2022-23 NLL Player Poll
We checked in with five players from each of the National Lacrosse League’s 15 teams a few weeks before the start of the highly anticipated 2022-23 regular season, and asked them 25 questions about an array of NLL-related topics.
We tried our best to ensure the players taking part included everyone from rookies to long-time vets, that each on-floor position was well represented, and that the various backgrounds & regions the NLL’s talent comes from were recognized as well.
Photo: Christian Bender
From league leadership, to NLL business, future expansion, current clubs, and of course, tons of best-of-player questions, we covered a lot of ground with the guys.
The survey was 100% anonymous to ensure we received their most truthful answers. For any questions specific to players or teams, they were allotted three responses, only one of which could be used on a current teammate.
So, now that you know who we asked how we asked them, here’s what the players had to say…
1. Are you happy with the direction the league is headed?
Yes - 95%
No - 5%
There was most definitely a positive vibe from players (and the league) after a new collective bargaining agreement was signed this past summer. The league has their most franchises ever with 15, although it sounds like new NLL Commissioner Brett Frood is pumping the breaks on Nick Sakiewicz’s rapid expansion. For the second straight season, NLL games will be on traditional television and also various streaming services through TSN in Canada & ESPN in the United States. After several years of franchise flops and little new interest in the league, times are clearly changing for the fastest game on two feet.
2. How would you grade former NLL Commissioner Nick Sakiewicz’s six seasons leading the league?
A - 12%
B - 60%
C - 26%
D - 0%
F - 2%
While the public perception was always very positive, behind the scenes, former league leader Sakiewicz certainly had his supporters, but there were plenty of those that felt differently too. Now working with the NHL’s Arizona Coyotes, the players gave Sakiewicz a solid B for his expansion-swelling efforts.
Brett Frood, 2022 NLL Entry Draft
3. Although he’s only been in charge for a few months, what are you initial impressions of new NLL Commissioner Brett Frood?
Right man for the job - 39%
Still not sure - 61%
Should have gone with someone else 0%
While Frood said many of the same things as Sakiewicz did when he was first announced as the NLL’s new boss, it’s clear the two operate with drastically different demeanors. Sakiewicz was very much a public-facing personality, often appearing in the league’s various videos on site & social over his six-year stretch. Outside of seeing his name in a handful of press releases in recent weeks, Frood is definitely well spoken, but clearly doesn’t feel the need to say as much as his predecessor did. While Sakiewicz had a clear focus on aggressive expansion, Frood has said a number of times that he’ll be further exploring corporate sponsorships for the NLL and strengthening the league’s current 15 franchises before pursuing additional expansion.
John Tavares & Josh Byrne, Buffalo Bandits (Photo: Ben Green)
4. How far away are we from the NLL being a full-time job for every player in the league?
By 2030 - 26%
By 2040 - 62%
By 2050 - 2%
Never - 10%
Here’s a snippet from an article in The Buffalo News published almost exactly 27 years ago to the day, the paper covering dollars-and-cents deal between the Major Indoor Lacrosse League (now NLL) and its players:
A key issue in the talks was player salaries. According to John Tavares, the Buffalo Bandits' MILL Players Association representative, all players receive a raise of $150 per game over their pay from last season. Player salaries vary according to their years of experience in the league.
Tavares, for instance, will receive $575 as a sixth-year player, up from $425 last year.
Players in the league today make significantly more than those previous paltry paydays, but they’re still a ways off from the NLL being their sole source of sufficient income. While most if not all of today’s present-day players will be retired, they feel were about 17 seasons away from the league being a full-time gig.
5. Have you ever been spotted in public and recognized as being a pro lacrosse player during your everyday life?
Yes 81%
No 19%
We asked this question many years ago in the original TLM. You could probably flip the results to reflect the response we received. The boys got famous.
Mark Matthews, Saskatchewan Rush
6. If you could pick the next NLL expansion city, where would you put a franchise?
Nashville - 67%
Minnesota - 8%
Edmonton - 5%
Montreal - 5%
Columbus - 3%
The rest - 12%
The response to this one wasn’t even close. Would Smashville embrace pro box? Preds players are already scoring lacrosse-style goals. Why not give ‘em the real thing, right?
7. If you had to be traded to a different team, where would you most want to end up?
Toronto Rock - 26%
San Diego Seals - 20%
Colorado Mammoth - 16%
Las Vegas Desert Dogs - 14%
Buffalo Bandits - 12%
The rest - 12%
Based on some of the feedback we got, the Rock win due to location (most of the league lives in Ontario), an owner that puts his players first, the 80,000 sq. ft. Toronto Rock Athletic Centre, and because they have a roster that is loaded up for a legit Cup run this year and likely for the new few seasons at least.
