NLL Player Rankings: 2023 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 our focus to 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.

Last year, The Lax Mag’s Player Rankings math correctly predicted 2022’s MVP (Dhane Smith), Defensive Player of the Year (Mitch de Snoo), Goalie of the Year (Matt Vinc), Transition Player of the Year (Zach Currier) and Rookie of the Year (Jeff Teat).

How about this year? We’re starting with 2023’s rookie class and working our way to MVP prior to the NLL Cup being awarded. Our Player Rankings: Best Dressed Edition, which generated more traffic than the other five combined, will come out after the playoffs.

Brett Dobson, Georgia Swarm (Photo: Trevor MacMillan)

Rookie of the Year

Last year’s rookie class was elite, no questions asked. Some say the strongest in NLL history based on how much meaningful impact so many first-year players had on their squad during the 2022 season.

Led by eventual Rookie of the Year Jeff Teat, TLM’s Top 10 from 2022’s rookie class were (in order of our Player Rankings): Teat (New York), Reid Bowering (Vancouver), Patrick Dodds (Panther City), Ryan Smith (Rochester), Tehoka Nanticoke (Buffalo), TJ Comizio (Georgia), Steve Orleman (New York), Tre Leclaire (San Diego), Bobby Kidd III (Saskatchewan) and Patrick Foley (Panther City).

How could last year’s class compare to 2023, right? Well, hold up.

During the 2022 season, 86 rookies played (we’ve included backup goalies too) in the NLL and accounted for 811 GPs over the season. This year, 88 rookies were on game-day rosters, earning 713 GPs during the 2023 regular season. Yes, the NLL added Las Vegas this year and yes, the average rookie played fewer games than a season ago (2022: 9GP for the average rookie vs. 2023: 8GP), but the impact rookies had on rosters this year in comparison to 2022’s talented group is likely not as glaring a gap as most probably think it would be. While there may not have been as many upper-end rookies this year, there were likely more depth pieces, especially on the defensive end.

Before we get into ranking this year’s Top 10 rookies, including our ROTY pick, below are how many rookies teams used on their game-day roster in 2022 + 2023 (some players counted for both seasons if they maintained rookie status).

Rookies on NLL Rosters: 2022-2023

Team 2022/2023 rookies (2-year total) +/-

Georgia Swarm 8/8 (16) 0
Panther City Lacrosse Club 10/6 (16) -4
Albany FireWolves 5/10 (15) +5
Calgary Roughnecks 9/4 (13) -5
Saskatchewan Rush 5/8 (13) +3
San Diego Seals 8/5 (13) -3
Vancouver Warriors 2/11 (13) +9
New York Riptide 9/3 (12) -6
Buffalo Bandits 6/5 (11) -1
Colorado Mammoth 5/6 (11) +1
Rochester Knighthawks 8/3 (11) -5
Toronto Rock 6/3 (9) -3
Halifax Thunderbirds 2/5 (7) +3
Philadelphia Wings 3/2 (5) -1

The Vancouver Warriors went from having the fewest rookies on their roster in 2022, to having the most a year later. Teat’s Riptide had one of the higher rookie counts last year, to one of the lowest in 2023. The Philadelphia Wings have had two of the lowest totals both seasons, which tracks, because they’ve owned the oldest roster in each of the last two seasons. The Las Vegas Desert Dogs, who we didn’t include above since 2023 was their expansion season, had ten rookies on their roster this past regular season.

Top 10 Rookies

From #10 to our Rookie of the Year pick at #1, here are the Top 10 rookies in The Lax Mag’s 2023 NLL Player Rankings system (again, more on that math here).

Jonathan Gagliardi, Vancouver Warriors (Photo: Jordan Leigh)

10. Jonathan Gagliardi, Vancouver Warriors (D/T)

In a September trade that few probably even recall happening, the Warriors flipped a 2025 third rounder to the Wings for Gagliardi, the former Philadelphia draft pick never finding a spot in the team’s game-day lineup. Gagliardi earned everyday defensive minutes in Vancouver this year, Warriors Interim GM & Head Coach Troy Cordingley recently saying, “His compete level is off the charts. He is super tough to play against and he is only going to get better.”

9. John Piatelli, Albany FireWolves (F)

Taken in the third round of last year’s draft, Piatelli was not a name many NLL insiders mentioned as a potential impact rookie this year in Albany - The Lax Mag included. Piatelli finished fourth on the Albany roster in goals (18 in 16GP), but maybe even more impressively, led all FireWolves forwards in loose balls (68) and caused turnovers (5). His overall offensive game thrived though the opportunity it was given this year, plus Piatelli’s performance was one of the bigger positives during a difficult season for the FireWolves.

John Phillips, Las Vegas Desert Dogs

8. Jon Phillips, Las Vegas Desert Dogs (F)

While he was never really in contention for the rookie scoring title, Phillips did have a knack for scoring goals that mattered. Las Vegas’ leader in The Lax Mag’s Clutch Kings series, no rookie scored more game-tying (2), go-ahead (2) or game-winning (3) goals than Phillips, who’s two winners were both scored in the fourth quarter. Only rookies Jonathan Donville (90) & Jack Hannah (64) had more total points than Phillips (45).

