NLL Power Rankings: Week 19
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.
With three weeks of regular season lacrosse to go: four teams have clinched, three teams have guaranteed themselves a home date in the one-and-done quarters, eight teams are still vying for the final four available postseason spots, and three teams have been officially eliminated for this year’s NLL playoffs.
This week, we’re examining the highest a team could hope to finish, their present day postseason status, the games they have left on their schedule, their first- & second-half record, plus how on or off we were with our Preseason Rankings.
Toronto Rock, 2011 NLL Cup champions (Photo: Larry Palumbo)
As we examined last season, rarely do teams that falter in the second half of their regular season also win the NLL Cup. The last team to finish below .500 during the final four weeks of their regular season schedule but still win the Cup were the 2011 Toronto Rock, who went 1-4 to end their year and then 3-0 during the playoffs to win it all.
Last year’s NLL Cup finalists, the Buffalo Bandits & Colorado Mammoth finished 2-3 & 3-2 respectively. The Mammoth of course won that drama-filled final, 2-1.
Note: NLLStats.com was used to determine various clinching scenarios through the site’s “Could happen…” pick’em page. Additional note: NLLStats.com was an invaluable resource this season. Follow @GraemePerrow on Twitter for more nerdy NLL numbers stuff.
Toronto Rock 12-4 (1)
Playoff status: Clinched, guaranteed first or second seed in East
Games remaining: vs. Philadelphia (April 15) and at Buffalo (April 22)
First-half record: 7-2
Second-half record so far: 5-2
Preseason ranking: 3
San Diego 12-3 (2)
Playoff status: Clinched, guaranteed first or second seed in West
Games remaining: at Colorado (April 14), vs. Las Vegas (April 22) and vs. Colorado (April 29)
First-half record: 7-2
Second-half record so far: 5-1
Preseason ranking: 1
Calgary Roughnecks 11-5 (4)
Playoff status: Clinched, guaranteed first or second seed in West
Games remaining: vs. Las Vegas (April 14) and at Panther City (April 21)
First-half record: 6-3
Second-half record so far: 5-2
Preseason ranking: 9
Buffalo Bandits 11-4 (3)
Playoff status: Clinched, guaranteed first, second or third seed in East
Games remaining: vs. New York (April 15), vs. Toronto (April 22) and at Albany (April 29)
First-half record: 7-2
Second-half record so far: 4-2
Preseason ranking: 2
Colorado Mammoth 8-7 (5)
Playoff status: In contention for third seed in West and Wild Card
Games remaining: vs. San Diego (April 14), at Saskatchewan (April 22) and at San Diego (April 29)
First-half record: 4-5
Second-half record: 4-2
Preseason ranking: 4
Georgia Swarm 7-8 (9)
Playoff status: In contention for third or fourth seed in East and Wild Card
Games remaining: at Albany (April 15), at Rochester (April 22) and vs. Halifax (April 29)
First-half record: 2-7
Second-half record so far: 5-1
Preseason ranking: 11
Panther City Lacrosse Club 9-7 (6)
Playoff status: In contention for third seed in West and Wild Card
Games remaining: at Vancouver (April 15) and vs. Calgary (April 21)
First-half record: 5-4
Second-half record so far: 4-3
Preseason ranking: 10
Philadelphia Wings 7-8 (7)
Playoff status: In contention for third or fourth seed in East and Wild Card
Games remaining: at Toronto (April 15), at Albany (April 23) and at Rochester (April 29)
First-half record: 4-5
Second-half record so far: 3-3
Preseason ranking: 8
Rochester Knighthawks 9-7 (8)
Playoff status: In contention for second, third or fourth seed in East and Wild Card
Games remaining: vs. Georgia (April 22) and vs. Philadelphia (April 29)
First-half record: 7-2
Second-half record so far: 2-5
Preseason ranking: 13
Halifax Thunderbirds 7-8 (10)
Playoff status: In contention for third or fourth seed in East and Wild Card
Games remaining: at Saskatchewan (April 15), vs. New York (April 22) and at Georgia (April 29)
First-half record: 4-5
Second-half record so far: 3-3
Preseason ranking: 5
Saskatchewan Rush 6-9 (11)
Playoff status: In contention for third seed in West and Wild Card
Games remaining: vs. Halifax (April 15), vs. Colorado (April 22) and at Las Vegas (April 29)
First-half record: 5-4
Second-half record so far: 1-5
Preseason ranking: 6
Las Vegas Desert Dogs 5-10 (12)
Playoff status: In contention for Wild Card
Games remaining: at Calgary (April 14), at San Diego (April 22) and vs. Saskatchewan (April 29)
First-half record: 4-5
Second-half record so far: 1-5
Preseason ranking: 15
Vancouver Warriors 4-12 (13)
Playoff status: Eliminated
Games remaining: vs. Panther City (April 15) and vs. New York (April 29)
First-half record: 1-8
Second-half record so far: 3-4
Preseason ranking: 12
Albany FireWolves 3-12 (15)
Playoff status: Eliminated
Games remaining: vs. Georgia (April 15), vs. Philadelphia (April 23) and vs. Buffalo (April 29)
First-half record: 2-7
Second-half record so far: 1-5
Preseason ranking: 14
New York Riptide 4-11 (14)
Playoff status: Eliminated
Games remaining: at Buffalo (April 15), at Halifax (April 22) and at Vancouver (April 29)
First-half record: 2-7
Second-half record so far: 2-4
Preseason rankings: 7