Clutch Kings 2024: The Opening Edition

Shayne Jackson, Georgia Swarm (Photo: Asher Greene)

For those new to The Lax Mag’s Clutch Kings countdown…

The Clutch Kings tracks an individual National Lacrosse League player’s game-tying, go-ahead, and game-winning goals, then weighs them based on when they’re scored (first, second, third or fourth quarter, plus OT), but also in what on-floor situation they’re finished (even-strength, power-play or short-handed goals).

The deeper into a game you go, the more a goal is worth. We break the data down into three distinctive segments: first-to-third quarter, fourth quarter, and then of course overtime.

Mark Matthews, Toronto Rock (Photo: Ryan McCullough)

Power-play goals are worth less because with an extra man on the floor, theoretically, it should be easier to score. Short-handed goals are worth more because with one or two fewer on the floor, they’re definitely a more difficult goal to drop. We also don’t count the game’s very first goal, because, well it isn’t ever overly clutch.

Based on all that, there are 21 different type of goals a player can score in Clutch Kings, and here they all are, including the amount that each goal is worth:

Scoring System

First 3 Quarters (GTG/GAG/GWG)

Even-Strength Goal: 1.00/1.50/2.00
Power-Play Goal: 0.50/0.75/1.00
Short-Handed Goal: 2.00/3.00/4.00

Fourth Quarter (GTG/GAG/GWG)

Even-Strength Goal: 2.00/3.00/4.00
Power-Play Goal: 1.00/1.50/2.00
Short-Handed Goal: 4.00/6.00/8.00

Overtime (GWG)

Even-Strength Goal: 6.00
Power-Play Goal: 3.00
Short-Handed Goal: 12.00

Connor Robinson, Colorado Mammoth (Photo: John Harrison)

After bringing back this scoring system with the relaunch of The Lax Mag now three seasons ago, a Colorado Mammoth player has taken the top spot both times: Eli McLaughlin in 2022 and Connor Robinson last year. Robinson again ranks high at this very early stage of the regular season.

Our leader coming out of Week 6, however, is the Georgia Swarm’s Shayne Jackson, who has not only picked up the most Clutch Kings points, he’s collected the most score-swinging goals too, which isn’t always the case.

Of Jackson’s 15 straight goals this year (11 ESG, 4 PPG), seven have been either game-tying (1), go-head (6) or game-winning (1) goals. Three of those goals happened in the fourth quarter, including his winner against Panther City this past weekend.

Alex Simmons, Albany FireWolves (Photo: WM Photography)

Also of note in our opening edition are the amount of Albany FireWolves who rank really high. Right now, two Albany players sit in the league’s Top 20 goal scorers: Alex Simmons & Ethan Walker. In the Clutch Kings Top 20? Five FireWolves: Simmons, Walker, Travis Longboat, Sam Firth, and even Paul Kaschalk, the highest ranked defensive player.

The Rochester Knighthawks’ Connor Fields, who finished second overall last year, is second six weeks in a season later. In fact, as we’ve seen the last few years, many of the same names often score these types of timely goals. We’ve also seen old school Clutch Kings (previously known as Money Ballers, more on that here), return to the rankings. Last year, Mark Matthews had just four goals register in the Clutch Kings while playing his final season for the Saskatchewan Rush. After just three games with the Toronto Rock this year, Matthews has 2 game-tying, 1 go-ahead and a game-winning goal, plus his Clutch King point total is already higher versus his 2023 total. His most money markers happened in Panther City, where Matthews scored a Rock go-ahead goal at the 7:36 mark of the fourth quarter, and then the winner about 20 seconds later.

Here are the rest of the names that round out our very early edition of this year’s Clutch Kings…

Connor Fields, Rochester Knighthawks

NLL Clutch Kings: Week 6

CKs Rank. Player (NLL Gs Rank), Team, CKs Points (GTG/GAG/GWG)

1. Shayne Jackson (T1), Georgia, 15.75 (1/6/1)
2. Connor Fields (T4), Rochester, 11.50 (3/3/1)
3. Ryan Smith (T6), Rochester, 10.00 (2/1/1)
4. Ethan Walker (T9), Albany, 9.50 (2/1/1)
T5. Alex Simmons (T1), Albany, 9.00 (2/2/1)
T5. Casey Jackson (T9), Las Vegas, 9.00 (2/3/0)
7. Mark Matthews (T24), Toronto, 8.50 (2/1/1)
8. Travis Longboat (T24), Albany, 8.00 (1/1/1)
T9. Mitch Jones (T9), Philadelphia, 7.00 (2/0/1)
T9. Connor Robinson (T24), Colorado, 7.00 (1/0/1)
T11. Callum Crawford (T6), Panther City, 6.50 (2/1/1)
T11. Sam Firth (T38), Albany, 6.50 (1/1/1)
T11. Andrew Kew (T24), Georgia, 6.50 (1/1/1)
T14. Wes Berg (T24), San Diego, 6.00 (1/1/1)
T14. Zack Greer (T50), Las Vegas, 6.00 (0/0/1)
T14. Jack Jasinski (T132), Philadelphia, 6.00 (0/0/1)
T17. Jonathan Donville (T50), Panther City, 5.50 (1/3/0)
T17. Austin Staats (T17), San Diego, 5.50 (3/1/0)
T17. Kyle Jackson (T76), San Diego, 5.50 (0/1/1)
T20. Josh Byrne (T9), Buffalo, 5.00 (4/0/1)
T20. Randy Staats (T38), Halifax, 5.00 (1/1/1)
T20. Zach Manns (T4), Saskatchewan, 5.00 (2/1/0)
T20. Patrick Kaschalk (T63), Albany, 5.00 (1/0/1)