NLL Power Rankings: Week 19
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.
With only a few weekends of the regular season remaining, in this week’s NLL Power Rankings we also look at how eventual Cup winners have done over the last month of the season. Going back to 2005, all champions except two had winning records over their final four weeks, many using that last month to build momentum.
How will late runs impact this year’s contenders? With only 18 games left in the league, there isn’t much time left to spark a late-season surge.
Season: Team, Last Month (Full Season)
2019: Calgary Roughnecks, 4-1 (10-8)
2018: Saskatchewan Rush, 3-2 (14-4)
2017: Georgia Swarm, 5-1 (13-5)
2016: Saskatchewan Rush, 4-2 (13-5)
2015: Edmonton Rush, 6-1 (13-5)
2014: Rochester Knighthawks, 5-1 (14-4)
2013: Rochester Knighthawks, 4-2 (8-8)
2012: Rochester Knighthawks, 2-3 (7-9)
2011: Toronto Rock, 1-4 (10-6)
2010: Washington Stealth, 4-2 (11-5)
2009: Calgary Roughnecks, 5-2 (12-4)
2008: Buffalo Bandits, 3-1 (10-6)
2007: Rochester Knighthawks, 6-0 (14-2)
2006: Colorado Mammoth, 5-1 (10-6)
2005: Toronto Rock, 6-1 (12-4)
Buffalo Bandits 13-3 (1)
After dropping their last two, including this past week’s loss to the New York Riptide, the Bandits really need to get back on track in a hurry, and with the Georgia Swarm & Toronto Rock up next, that could prove difficult. The last team to win the NLL Cup with a .500 record or lower over their final four weeks… the 2012 Rochester Knighthawks (2-3), who were below .500 for the season too (7-9).
Toronto Rock 11-5 (2)
Had their win over the Rochester Knighthawks been a bit more convincing, we likely would have pushed the Rock to #1. While Toronto too slipped up against the Riptide (March 5, 9-12L), the team has gone 4-1 since, and are playing arguably their best ball of the season. Latrell Harris’ total-package performance in Rochester (2G, 3A, 9LB, 6CTO) was one of the most complete games any player in the league has delivered in 2022.
Colorado Mammoth 10-6 (4)
It wasn’t long ago the Mammoth were liming on a 1-4 stretch and allowing everyone underneath them to quickly close their once healthy gap in the West. Then April hit and Colorado has turned into one of the league’s hottest teams, first dumping the Bandits (15-14), then New York (10-7) and last Saturday stunning San Diego (11-10). They lead the West and punched their post-season ticket too. This is the type of last-month run many of the Cup winners listed above had.
San Diego Seals 9-6 (3)
Although their post-season spot was confirmed over the weekend, San Diego has let first place slip away (for now) during this recent four-game losing skid. The Calgary Roughnecks have crept a couple positive results away from catching them for second too. The Seals end their season against three teams (Panther City, Saskatchewan and Vancouver) who are all below .500 and presently outside of a playoff position.
Calgary Roughnecks 8-7 (10)
It’s the biggest push in the Power Rankings this season, jumping Calgary from 10th to 5th after an incredible weekend that saw them drop both Halifax (13-8) & Panther City (14-4) in convincing fashion. Their final month is shaping up to be somewhat similar to how they ended their 2019 regular season, which of course closed with a Cup clinch. Their vets have played well all year, and the kids are catching up are the perfect time.
Halifax Thunderbirds 9-6 (5)
The team has not looked anywhere near the same since the switch was flipped on a number of significant in-season roster moves starting on March 9th.
Before March 9th
Record: 8-1
Goals For Average: 11.67
Goals Against Average: 9.67
After March 9th
Record: 1-5
Goals For Average: 9.50
Goals Against Average: 11.67
Their game against the Rock this Saturday night is a result that could re-spark their early-season success, or simply continue this late-season collapse.
Philadelphia Wings 8-8 (8)
We’ve focussed primarily on team talk today, but we’ve got to mention how meaningful the addition to Kyle Jackson has been in Philadelphia. Since being dropped by Halifax, Jackson’s points/game have more than doubled going from 2.2 for the Thunderbirds to 5.0 for this new club. The Wings are also 3-1 since signing Jackson, and look increasingly likely to land a playoff spot. In addition to his surging point total, Jackson also has a high LB count (77) and low TO tally (24) in comparison to other top forwards around the league.
Georgia Swarm 8-7 (6)
We had to slip them to make room for Calgary & Philadelphia, who both crushed their Week 19 games, but the Swarm are still very much a frontrunner for a post-season spot one would think. The last weekend of the season has the Wings at Gas South in what could end up being one helluva ending to the regular season.
Panther City Lacrosse Club 6-9 (7)
Although their playoff hopes took a bit of a dent after last week’s one-sided loss to Calgary, Panther City has shown all season that they’re always ready to bite back. The postseason is still very much a possibility, but they’ll need some help. In order to catch Calgary, they’ll require the Roughnecks to stumble somewhat. If third in the West isn’t doable, winning the wild card could still need a similar if not exactly the same win total. Their chances? Not great, but we learned several weeks ago never to count this club out.
New York Riptide 5-10 (12)
Earlier this year we wondered if stopper Steve Orleman’s positive play would be worthy of All-Rookie Team consideration. It is and he’d better get the votes. Although others have had incredibly strong first seasons this year, Jeff Teat put an end to the ROTY debate last week when he scored a sock-trick and added four helpers in New York’s monumental win over Buffalo. Although their season will likely end on April 30th, the vibe this year vs. last feels much more promising.
Albany FireWolves 7-9 (9)
Ya never know, but for Albany to make the playoffs, they’ll likely need two Ws over their last two. They’ve got the Wings this weekend and then the Riptide to close out their season. Philadelphia looks like they’ve found their form again and New York are beating teams right at (Buffalo) or near the top (Toronto) of the standings. This obviously won’t be easy, but they’ve got a roster capable of pulling it off.
Saskatchewan Rush 5-10 (13)
There are three games left in Jeff Shattler’s career. He is unquestionably a future NLL Hall of Famer and one of the most complete players to ever play professional lacrosse. While the Rush’s disappointing season has hogged the headlines in Saskatoon for much of 2022, Shattler’s swan song deserves everyone’s undivided attention over these final few weeks.
Vancouver Warriors 6-10 (11)
Their loss to the Rush all but eliminated them from this year’s playoffs, although mathematically they still may be alive. While missing Mitch Jones for much of the year ultimately hindered their post-season hopes, it’s also allowed others to blossom, especially on offense. Keegan Bal & Kyle Killen, who together scored 12 of the team’s 13 goals last weekend, are two of this year’s most potent point producers. Bal sits sixth overall in points (86) and Killen fifth in goals (38). Although their eventual end-of-season record might suggest otherwise, there was significant growth in Vancouver’s lineup this winter.
Rochester Knighthawks 3-12 (14)
Jared Connors played not only his first NLL game this past weekend, but apparently his first legit box game, ever. A collegiate commodity and PLL pro, Connors looked capable and far from out of place during the team’s tight loss to Toronto. By our quick count, Connors is the 27th American to play in the NLL this season.