when you play for the league’s most dominant defensive unit.

It's worth noting that Martin finished just a single spot ahead of Vancouver Warriors rookie defensemen Brayden Laity in our 2024 Player Rankings.

Owen Grant, Vancouver Warriors (Photo: Jordan Leigh)

4. Owen Grant

Age: 24
Position: Defense
Team: Vancouver Warriors
Acquired: 2022 NLL Entry Draft (3rd overall)
From: Newmarket, ON

One of this season’s silliest rookie single-game stat-lines came courtesy of Owen Grant when the Vancouver Warriors beat the Halifax Thunderbirds 15-13 in a critical late-season contest. The first-year defensive force scored once, had two helpers, scooped 13 loosies, caused two turnovers, sat in the sin bin for six minutes, and even beat Jake Withers at the dot twice while filling in on face-offs a bit that night. Absolutely absurd statistical stuff. Grant ranked as high as second amongst rookies in our weekly NLL Player Rankings throughout the year, probably just another good game away from jumping back to that placement (today’s second to fourth ranked rookies are extremely close in our Player Rankings calculations). The aggressively athletic and equally smart Grant led all rookies with 25 caused turnovers, which comes in as the sixth highest single-season total ever. The highest? Vancouver teammate Reid Bowering, who had 34 just two seasons ago. Give these guys another season or two to marinate more and maybe add another body or two, and this defensive unit is going to be league-leading deadly, no doubt.

“For OG, we talk about trying to model your franchise around certain guys, he’s definitely a cornerstone of the franchise for years and years to come.” – Vancouver GM & Head Coach Curt Malawsky (VancouverWarriors.com)

Tye Kurtz, Albany FireWolves (Photo: Michael Hetzel)

3. Tye Kurtz

Age: 25
Position: Forward
Team: Albany FireWolves
Acquired: 2022 NLL Entry Draft (17th overall)
From: Puslinch, ON

Not only did Tye Kurtz lead all rookies, forwards or otherwise (yes, more than any rookie defender), with 112 loose balls, that year-end total was only topped by three fellow NLL forwards, and they’re all kinda good: Connor Fields (158), Dhane Smith (119) and Lyle Thompson (115). He finished second behind FireWolves teammate Alex Simmons in rookie goals (32), assists (47) and points (79), those stats sitting just outside the Top 10 of single-season rookie records. He was as complete an offensive-rookie package as we’ve seen over the last several seasons, Kurtz probably finishing as high as second on many of the league’s official ROTY ballots submitted last week.

“Honest to God, I think Tye Kurtz was the biggest steal in the NLL Draft. I don’t know how he went at 17, but it’s just ridiculous.” – Rookie teammate Alex Simmons (Albany Times Union)

“…the thing we liked about him and still like about him is he just works so hard. He has such a compete level. He goes to hard areas.” – Albany GM & Head Coach Glenn Clark (Albany Times Union)

Callum Jones, New York Riptide (Photo: Brandon Hill)

2. Callum Jones

Age: 25
Position: Defense
Team: New York Riptide
Acquired: 2023 NLL Entry Draft (3rd overall)
From: Burlington, ON

His D stats are similar, maybe even a smidge smaller, compared to the top defensive rookies we ranked today. If we ordered players by per-game stats alone (click here for more on our player ranking math), Jones would not rank this high and likely a few spots behind players like Grant, Martin and the just-outside-of-our-Top-5 Laity. What put him ahead of those top-performing rookies was how often we ranked Jones as one of New York’s top players nightly throughout the season (again, click here for more on how we rank players). No one has given up more goals over the past three seasons than the Riptide (last in the league in GA this year), but the addition of Jones has made them a far less comfortable team to play against. He’s physical, has no fear, and has a knack for getting under the opposition’s skin, all traits the off-to Ottawa franchise has needed desperately in recent seasons. His caused-turnover count was just two behind Grant’s rookie-leading total (Jones also played one less game than Grant due to injury), while Jones’ 23 CTOs are the highest single-season total in Riptide history. While his lack of offensive output may hurt him in the league’s ROTY vote, it hasn’t here. Jones was 2024’s top pure defensive rookie, end of story.

Alex Simmons, Albany FireWolves (Photo: Colleen Shaw)

1. Alex Simmons

Age: 25
Position: Forward
Team: Albany FireWolves
Acquired: 2022 NLL Entry Draft (4th overall)
From: Smithville, ON

On pace to break a handful rookie records during his tremendous early-season output, while Alex Simmons’ production slowed somewhat during Albany’s L-ing streaks (yes, read that as Simmons being ridiculously relied on), his end-of-season statistical totals were still some of the highest we’ve seen from a first-year player in the NLL. Take a look at where Simmons’ rookie stats rank all-time below, plus the very few rookies that placed higher than him.

Goals
Paul Gait, Detroit (1991) 47
Ryan Painter, Ottawa (2002) 45
Mark Matthews, Edmonton (2013) 38
Alex Simmons, Albany (2014) 38

Assists
Jeff Teat, New York (2022) 71
Jonathan Donville, Panther City (2023) 67
Tom Schreiber, Toronto (2017) 61
Randy Staats, Georgia (2016) 59
Patrick Dodds, Panther City (2022) 58
Alex Simmons, Albany (2024) 58

Points
Jeff Teat, New York (2022) 108
Alex Simmons, Albany (2024) 96

Not bad, huh? Simmons was the only rookie to rank in our weekly Top 30 this year, and was there from start to finish, even within our Top 10 early on. He also had a helluva complete stat line, falling just short of becoming only the second rookie in league history to finish with 30 goals, 60 assists and 90 loose balls (38/58/85) – Teat is still the only one to pull that off in his first year. How much did Albany rely on Simmons’ success up front? In games he scored a hat-trick, the FireWolves went 6-0. In regular season results they were on the wrong end, Simmons averaged just 1.3 goals per game.

Alex Simmons is The Lax Mag’s 2024 Rookie of the Year, and honestly, it wasn’t even close.