NLL Power Rankings: Week 16
Every week during the 2022-23 National Lacrosse League season, The Lax Mag will publish updated NLL Power Rankings reflecting the previous week’s performances, as well as incorporating a team’s overall regular season rep, status, and success rate.
San Diego Seals 9-2 (3)
At 9-2, the Seals are swimming out to one of the more impressive starts of any team in recent memory, last week easily handling the Warriors (16-9W). The Friday night win was also the third straight W for goalie Frank Scigliano, who earlier this season seemed to have lost his starting spot in San Diego.
Buffalo Bandits 10-3 (1)
The Bandits lost their 2022 NLL Cup rematch against the Mammoth on Saturday (8-13L), but did finally get Chase Fraser (2G) back in the lineup after a lengthy injury-related rest. The loss was the first time Buffalo’s potent and now-healthy offense was held to single digits this year.
Calgary Roughnecks 9-4 (5)
Limiting the Rush’s offense to just 39 looks and an even more impressive six goals against, the thriving Roughnecks beat their West Conference rival for the second time this season (11-6W). It was also the seventh time Christian Del Bianco held the opposition to single digits this season.
Toronto Rock 10-4 (2)
Just 1-2 over their last three (Toronto had won eight straight previously), the Rock’s 12-14L to the Thunderbirds prevented them from clinching a coveted post-season spot early. No Mitch de Snoo for a fifth straight game (IR) or Challen Rogers for a second, the Rock need a big result this Saturday against last-place Albany to reassert themselves at the top of the East standings no matter who’s in the lineup.
Colorado Mammoth 6-6 (7)
Breaking news: the Colorado Mammoth are considerably better with Ryan Lee in the lineup. Yes, they won 2022 without him, but the Mammoth’s IR-heavy roster plays so much sharper and elevated with Lee on the floor. They are an instant Cup contender, again, with him back and healthy, again. Dillon Ward allowing just eight against a Bandits offense that was averaging 13 an outing before Week 16, helped Colorado pull off their biggest W of the season.
Rochester Knighthawks 9-3 (4)
A few weeks back, we felt Rochester might have had the most appealing second-half schedule of this year’s contenders, but after barely beating Georgia (19-88W) and then losing to Philadelphia on Sunday (8-9OTL), they’ve been struggling to reestablish their first-half success. After starting the season 6-0, the Knighthawks are just 3-4 over their last seven.
Halifax Thunderbirds 6-7 (8)
Forget their early season shoot-the-lights-out results, the Thunderbirds’ 14-12W over Rock on Saturday night was the team’s biggest dub of the year. Warren Hill is playing like he did during the first half of 2022 (FYI: that means he’s playing extremely well), their offensive press is piling up points, and their offense is still spicy. This team is motivated, and it shows.
Panther City Lacrosse Club 8-5 (6)
Kinda greasy of us to drop Panther City two spots after a win (11-8 over Las Vegas), but the quality of victory by those around them in this week’s Power Rankings, were, well, more powerful. A win over the #1 ranked Seals this coming Friday, however, would easily push them into Top 5 territory.
Philadelphia Wings 5-7 (10)
After losing to then two-win Georgia, Philadelphia came back a day later to stun the Knighthawks in OT (9-8W) on Sunday, a hugely important win in their hunt for a post-season spot. As noted in last week’s Clutch Kings, there have been few players as money as Blaze Riorden over the last two season. He scored a fourth quarter hat trick in the Swarm loss, plus netted that extra-frame finisher versus the Knighthawks.
Georgia Swarm 3-8 (11)
After a sobering 0-7 start to the year (albeit against really high-end opposition), the Swarm are 3-1 over their last four (albeit with two against Albany), their 13-12W over Philadelphia in Week 16 the team’s most impressive result yet. Prior to 2023, Seth Oakes had 18 career goals in three seasons (2017-2019). After missing the last few years, the former first rounder has scored 14 in just eight games with the Swarm, and would be a Comeback Player of the Year frontrunner if the award existed in the NLL.
New York Riptide 4-9 (12)
The Riptide have consecutive wins for the first time this year after again dropping Albany (13-10W), sweeping their inter-state series with the FireWolves 3-0 in 2023. Another nine-point night for Jeff Teat (his seventh 9+ point game this year), gives him an even bigger lead in the scoring race, and maybe MVP convo too?
Saskatchewan Rush 5-7 (9)
Don’t look now, but the Rush are riding a four-game losing streak (1-5 over last six) and have handed over the fourth spot in the West to the Mammoth after their disappointing Week 16 loss to Calgary (6-11L). Is 12th too low for a team many felt would easily be playoff bound in 2023? Do you think they’d beat New York, Georgia or Philadelphia right now? They haven’t won in over a month and desperately need a W against the Roughnecks this Saturday in Saskatoon to start saving their season.
Las Vegas Desert Dogs 4-8 (13)
The Desert Dogs three-game win streak has quickly transitioned into a three-game losing streak after this past weekend’s 11-8 loss to Panther City. We were worried about their second-half schedule when we reviewed matchups a few weeks back, and here’s what they’ve got left: San Diego x2, Rochester, Colorado, Calgary and Saskatchewan.
Vancouver Warriors 3-10 (14)
They were almost doubled up by the Seals on Friday (9-16L), but the Warriors really can’t ask for much more from mid-season addition Aaron Bold between the pipes. Bold registered his second 50+ save performance over the team’s last three games, his .785 SV% not far off this year’s leaders either. Although the team struggled to find offensive consistency against San Diego, rookie Chase Scanlan netted the first hat trick of his NLL career.
Albany FireWolves 2-10 (15)
Prior to moving to Albany, the franchise was in Uncasville (New England Black Wolves) for a short stint and of course Philadelphia (Wings) for almost three decades. Currently 2-10 (.167%), the club is on the verge of running the worst record they’ve ever had, and that’s going back to 1987 in Philly (more below). Although they have six games to secure another W, the team’s record for fewest wins in a season is three, although during significantly shorter seasons than played today.
Worst records in FireWolves franchise history
New England 2015: 4-14 (.222)
Philadelphia 2010: 5-11 (.313)
Philadelphia 2011: 5-11 (.313)
Philadelphia 1988: 3-5 (.375)
Philadelphia 1992: 3-5 (.375)
Philadelphia 2005: 6-10 (.375)
Philadelphia 2007: 6-10 (3.75)
Philadelphia 2014: 6-10 (3.75)