Nick Rose at the Toronto Rock Athletic Centre (Photo: Dave Fryer)
8. If you had to be traded to a different team, where would you least want to end up?
Albany FireWolves - 32%
Georgia Swarm - 17%
Vancouver Warriors - 15%
Rochester Knighthawks - 12%
Panther City Lacrosse Club - 10%
The rest - 14%
Travel, location and an anticipated low finish for the FireWolves in the East Conference, were some of the reason players are looking to avoid Albany right now. After the FireWolves, the next four failed to make last year’s playoffs.
9. How should the NLL approach the Premier Lacrosse League?
Battle head-to-head - 12%
Create some sort of positive partnership - 71%
Do nothing - 17%
Well, the NLL squeezing their post-season schedule lightens the overlap between the two leagues, likely one week instead of the three we saw last year (at least for now). “Hate the fact how hard we keep trying to be friends with the PLL when they give absolutely no love back to us,” said one polled player. Although it’s unlikely any NLL players will be permitted to go, the pro-outdoor league is hosting their inaugural PLL Championship Series (a sixes lacrosse showcase) in late February - yep, right in the middle of the NLL’s upcoming regular season. While both leagues have to look out for their own best interest, some type of positive partnership is clearly what NLL players want. If one had to guess, the PLL players likely crave the same solution.
Todd Labranche, NLL referee (Photo: Jaclyn McKee)
10. How would you rate the officiating in the league?
Great - 7%
Good - 79%
Gross - 14%
Based on some of the post-game (and even in-game) commentary from players, coaches and fans, the fact that 86% of the replies we got graded referees good or event great, is kind of surprising. “They’ve definitely gotten better,” said one player.
11. Has box lacrosse goaltending gear gotten too big?
Yes - 17%
No - 83%
It’s a spicy topic that was brought up within the box community earlier this year when NLL Hall-of-Fame goaltender Dallas Eliuk was outspoken on the size of today’s shot stoppers. When last year’s goalie fight between Rylan Hartley & Ethan Woods went very, very viral, box goalie gear got mentioned by the mainstream, again. Their opinions weren’t overly complimentary. With that said, most of today’s players think we’re good.
Tyler Biles and Nonkon Thompson (Photo: Trevor MacMillan)
12. Although it rarely happens in the present-day NLL, do you feel fighting plays an important role in the league?
Yes - 79%
No - 21%
Fights are way less frequent than they used to be during the NLL’s first two decades of existence. The skill level in the league is at an all-time high. Players do feel fighting still has a place though, a siginificant amount of them in fact. A recent TLM Instagram story poll asking our followers the same question was nearing 95% in favour of fighting serving some importance in the NLL right now.
13. Should the NLL promote fighting and the physical side of the sport more than it does now?
Yes - 49%
No - 51%
While players feel strongly that flying fists sill serve a purpose in the pro game, almost 30% of those that voted yes to question #12, don’t want a bigger spotlight on league slugfests. Of the league’s 20 most-viewed YouTube videos via their official channel (hit the popular button): 15 are fights, three are huge hits, and just two are of goals being scored. Most of what was included in War on the Floor (2002), a highly popular Rock'Em Sock'em style DVD of various NLL highlights, does not happen in today’s version of the league. From goals that would be called back for a lace on the line, to suspendible hits, and fights that happen far less frequently, Pat Coyle & Joe Bowen would have a lot less to talk about if a second edition were released in 2023.
Brodie Merrill and Billy Hostrawser (Photo: Ryan McCullough)
14. Who is the best fighter in the league right now?
Billy Hostrawser - 25%
Steve Priolo - 22%
Paul Dawson - 21%
Mike Messenger - 9%
Matt Beers - 5%
The rest - 18%
Should we bring back The Fight Club?
15. Who is the best trash talker in the league right now?
Paul Dawson - 9%
Shayne Jackson - 8%
Mark Matthews - 8%
Cody Jamieson - 6%
Logan Schuss - 6%
The rest - 63%
We wanted to include some of the F-laced filth Dawson drops on game days, but our legal department informed us it could get the Knighthawks captain arrested. Plus, his kid will see this one day. The BOTB boys need to drop Elon Musk a DM and see if he can erase some of those episodes from the internet entirely before Makoto starts listening to pods.
Paul Dawson, Rochester Knighthawks (Photo: Christian Bender)
16. Who is the dirtiest player in the league right now?
Shawn Evans - 12%
Matt Beers - 10%
Billy Hostrawser - 9%
Steve Priolo - 9%
Bryce Sweeting - 9%
The rest 51%
“It’s Shawn Evans, but in a good way,” said one player. Evans, the only offensive player to finish in the first five most popular responses (#1 one even), has always combined skill & sandpaper (whatever the roughest grade is) like few others, and some players are still stinging from Evy’s after-the-whistle TLC.
17. Who is the most underrated in the league right now?
Keegan Bal - 8%
Mike Messenger - 7%
Dan Craig - 6%
Rob Hellyer - 5%
Kyle Buchanan - 5%
The rest - 69%
In similar surveys we’ve seen, in any sport really, most underrated always garners the greatest number of responses. Although he had very much a breakout year in 2022, Keegan Bal received the most votes from the players we hit up. After his statement season last year, this should be the last time Bal ends up here.
