Clutch Kings: Rookies routinely influencing regular-season results

Rookies are having a higher impact on this year’s National Lacrosse League season than any previous pro campaign of recent memory.

With two years’ worth of quality draft picks playing pivotal roles on various rosters, some more than others, first-year players are leaving a significant mark on the 2021/22 season.

No rookies are catching more deserved attention than Jeff Teat (New York Riptide) and Reid Bowering (Vancouver Warriors), far and away the frontrunners for this year’s Rookie of the Year nod, so far at least.

But are either of them clutch? No, well, not when it comes to scoring at least.

Teat, as expected, is already one of the league’s top playmakers during his rookie run with the Riptide. While he’s setting up a slew of goals up for New York, of the 13 he’s scored himself over his six game so far, only one has registered in the Clutch Kings (a fourth quarter game-tying goal against the Panther City Lacrosse Club back on January 15th).

Although Bowering has mixed in a handful of goals along with his obscene 98 loosies in just eight games, none have registered here.

With that sad, this year’s rookie class has indeed proven to be clutch. Quite often actually.

Tre Leclaire, San Diego Seals

During 2020’s pandemic shortened season, just three first-year forwards scored a game-winning goal (Clarke Petterson, Andrew Kew and Connor Fields all had two GWGs). While it wasn’t their first season in the big leagues, Scott Dominey and Connor Robinson were likely still considered rookies for end-of-year award purposes, and netted winners too.

A total of 76 games were played in 2019/2020. With under 60 games in the books so far this season, six true rookies already have game winners: Patrick Dodds, Tehoka Nanticoke, Tre Leclaire, Sam LeClair, Adam Charlambides and Justin Scott. Plus, 18 rookies have scored an impressive 33 game-tying or go-ahead goals in 2022. That’s a considerable amount of money-goal grabs for guys getting their first taste of pro lacrosse.

Three of this year’s high-producing rookie crop rank on our updated Clutch Kings leaderboard below: Dodds, Nanticoke and Leclaire.

Before we hit the league’s top Clutch Kings (Ben McIntosh has a narrow 0.5 lead over Lyle Thompson), here’s a rundown of the game-shifting goals that rookies have registered (ranked by game-tying, go-ahead and game-winning goal total, not by the Clutch Kings’ formula, explained here for the newbies).

Tre Leclaire, San Diego 6 (2 GTG/3 GAG/1 GWG)
Tehoka Nanticoke, Buffalo 4 (1/1/2)
Larson Sundown, New York 4 (1/3/0)
Patrick Dodds, Panther City 3 (2/0/1)
Sam LeClair, Colorado 3 (1/1/1)
Mac O’Keefe, San Diego 3 (2/1/0)
Charlie Bertrand, Rochester 3 (2/1/0)
Josh Medeiros, Panther City 2 (0/2/0)
Nathan Grenon, Panther City 2 (2/0/0)
Charlie Kitchen, Albany 2 (1/1/0)
8 tied at 1

Of note, Medeiros’ short-handed, go-ahead goal in the fourth quarter in an early-season game against the Philadelphia Wings has been one of this year’s highest-rated goal in the Clutch Kings. Only one other player has scored a go-ahead goal in that same late-game, shot-handed scenario (Zed Williams, Colorado vs. Panther City on December 17th). That specific goal is tied for the second highest possible Clutch King point a player can score (see scoring system at bottom of the page). The only goal higher would be scoring a game winner in OT, but more on that later this season. The D-first Medeiros has four finishes total this season, two of which are go-aheads goals.

NLL Clutch Kings: Week 12

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

1. Ben McIntosh (T7), Philadelphia, 15.50 (1/5/0)
2. Lyle Thompson (1), Georgia, 15.00 (6/0/2)
T3. Connor Kearnan (T4), New York, 14.00 (6/1/1)
T3. Stephan Leblanc (T76), Halifax, 14.00 (1/1/2)
5. Blaze Riorden (T40), Philadelphia, 13.25 (2/3/1)
6. Josh Byrne (T17), Buffalo, 13.00 (2/5/1)
7. Eli McLaughlin (T21), Colorado, 11.25 (2/2/3)
T8. Austin Staats (T31), San Diego, 11.00 (4/2/1)
T8. Chris Boushy (T36), Halifax, 11.00 (0/2/3)
T8. Dan Dawson (T63), Toronto, 11.00 (1/1/2)
T11. Brett Hickey (T28), Philadelphia, 10.75 (3/2/1)
T11. Zach Herreweyers (T44), Calgary, 10.75 (2/1/2)
13. Andrew Kew (T12), Albany, 10.50 (2/5/0)
T14. Patrick Dodds (T55), Panther City, 9.00 (2/0/1)
T14. Jesse King (T44), Calgary, 9.00 (3/2/1)
T14. Matt Rambo (T31), Philadelphia, 9.00 (2/1/1)
17. Wes Berg (T12), San Diego, 9.00 (0/4/2)
T18. Tehoka Nanticoke (T28), Buffalo, 8.50 (1/1/2)
T18. Tre Leclaire (T55), San Diego, 8.50 (2/3/1)
T18. Chris Cloutier (T36), Buffalo, 8.50 (0/1/2)

*Rookie

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