NLL Power Rankings: Week 8

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.

Rochester Knighthawks 6-0 (2)

In what was their toughest test of the season, the Knighthawks’ second-half surge against the Bandits was enough to earn that impressive 15-12 win, but also full respect from around the league (the opposite likely no longer a motivator). Rylan Hartley was clutch in his crease (44 saves), Connor Fields flourished while fending off a flurry of abuse (3 goals, 5 assists, 9 loose balls), Ryan Smith had his most money game of the season (5 goals, 4 assists), and Matt Gilray is in TPOTY contender form for sure (1 goal, 1 assist, 10 loose balls, 1 block).

Toronto Rock 4-2 (4)

The Rock humiliated the Wings on Philly’s own floor, their one-sided 14-5 final arguably this year’s most dominant single-game performance from any team. Yes, they’re getting exceptional performances from players like Nick Rose, Tom Schreiber and Mitch de Snoo, but the team is doing all the little things right, regularly outworking the opposition up and down their loaded lineup.

Buffalo Bandits 4-2 (1)

After taking a decent three-goal lead into the half, Buffalo was largely silenced in the second by a Knighthawks team that flipped the script for the final two quarters. Rochester quieted many of their press opportunities that other teams had been unable to slow in recent weeks, which is a huge part of Buffalo’s aggressive two-way game. They played well, but the Knighthawks played better when it mattered most.

San Diego Seals 4-1 (3)

A slight slide to make room for the East’s talented top three, the Seals will see the Mammoth on Saturday night (Ball Arena, 9pm ET) in a rematch of last year’s West Conference Final won by Cup-defending Colorado. Coming off a bye, San Diego is looking for a bounce-back performance after dropping their first of the season to Calgary two weeks ago.

Colorado Mammoth 3-1 (5)

Last year, the Mammoth were the West’s more dominate home team, going 7-2 at Ball Arena during the regular season. One of those two rare losses came to this weekend’s opponent, the Sean Diego Seals, who also handed them another L in Denver during the playoffs. A third-straight W at home this Saturday would skip them over the Seals in the standings. The last time Colorado finished a season sitting first in the West Conference? 2007.

Calgary Roughnecks 3-2 (6)

We didn’t get a Roughnecks vs. Rock match at all last year, a highly anticipated all-Canadian clash that has created some all-time moments in the NLL (going back to Matt Green vs. Dan Ladouceur). The Roughnecks were probably a bit pissed they didn’t see the Rock a season ago. Since 2018, Calgary is up 3-1 in their series versus Toronto, including a 15-9W in their last one at the Saddledome, which is where the two teams will meet this Saturday (TSN Game of the Week, 9pm ET).

Saskatchewan Rush 2-2 (7)

Like we mentioned last week, the Rush are just two OT goals shy of being 4-0, so seventh in the Power Rankings does seem a bit harsh. They’ll get the Desert Dogs this weekend (Saturday, 8:30pm ET) and the Warriors a week after (Saturday, 10pm ET), which should help them find their way to four, right?

Halifax Thunderbirds 3-3 (8)

The Thunderbirds were flirting with first place prior to an 0-2 weekend that sank them to .500. Their response against an undefeated Knighthawks team at home in Halifax on Friday (6pm ET) is most certainly a pivotal point of their season. It’s Knighthawks 1.0 vs. 2.0 in what might be Week 9’s most meaningful match.

Panther City Lacrosse Club 3-3 (10)

Well, it might have been a bye week, but Panther City was super busy, obtaining vet forward Callum Crawford in an early season swap with the Riptide. Will their young offense find quick chemistry with one of the league’s all-time assist producers (Crawford ranks seventh all time behind just John Grant, Shawn Evans, Colin Doyle, Josh Sanderson and John Tavares), and more importantly, will it get them into the West’s Top 4 (San Diego, Colorado, Calgary and Saskatchewan)? It’s clearly why the deal was made.

Albany FireWolves 2-3 (9)

Dropping to 2-3, the FireWolves failed to get back-to-back Ws, having maybe their worst game of the season in their loss to the Riptide on Saturday night. It was also their third loss at MVP Arena, easily one of the league’s emptiest arenas this year and last. After an extremely difficult start to their season (Buffalo, Rochester and Halifax x2 prior to New York), the FireWolves will see sub .500 teams six times over their next seven.

New York York Riptide 1-4 (13)

Their 16 against Albany (16-10W) was not surprisingly a season high for the Riptide, who had been averaging single-digit totals over those previous three that led to a ton of change on and off the floor. Jeff Teat too looked the best he has all year, both as a feeder and finisher against the FireWolves. His shot totals especially spiked after dropping in recent games. Take a look:

Game 1 (vs. San Diego L): 15 shots, 4 goals, 7 assists
Game 2 (vs. Halifax L): 14 shots, 2 goals, 5 assists
Game 3 (vs. Toronto L): 5 shots, 0 goals, 2 assists
Jim Veltman hired, Rick Lisk promoted
Game 4 (vs. Rochester L): 5 shots, 0 goals, 5 assists
Callum Crawford traded to PCLC
Game 5: vs. Albany W): 19 shots, 7 goals, 5 assists

Like New York newbie Brett Hickey tweeted after his six-point night, “Just get the ball to 51.”

Philadelphia Wings 2-3 (11)

If everyone played with the same effort, emotion and energy as Blaze Riorden has this season, the Wings would not be 2-3 right now. Since the start of the 2021-22 regular season, Philadelphia is 1-10 against last year’s playoff teams.

Georgia Swarm 0-4 (12)

Their narrow loss against the Bandits a few weeks ago was likely their best performance of the season, but at 0-4, the Swarm need Ws bad if playoffs are in their plans. With that said, the Swarm are off a second straight week, not ideal considering the game in Buffalo seemed to light a spark.

Las Vegas Desert Dogs 1-4 (15)

An all-time comeback against the Warriors got the Desert Dogs the franchise’s first win. The post-game speech 22-year-old Landon Kells gave after the historic victory seemed well beyond what a player his age would deliver, further fortifying his future as their leader between the pipes. Only two players have more assists than Vegas forward Rob Hellyer right now (24), and one of them has played one more game than the former MVP Finalist.

Vancouver Warriors 1-5 (14)

Aden Walsh has essentially been handed the Matt King role from 2002 in Calgary, when an inexperienced pro goalie is given the starter spot because there really are no other options. Walsh, who had an incredible season with the Oakville Buzz this past summer in the OJLL and is a high-end pro prospect, is having a lot asked of him right now. As we reviewed last year with Steve Orleman in New York, it’s incredibly rare for a rookie to play those types of full-time minutes in Year 1. Neither Orleman or King got their team into the playoffs during their rookie season, but King did go on to a fairly successful pro career, which included a Calgary Cup win in 2009 playing for… Troy Cordingley, Vancouver’s current head coach & interim GM.

It’s also interesting to note that the league exploded from nine teams in 2001 to 13 in 2002. While the player pool has seemed to survive the NLL’s most recent rapid expansion effort under now-gone Commissioner Nick Sakiewicz (nine teams in 2018 to 15 in 2023), the goalie position seemingly has not stood up as well.