Clutch Kings: Colorado’s Connor Robinson money for Mammoth, again

Connor Robinson, Colorado Mammoth (Photo: Justin Edmonds/Getty Images)

For those new to the Clutch Kings program, and there’s likely a lot of you after the number of new followers we’ve found on Instagram this year, we’ll spend most of 2023’s first edition of the Clutch Kings going over what it is, how it’s calculated, and quickly review who currently leads the list.

The Clutch Kings tracks an individual 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 overtime.

Power-play goals are worth less because with an extra man on the floor, theoretically, it should be easier to score. Shorties are worth more because with one or two fewer on the floor, they’re definitely a more difficult goal to drop. We also won’t be counting ice-breaking goals, because the first goal of the game, even though technically is pushing your team ahead, lacks any sort of clutch-scoring vibe, ever.

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

We’re also using the Clutch Kings to help calculate this year’s NLL Player Rankings too.

Leading this year’s opening list is Colorado Mammoth forward Connor Robinson, which shouldn’t be any real shock, because he finished fifth overall in 2022. His Mammoth teammate Eli McLaughlin was last year’s Clutch Kings end-of-season leader. The pair went on to play pivotal roles in Colorado’s historic Cup-winning run.

Colorado Mammoth (Photo: Jack Dempsey)

Of Robinson’s 10 team-leading goals over 4 games this year, 7 have registered in Clutch Kings calculations. Which means, 7 strikes have either tied a game, put the Mammoth ahead or won Colorado the contest. All have been scored in even-strength situations, 3 of them in the fourth quarter, including his late winner against Calgary (scroll back up to see highlights from that game).

Halifax’s Chris Boushy also has 7 goals here, 3 of which were game tying and 4 of them giving the Thunderbids a lead. Shocker, he also finished high in last year’s full-season ranking of the Clutch Kings.

While his current Clutch Kings point total is behind Robinson’s 15.00, Buffalo’s Josh Byrne leads the league with 8 game-tying, go-ahead or game-winning goals. Stop us if you’ve heard this one, but Byrne also ranked high last year. Although he finished seventh during the 2022 regular season, his 18 clutch goals (GTG, GAG, GWG) were tops in the NLL. Byrne took over the top spot in our NLL Player Rankings this week.

Chris Boushy, Halifax Thunderbirds (Photo: Trevor MacMillan/)

While only 4 of Connor Fields’ 16 goals so far this season for Rochester register on the Clutch Kings, 2 of them are game-winning goals, both happening in the fourth quarter in an even-strength situation. That’s money.

Other players with 2 game-winners this year: Randy Staats (Halifax), Curtis Dickson (San Diego), Phil Caputo (Panther City) and Matt Gilray (Rochester). Along with Fields, they lead the league in that clutch category right now. Last year Buffalo’s Tehoka Nanticoke led the NLL with 6 game winners, which was also a new rookie record.

As you’ll see on our Week 7 leaderboard below, a couple of transition players placed, both Albany’s Colton Watkinson and Georgia’s Adam Wiedemann scoring some crucial goals for their clubs while pressing up the floor.

The FireWolves, who’ve received heroic goal-scoring efforts past just Watkinson, also see forwards Kieran McArdle, Connor Kelly and Justin Scott on this week’s opening Clutch Kings leaderboard.

Adam Wiedemann, Georgia Swarm (Photo: Joe Hrycych)

NLL Clutch Kings: Week 7

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

1. Connor Robinson (T19), Colorado, 15.00 (2/4/1)
2. Connor Fields (3), Rochester, 12.50 (0/2/2)
3. Chris Boushy (T4), Halifax, 10.50 (3/4/0)
4. Josh Byrne (1), Buffalo, 9.75 (3/4/1)
5. Joe Resetarits (T19), Philadelphia, 8.75 (0/4/1)
6. Kieran McArdle (T34), Albany, 8.50 (1/1/1)
T7. Will Malcom (T7), Panther City, 8.00 (3/1/1)
T7. Colton Watkinson (T74), Albany, 8.00 (1/1/1)
T7. Curtis Dickson (2), San Diego, 8.00 (0/0/2)
10. Randy Staats (T19), Halifax, 7.50 (0/1/2)
11. Wes Berg (T28), San Diego, 7.00 (2/0/1)
T12. Connor Kelly (T34), Albany, 6.50 (1/3/0)
T12. Zed Williams (T28), Colorado, 6.50 (3/0/1)
T12. Justin Scott (T93), Albany, 6.50 (1/2/0)
T15. Robert Church (T10), Saskatchewan, 6.00 (2/2/0)
T15. Rhys Duch (T74), Colorado, 6.00 (0/0/1)
17. Kyle Buchanan (T25), Buffalo, 5.50 (0/1/1)
18. Keegan Bal (T14), Vancouver, 5.25 (2/2/0)
T19. Adam Wiedemann (T74), Georgia, 5.00 (2/2/0)
T19. Tehoka Nanticoke (T10), Buffalo, 5.00 (2/0/1)