NLL Power Rankings: Week 18
Every week during the 2021/22 National Lacrosse League season, The Lax Mag will publish updated NLL Power Rankings reflecting the previous week’s performances, as well as a team’s overall regular season rep, status and success rate.
This week we focus on each team’s shot-blocking leader, a new stat the league started tracking this year.
Buffalo Bandits 13-2 (1)
Steve Priolo should, as usual, get serious consideration for Defensive Player of the Year accolades this season. Although a bit of a dark horse, ditto for Ian MacKay and the Transition Player of the Year Award. While both players sit at 13 stopped shots, they don’t lead the Bandits in blocks. Bryce Sweeting does (16). While many drool over their offensive depth, Buffalo’s defense is pretty damn deep too.
Toronto Rock 10-5 (4)
The Rock are allowing almost a full goal less than anyone else in the East (9.53), this past weekend holding both Georgia (13-9W) & San Diego to single digits (14-7W). Their team leader in blocked shots is Mitch de Snoo (16), who also co-leads the club in caused turnovers alongside Brad Kri (33). Right now, the Rock are sporting the most suffocating defensive unit in the league, the team clinching a post-season spot after this past weekend’s double dub.
San Diego Seals 9-4 (3)
And while the Rock lead the East in fewest finishes allowed, it’s actually San Diego that tops not just the West but the entire NLL too (9.38). Strangely, the Seals have the lowest blocked shots/game tally in the league though (3.62). Cam Holding, Eli Gobrecht and Graydon Bradley have six blocks apiece.
Colorado Mammoth 9-6 (7)
Although he’s missed their last couple after being moved to the team’s short-term holdout list (April 2), Robert Hope easily leads the recently really hot Mammoth in blocked shots (16). He’s not the only one with double-digit blocks in Denver. Both Joey Cupido (12) & Josh Sullivan (11) do, and between his totals in Philadelphia & Colorado, the traded-for Anthony Joaquim does too (10).
Halifax Thunderbirds 9-5 (5)
Like the Seals, the Thunderbirds are another higher-ranking team with a low blocks/game total (4.07, 12th). Three-time Defensive Player of the Year Graeme Hossack leads by a lot (13), but Jake Withers’ 9 blocks are pretty impressive considering how many minutes he logs doing so much else. The league stopped tracking (or at least posting) the very useful time-on-floor tally this year.
Georgia Swarm 8-7 (3)
On this site and our social, we’ve mentioned offensive players like Toronto’s Dan Craig or Panther City’s Will Malcom as this year’s best breakout talent, but what about Adam Wiedemann? The former first rounder has two previous Swarm seasons under his belt, but has most definitely elevated his game in 2022. In addition to leading the Swarm with 12 blocked shots, he’s also third in caused turnovers (16) and has produced some pivotal points pressing up the floor for Georgia this year.
Panther City Lacrosse Club 6-8 (6)
The fact that blocked shots don’t appear on the league’s nifty sortable individual stats table could be why few have noticed how impactful a season rookie Josh Medeiros has been having in Fort Worth. Medeiros’ 16 blocked shots easily leads the expansion side (next closest is captain Chad Cummings with 9) and is the second best block tally anywhere in the NLL.
Scroll to the bottom of the page for the league’s blocked-shots leaderboard coming out of Week 18.
Philadelphia Wings 7-8 (9)
They traded arguably their best blocker, Anthony Joaquim, to Colorado. Alex Pace presently leads the team with 9, Steph Charbonneau second with 8, and a bunch of others own 7 shot stops. The Wings are one of seven teams to block five or more shots/game so far this season.
Albany FireWolves 7-9 (10)
Adrian Sorichetti & Greg Downing lead the Wolves with 11 blocked shots. Downing, who has been in and out of the lineup this year (has played in 12 of Albany’s 16 games after stints on the short-term holdout & COVID-protocol lists), actually has one of the better blocks/game averages league wide, which really shouldn’t be much of a surprise.
Calgary Roughnecks 6-7 (12)
Zach Currier leads the Roughnecks in loose balls (177), caused turnovers (40), face-off winning percentage (57%), shooting percentage for players who’ve shot more than ten times (29%), and you guessed it, blocked shots too (10). It’s safe to say that Currier is easily one of if not the most relied on players anywhere in the NLL this year.
Vancouver Warriors 6-9 (8)
While they’ve slipped out of a playoff spot after a disappointing 0-2 weekend (lost to Calgary & Albany), one area the Warriors easily lead the league in is blocked shots. Garrett McIntosh & rookie Reid Bowering top both Vancouver and the NLL with 20 blocks, the Warriors leading the league with 6.20 blocks/game too. Often referred to as the Soak Squad by the Vancouver broadcast team, their reputation is backed by recorded blocks, a lot of them.
New York Riptide 4-10 (11)
Due to his athleticism, experience, and willingness to put his body in front of blasts, Damon Edwards leads New York in blocked shots (11). Darryl Robertson, a quietly consistent Riptide regular (one of four defensemen to play in every New York game this winter), sits second with 9 blocks.
Saskatchewan Rush 4-10 (12)
It isn’t Kyle Rubisch, Ryan Dilks, Mike Messenger or even Chris Corbeil that leads the Rush in the block column. Jeff Cornwall (12) & Matt Beers (11), who’ve effectively pressured many shooters into looks they probably didn’t love, lead the struggling Saskatchewan side in blocks.
Rochester Knighthawks 3-11 (14)
Paul Dawson was hoping he’d finally register his first 100 loose-ball season in 2022. He’s halfway there but only has four games left to scoop 50, so it seems unlikely. Maybe he’ll settle on being one of the league’s top blockers though? Dawson leads the last-place Knighthawks with 16 shots stopped, only Vancouver’s McIntosh & Bowering with better totals (20). Thomas Whitty is also up there with 15 after 13 games with Rochester this year.
NLL Blocked Shots Leaders as of Week 18
T1. Reid Bowering, Vancouver Warriors 20*
T1. Garrett McIntosh, Vancouver Warriors 20
T3. Paul Dawson, Rochester Knighthawks 16
T3. Mitch de Snoo, Toronto Rock 16
T3. Robert Hope, Colorado Mammoth 16
T3. Josh Medeiros, Panther City Lacrosse Club 16*
T3. Bryan Sweeting, Buffalo Bandits 16
8. Thomas Whitty, Rochester Knighthawks 15
T9. Steve Priolo, Buffalo Bandits 13
T9. Graeme Hossack, Halifax Thunderbirds 13
T9. Ian MacKay, Buffalo Bandits 13
T9. Kevin Brownell, Buffalo Bandits 12
T9. Jeff Cornwall, Saskatchewan Rush 12
T9. Joey Cupido, Colorado Mammoth 12
T9. Adam Wiedemann, Georgia Swarm 12
T16. Matt Beers, Saskatchewan Rush 11
T16. Greg Downing, Albany FireWolves 11
T16. Damon Edwards, New York Riptide 11
T16. Josh Sullivan, Colorado Mammoth 11