NLL Player Rankings: The GOAT Edition

After the first full month (four weeks of completed games more specifically) of the 2021/22 National Lacrosse League season were completed, The Lax Mag started publishing weekly updated NLL Player Rankings, examining the league’s Top 30 players from Week 1 until the end of the regular season.

The rankings only take into consideration how a player has performed for this specific season. TLM ranks the top six players from each team for every completed regular season game, utilizing an average star rating system. For a full breakdown of how players are evaluated and more on our scoring system, click here.

NLL Player Rankings: Week 17

For the first time this season, the exact same 30 players from our previous week remain seven days later.

Even though he was sidelined for the first time in his career, Lyle Thompson still sits #1, the Georgia Swarm’s superstar average star rating steady at 5.31. In fact, the first five didn’t move with Zach Currier, Jeff Teat, Dhane Smith and Joe Resetarits taking the two to five positions.

Dhane Smith, John Tavares and Luke Wiles (Photo: Larry Palumbo)

NLL Player Rankings: The GOAT Edition

Last week, Dan Dawson passed John Tavares for most games played in an NLL career. It’s a significant milestone, especially considering the hellaciously high-level Dawson has played at throughout his hall-of-fame-worthy two decades in the league.

One more assist, and he passes Tavares for that all-time title too.

Back in 2016, I had written “All-Time NLL Top 50: The Greatest Players Ever” for USBOXLA.com. A lot has happened since, including Dawon’s recent record break (soon to be breaks).

The Top 15 players on that list of legends, in order, were:

1. John Tavares
2. Gary Gait
3. John Grant
4. Jim Veltman
5. Colin Doyle
6. Paul Gait
7. Dallas Eliuk
8. Josh Sanderson
9. Bob Watson
10. Casey Powell
11. Pat Coyle
12. Dan Dawson
13. Tom Marechek
14. Shawn Evans
15. Matt Vinc

Every retired player above was either already inducted or has since been called to the NLL’s Hall of Fame.

Dan Dawson, Toronto Rock (Photo: Christian Bender)

How high do you hike Dan Dawson on the GOAT list?

While his Cup win with Saskatchewan likely doesn’t rank near his most memorable due to the reduced role he had with the Rush, it still counts.

What might be most significant over the last six years, however, is how Dawson has reinvented himself and remained relevant during today’s highly-skilled, extra-athletic modern era. His commitment to physical fitness (the guy is jacked under that jersey) and ability to adapt to an offensive role that differs from what he did during his prime, has allowed him to play those 307 (and counting) games, and more importantly, continue to positively impact his team.

As well done as last week’s pre-game ceremony was for Dawson’s monumental games-played milestone, the level of ferocious focus on Dawson’s face during those formalities was the lasting image for many. His compete level is still sky high and another reason why he still matters at the age of 40.

If we were to redo that All-Time Top 50, where would Dawson rank today? Top 10 surely, but how high would you hike him?

Matt Vinc, Buffalo Bandits (Photo: Ben Green)

Who is the best-ever backstop: Dallas Eliuk, Bob Watson or Matt Vinc?

For many years, the conversation of greatest goalie in the NLL was between Eliuk & Watson.

Those who watched during the MILL years were typically Eliuk fans, newer NLL (and Canadian) supporters usually going with Whipper. But, over the last six season, Vinc has easily injected himself into the conversation. Many consider him #1 in fact.

Vinc has been named the NLL’s Goalie of the Year an incredible seven times. Watson has two and Eliuk zero. With that said, the league only established the award in 2001. Eliuk’s greatest seasons took place during the 90s, so his absence from that archive is most definitely misleading when talking goalie GOATs.

From game-play to goalie gear, the position is played so undeniably different over the last three decades, it also makes it extremely difficult to compare the three all-time tendies.

So where does Vinc go? Like Dawson, a Top 10 spot seems like a no brainer for a player as impactful & important as Vinc, but would you put in front of Watson & Eliuk too?

Kyle Rubisch, Saskatchewan Rush

Where does Kyle Rubisch rank?