7. Mike McCannell, San Diego Seals (T)

Although the San Diego staff was likely hoping to see a bit more production on their offensive press from him, McCannell was still a dependable & dynamic defensive asset for a Seals’ D unit that often doesn’t receive the credit they deserve (tied for fourth in the NLL in goals against this year). Clearly part of San Diego’s young defensive core for years to come, expect more transitional impact from the former first rounder next year.

Paul Kaschalk, Albany FireWolves (Photo: Christian Bender)

6. Patrick Kaschalk, Albany FireWolves (D)

Only three rookie defenders or transition players played in all 18 of their team’s games this season. Two were in Saskatoon (Jake Boudreau & Jerrett Smith) and the other is Kaschalk in Albany. Starting off his season with a bang in Buffalo (fought Tehoka Nanticoke in Albany’s surprising 11-10W in Week 1), Kaschalk was one of Albany’s hardest working defenders all year, so it shouldn’t be much of a surprise to see he led not just rookies but the entire team in loose ball scoops (93). The only rookies anywhere else in the league with more loosies than Kaschalk were San Diego’s Danny Logan (98) Saskatchewan’s Boudreau (94).

5. Jake Boudreau, Saskatchewan Rush (T)

We don’t want to get ahead of ourselves, but after seeing him succeed so much this year, it’s pretty safe to say Boudreau will be a Transition Player of the Year contender in many future NLL seasons. Above average defensive ability, nightly assignments guarding top offensive names, serious scooping skills (94, which was third on a Rush roster filled with defensive leaders), plus some legit offensive pop too (6G,7A), Boudreau was bang all year. He is also one of seven Rush defenders that have been added to the team over the last two years, including fellow first-year-player Jerrett Smith, who finished eleventh on today’s top rookie list. The others are: Holden Garlent, Connor McClelland, Bobby Kidd III, Ryan Barnable and Jeremy Searle.

Jack Hannah, Las Vegas Desert Dogs (Photo: John Harrison)

4. Jack Hannah, Las Vegas Desert Dogs (F)

His scoring (33) was on par with last year’s talented offensive rookies (Teat 37, Smith 35 and Nanticoke 32), while no first-year player had more goals in 2023 than Hannah. 33 goals is the same amount fellow American Tom Schreiber scored during his ROTY run with the Toronto Rock in 2017. Hannah’s 33 was also only three goals short of former ROTYs like Stephan Leblanc (2010, Logan Schuss (2014) and Randy Staats (2016).

Danny Logan, San Diego Seals (Photo: Steve Richardson Jr.)

3. Danny Logan, San Diego Seals (D)

While Logan’s name is often missing when many talk about this year’s potential ROTYs, quite honestly, he’s a sleeper at worst, a #1 for many most likely. Admittedly, we have him ranked third, but the Player Rankings points between our Top 3 is extremely close. It would be easy to argue that Logan had the same significant impact on the Seals defense as Jonathan Donville had up front in Fort Worth or Brett Dobson had between the pipes in Duluth. Logan was at times (many times in fact) San Diego’s best defender, tied for the team lead in caused turnovers (24, sixth highest rookie total ever), took most of the team’s draws (362), and even started connecting in transition too (4 goals in last 7 games). He was the FO+ player (and more) that many of us thought Connor Farrell might be when he was named to their opening-day roster.

Brett Dobson, Georgia Swarm (Photo: Kyle Hess)

2. Brett Dobson, Georgia Swarm (G)

Last year, we reviewed how incredibly rare it was for a goaltender in the NLL to even just make the league’s year-end All-Rookie Team. A shot stopper has never been voted NLL ROTY. Georgia goalie Brett Dobson is a bet-your-bank-account lock to make 2023’s All-Rookie Team, and will 100% garner a lot of first place ROTY votes too – potentially even enough to win the award. Starting out as the Swarm’s penciled-in backup (one of many rookies to serve in that role this year), Dobson would soon be given the starter’s spot, and soon after that help spark a second-half turnaround for Georgia that was unlike any other in recent memory. Dobson is quick, athletic, composed and clever. His elevated play as the season progressed gave Georgia runners increased confidence to take risks knowing their crease was in capable hands. If you’re a NLL Awards voter that likes a story to go along with exceptional play, then you clicked the Brett Dobson box on last week’s ballot. If and (without question) when Dobson is announced as a finalist for the award, it will be just the second time since final threes were first announced in 2014 that a goalie was included. Colorado’s Dillon Ward was a finalist in 2014.

Jonathan Donville, Panther City Lacrosse Club (Photo: Mary Adger Bowen)

1. Jonathan Donville, Panther City Lacrosse Club (F)

The only rookie to crack The Lax Mag’s Top 30 during the regular season, Donville’s consistency, creativity, quick decision making, and overall offensive impact on Panther City’s playoff-seed-clinching squad are just some of the reasons why he is our pick for the 2023 NLL Rookie of the Year. Consistency is a big one actually. Donville was a high- impact presence for Panther City since mid-December, led the team in assists (was ninth in the NLL), had just six points fewer (90) than teammate Will Malcom (a mid-season MVP contender), registered the second highest rookie assist total ever (67), the fourth highest all-time point total (only Teat, Staats and Schreiber had more), and had really impressive turnover numbers for a first-five forward (51). PCLC was a team that made significant strides from Year 1 (expansion season: 7-11) to Year 2 (playoff bound: 10-8), and you better believe Donville’s skills, smarts and immediate synergy with the rest of the roster helped get this group there. Also, Schweppes.