Keegan Bal, Vancouver Warriors (Photo: Jordan Leigh)
18. Who is the most overrated player in the league right now?
Chase Fraser - 10%
Callum Crawford - 8%
Shawn Evans - 7%
Cody Jamieson - 7%
Graeme Hossack - 6%
The rest - 62%
Chase Fraser did not make many friends last year, and that’s probably partially why he got the most votes for this Q. The Buffalo forward stands out on the Bandits’ stacked offense by being a perturbing presense that regularly produces points too. Although it was deleted soon after being posted, a current NLL player posted a clown face emoji to a pic we posted of Fraser on Instagram last year. Not a whole lot of love for Fraser outside of the Bandits’ locker room. That’s probably the way he likes it.
19. Who is the best offensive player in the league right now?
Lyle Thompson - 21%
Jeff Teat - 18%
Dhane Smith - 13%
Tom Schreiber - 10%
Josh Byrne - 9%
The rest - 29%
He scores in quantity (co-led the league last year with 47 goals) & quality (regularly defying gravity), and few guys that produce points as often as Lyle Thompson also own 100+ loose ball totals too (more about his versatility in our 30-60-90 Club analysis).
Lyle Thompson, Georgia Swarm (Photo: Kyle Hess)
20. Who is the best defensive player in the league right now?
Kyle Rubisch - 21%
Graeme Hossack - 15%
Brad Kri - 13%
Ryan Dilks - 12%
Mitch De Snoo - 9%
The rest - 30%
The top two responses have won seven of the last ten Defensive Player of the Year awards, so no huge surprise seeing them so high here. Brad Kri, who has never been recognized by league voters as even a DPOTY Finalist, sits just behind Hossack and above his other talented teammates on Toronto’s top-rated defensive unit.
21. Who is the most versatile player in the league right now?
Challen Rogers - 35%
Zach Currier - 24%
Kiel Matisz - 8%
Mike Messenger - 6%
Lyle Thompson - 5%
The rest - 22%
This year we’ll find out just how truly versatile the Rock captain is after Toronto listed the usually D-first Challen Rogers as a full-time forward. There are very few past, present and likely future pro players that have excelled to the degree Rogers has in so many different positions, roles and on-floor scenarios in the NLL.
Dillon Ward, Colorado Mammoth (Photo: Jack Dempsey)
22. Who is the best goalie in the league right now?
Dillon Ward - 40%
Matt Vinc - 25%
Christian Del Bianco - 12%
Nick Rose - 11%
Doug Jamieson - 10%
The rest - 2%
In the same year, Dillon Ward led teams to titles in both pro leagues. That’s never happened before. Over the last six seasons, Wards has been a GOTY nominee six times, winning it just once though. In a league where reputations often outrank right now, after what Ward did a season ago, not sure there’s anyway denying he’s today’s top goaltender. Owning 40% of player votes is pretty significant statement.
23. Which NLL head coach do you think will be the first to be fired?
Troy Cordingley - 23%
Mike Accursi - 19%
Glenn Clark - 15%
Tracey Kelusky - 12%
Pay Day - 8%
The rest - 23%
Yet to even coach a game for his new team, Vancouver Warriors’ Head Coach Troy Cordingley is in the hot seat here about as quick as can be. “Troy coming into this team … something had to change,” Vancouver forward Keegan Bal told the Vancouver Province last month. “We hadn’t made the playoffs.
“We were under .500 the past three years. He brings a brand new energy and, to be honest, it’s an energy that’s much needed for this group. He pushes us and he expects a lot and especially from the core group.”
Austin Staats, San Diego Seals (Photo: Mike McInnis)
24. Who are the top three teams in the East?
Percentage represents number of player responses that included that specific team as part of their top three.
Buffalo Bandits - 97%
Toronto Rock - 97%
Halifax Thunderbirds - 54%
Philadelphia Wings - 21%
New York Riptide - 18%
Georgia Swarm - 5%
Rochester Knighthawks - 5%
Albany FireWolves - 0%
The boys think it’ll be a close one at the top the East again, last year the Bandits eliminating the Rock in two incredibly close contests in the Conference Finals. “I think New York could surprise a lot of people this year,” said one player about a team that could be crowned most improved in the division after some decent defensive-depth additions over the offseason.
25. Who are the top three teams in the West?
Percentage represents number of player responses that included that specific team as part of their top three.
San Diego Seals - 98%
Colorado Mammoth - 95%
Saskatchewan Rush - 75%
Calgary Roughnecks - 15%
Vancouver Warriors - 5%
Las Vegas Desert Dogs - 5%
Panther City Lacrosse Club - 3%
When you add the type of top-level talent San Diego has secured since August, it’s hard not see how this group won’t succeed this year. The NLL hasn’t had an All-Star Game since 2012. Watching the Seals play this year is as close as we’ll get to one in over a decade.