NLL Player Rankings: Week 12
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 Ranking Highlights: Week 12
Holden Cattoni was tops for the first two weeks, Lyle Thompson #1 the next four, and now Zach Currier claims the leaderboard lead after a pair of spectacular performances for the Calgary Roughnecks in Week 12.
Since having his face-off duties dropped after Tyler Burton came back, Currier’s contributions to both sides of the carpet for Calgary have climbed, statistically at least.
During his first four games this year (when he was the primary or secondary on draws) Currier was averaging 0.5 goals/game and 1.75 caused turnovers/game. His next/last four (hasn’t been required to take a single FO) his goal scoring has doubled and he’s averaging nearly 5CTs nightly.
#17 Warren Hill, Halifax Thunderbirds (Photo: Trevor MacMillan)
While many still stand by the statement that, “Face-offs don’t matter in the NLL,” having a dedicated drawman allows players subbing in at centre to concentrate fully on their more meaningful game-day demands. Although he slipped just outside of the Top 30 this week, Toronto’s Brad Kri is seeing a similar trend on the turf since the Rock added TD Ierlan to their active roster. The Rock’s pure-defensive power is on pace to obliterate his single-season CT tally and likely his lowest FO-taking total since Kri’s first years in the league with Vancouver. Coincidence? Definitely not.
Back to Currier, who scored in both of the Roughneck’s battles this past weekend and for the second straight week posted one of the season’s most absurd single-game stat lines (vs. Panther City: 1G, 21LB and 5CT). Of players playing a true transition role in 2022, no one ranks ahead of Currier, and as of Week 12, we’ve got him the best in the biz no matter the game-day gig.
#30 Jordan MacIntosh, Georgia Swarm (Photo: Kyle Hess)
There are technically no new names in this week’s rankings but rather three returning players: Keegan Bal (Vancouver), Austin Shanks (Halifax) and Jordan MacIntosh (Georgia). Dropping just outside of the 30 this week: Matt Hossack (Panther City), Josh Byrne (Buffalo) and the previously mentioned Kri (Toronto).
So far this season, of the approximately 400 players that have competed in the NLL, 26 of them have been named a TLM top-six star in every game they’ve played. Most are currently or have been in the Top 30 at some point this season. Those consistently selected players are: Wes Berg (San Diego), Reid Bowering (Vancouver), Holden Cattoni (Rochester), Callum Crawford (New York), Zach Currier (Calgary), Dane Dobbie (San Diego), Shawn Evans (Rochester), Matt Gilray (Rochester), Warren Hill (Halifax), Robert Hope (Colorado), Graeme Hossack (Halifax), Matt Hossack (Panther City), Mitch Jones (Vancouver), Jesse King (Calgary), Brad Kri (Toronto), Kiel Matisz (Philadelphia), Eli McLaughlin (Colorado), Mike Messenger (Saskatchewan), Jeremy Noble (San Diego), Steve Priolo (Buffalo), Challen Rogers (Toronto), Kyle Rubisch (Saskatchewan), Dhane Smith (Buffalo), Austin Staats (San Diego), Jeff Teat (New York) and Lyle Thompson (Georgia).
#13 Challen Rogers, Toronto Rock (Photo: Ryan McCullough)
For those wondering why a favourite, streaking or statistically-stacked player doesn’t appear below, as we mentioned when this started, every game a player plays in is taken into consideration. Players piling up points in a handful of games might look great on their season-long stat line, but doesn’t define them as highly in the TLM Player Rankings. If someone has a stinker or two earlier in the year, is silent for stretches or their importance & impact in a game is out-ranked by a talented teammate, that will negatively impact their full-season score here. These rankings are about the 2022 NLL regular season from start to finish, not just memorable moments, statistical spikes or recent noteworthy runs.
NLL Player Rankings: Week 12
Rank. (Previous Week) Player, Team, Position (Average Star Rating)
1. (2) Zach Currier, Calgary Roughnecks, T (5.38)
2. (1) Lyle Thompson, Georgia Swarm, F (5.30)
3. (3) Dillon Ward, Colorado Mammoth, G (4.75)
4. (4) Graeme Hossack, Halifax Thunderbirds, D (4.57)
5. (7) Tom Schreiber, Toronto Rock, F (4.57)
6. (16) Joe Resetarits, Albany FireWolves, F (4.50)
7. (6) Reid Bowering, Vancouver Warriors, D (4.50)*
8. (9) Austin Staats, San Diego Seals, F (4.40)
9. (5) Dhane Smith, Buffalo Bandits, F (4.38)
10. (11) Ryan Lee, Colorado Mammoth, F (4.38)
11. (8) Jesse King, Calgary Roughnecks, F (4.38)
12. (10) Jeff Teat, New York Riptide, F (4.33)*
13. (19) Challen Rogers, Toronto Rock, T (4.22)
14. (24) Curtis Dickson, Calgary Roughnecks, F (4.20)
15. (13) Dane Dobbie, San Diego Seals, F (4.14)
16. (14) Wes Berg, San Diego Seals, F (4.14)
17. (20) Warren Hill, Halifax Thunderbirds, G (4.14)
18. (12) Kyle Rubisch, Saskatchewan Rush, D (4.13)
19. (21) Mike Messenger, Saskatchewan Rush, T (4.13)
20. (17) Callum Crawford, New York Riptide, F (4.13)
21. (15) Steve Priolo, Buffalo Bandits, D (4.13)
22. (18) Shayne Jackson, Georgia Swarm, F (4.00)
23. (22) Holden Cattoni, Rochester Knighthawks, F (4.00)
24. (23) Kiel Matisz, Philadelphia Wings, T (4.00)
25. (NR) Keegan Bal, Vancouver Warriors, F (3.57)
26. (25) Alex Buque, Vancouver Warriors, G (3.57)
27. (27) Zach Higgins, Philadelphia Wings, G (3.56)
28. (28) Ryland Rees, Rochester Knighthawks, T (3.50)
29. (NR) Austin Shanks, Halifax Thunderbirds, F (3.33)
30. (NR) Jordan MacIntosh, Georgia Swarm, T (3.30)
NR = not rated in previous week’s Top 30
*Rookie