In USBOXLA’s Top 50, we had Rubisch at #23. Remember, this was six years ago. Since 2016 he’s been an integral piece to two more Rush Cup wins, and although his Defensive Player of the Year nods were put on pause, there’s a good chance he’ll be a contender for the honour again this year. We’ve got him as the top-ranked defensemen heading into Week 18 (see below).

The highest defensive player on the Top 50 was Coyle, who we had eleventh all time. He was the NLL’s first-ever Defensive Player of the Year back in 2022, but like Eliuk, a bulk of Coyle’s greatest seasons happened well ahead of the league establishing positional year-end honours.

Of the 14 players who have been named an NLL Defensive Player of the Year since 2002, only Coyle and Pat McCready have been inducted into the NLL HOF.

So, where does Rubisch rank? Based on his resume, you’d have to have him near or inside the Top 10, right? Does he rank above Coyle? Is there another defensive player that deserve consideration past Coyle & Rubisch?

Cody Jamieson & Shawn Evans, Halifax Thunderbirds (Photo: Trevor MacMillan)

Also worth mentioning, the still active NLLers that made that 2016 Top 50 included: Dawson, Evans, Vinc, Rubisch, Brodie Merrill, Jeff Shattler, Cody Jamieson, Ryan Benesch and Rhys Duch.

How many of today’s top players deserve placement on a similar Top 50 list based on what they’ve accomplished since 2016? Would Lyle Thompson be in your 50? Dhane Smith? Callum Crawford? Curtis Dickson? Dane Dobbie? Too early for 3x Defensive Player of the Year Graeme Hossack to crack that kinda countdown?

Go to TLM’s Twitter, Instagram and Facebook and let us know your answer to any of the above Q’s. Plus, check out our updated Top 30 below.

NLL Player Rankings: Week 17

Rank. (Previous Week) Player, Team, Position (Average Star Rating)

1. (1) Lyle Thompson, Georgia Swarm, F (5.31)
2. (2) Zach Currier, Calgary Roughnecks, T (5.00)
3. (3) Jeff Teat, New York Riptide, F (4.80)*
4. (4) Dhane Smith, Buffalo Bandits, F (4.77)
5. (5) Joe Resetarits, Albany FireWolves, F (4.67)
6. (11) Callum Crawford, New York Riptide, F (4.58)
7. (6) Austin Staats, San Diego Seals, F (4.56)
8. (9) Kyle Rubisch, Saskatchewan Rush, D (4.50)
9. (13) Reid Bowering, Vancouver Warriors, T (4.46)*
10. (10) Wes Berg, San Diego Seals, F (4.45)
11. (7) Ryan Lee, Colorado Mammoth, F (4.38)
12. (12) Shayne Jackson, Georgia Swarm, F (4.38)
13. (18) Curtis Dickson, Calgary Roughnecks, F (4.22)
14. (8) Tom Schreiber, Toronto Rock, F (4.18)
15. (14) Dillon Ward, Colorado Mammoth, G (4.15)
16. (17) Challen Rogers, Toronto Rock, T (4.15)
17. (15) Kiel Matisz, Philadelphia Wings, T (4.15)
18. (16) Jesse King, Calgary Roughnecks, F (4.00)
19. (27) Matt Vinc, Buffalo Bandits, G (3.85)
20. (20) Graeme Hossack, Halifax Thunderbirds, D (3.85)
21. (21) Frank Scigliano, San Diego Seals, G (3.80)
22. (24) Dane Dobbie, San Diego Seals, F (3.75)
23. (25) Keegan Bal, Vancouver Warriors, F (3.75)
24. (23) Mike Messenger, Saskatchewan Rush, T (3.64)
25. (28) Josh Byrne, Buffalo Bandits, F (3.54)
26. (29) Brad Kri, Toronto Rock, D (3.54)
27. (19) Warren Hill, Halifax Thunderbirds, G (3.50)
28. (26) Mitch de Snoo, Toronto Rock, D (3.46)
29. (22) Steve Priolo, Buffalo Bandits, D (3.45)
30. (30) Patrick Dodds, Panther City Lacrosse Club, F (3.38)*

NR = not rated in previous week’s Top 30

*Rookie