NLL Power Rankings: Week 10

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’re also looking at all 14 teams’ unsung hero. Players that have proved pivotal but rarely get the press their in-game impact deserves.

But first, let’s look back at the league’s history of providing unpraised pro players with some much deserved pub.

After the Eagle Pro Box Lacrosse League bounced their short-lived branding to a very 90’s Major Indoor Lacrosse League vibe, the loop began handing out hardware, both league-wide accolades and team-specific stuff too. In addition to awarding a MILL MVP & Championship Game MVP, each team also named their own most valuable, plus an Unsung Hero Award.

From 1988 to 1997 (with a few seasons missed or maybe just unrecorded), each MILL team awarded an unsung-hero title to a player whose talents weren’t regularly acknowledge. It was often a more defensive-minded player that didn’t pop on the scoresheet or stand out in the statistical standings. Those neat nods ended when the league renamed itself the NLL in 1998.

Here are all the MILL’s Unsung Hero Award winners:

1988: Mark Pearce (Baltimore), Scott Huff (New Jersey), Steve McGrath (Philadelphia) and Tim Hastings (Washington)

1991: Matt Kerwick (Baltimore), Peter Schmitz (New England), Jeff Nicklas (New York) and Gary Martin (Philadelphia)

1992: Matt Kerwick (Baltimore), Bruce Chanenchuk (Boston), Brian Hall (Buffalo), Jack Sebastian (Detroit), Bob Cummings (New York), Rick Fried (Philadelphia) and Bob Martino (Pittsburgh)

1993: Dan Britton (Baltimore), Eric Seremet (Boston), Walt Cataldo (Boston), Stu Aird (Buffalo), Adam Mueller (Detroit), Pat Lea (Detroit), Gordon Purdie (New York), Chris Flynn (Philadelphia) and Tim Hormes (Pittsburgh)

1994: Brian Kroneberger (Baltimore), Bruce Chanenchuk (Boston), Stu Aird (Buffalo), Dean Cecconi (Detroit), Andy Kraus (New York) and Chris Flynn (Philadelphia)

1995: JJ Pearl (Baltimore), Bruce Chanenchuk (Boston), Stu Aird (Buffalo), Brian O’Keefe (New York), John McEvoy (Philadelphia) and Regy Thorpe (Rochester)

1996: Bob Martino (Baltimore), Tim Hormes (Baltimore), Dave Donovan (Boston), Mike Hasen (Buffalo), Todd Katanchik (Charlotte), Pat McCabe (New York), Brian Voelker (Philadelphia) and Regy Thorpe (Rochester)

1997: Kip Fulks (Baltimore), Mark Theriault (Boston), Glenn Stevens (Boston), Rich Kilgour (Buffalo), Dwight Maetche (New York), Brian Voelker (Philadelphia) and Regy Thorpe (Rochester)

NLL Power Rankings: Week 10

Buffalo Bandits 6-0 (1)

The fact that Kyle Buchanan has twice been nominated as the NLL’s Teammate of the Year (with two different teams) speaks volumes of what he’s thought of internally. In the TLM Top 100, we said, “The Bandits didn’t sign Buchanan for the goals he’ll get them (although getting back to 20+ goal status seems likely), but rather the ones he’ll make happen.” True, but he’s clearly capable of scoring slick stuff like this too…

San Diego Seals 5-1 (2)

The San Diego Seals’ own end is typically not acknowledged nearly enough for their defensively dynamic play, so we could have easily picked a number of names that deserve accolade & appreciation. It took Tor Reinholdt some time to find his full-time spot in the NLL, but he’s certainly secured a very specific role in San Diego. He’s played in every Seals game possible since signing as a free agent with the club prior to their expansion season, and is one of their most relied on and dependable defensive players that leads through his physicality, tenacity and relentless work rate.

Colorado Mammoth 5-1 (3)

John Lintz played for the Rush right when they started getting defensively dominant (2010) to when they were seemingly always so suffocatingly stingy (2016). He rarely garnered much attention playing behind the likes of Rubisch, Corbeil, Mydske and others. Now competing in his 12th NLL season, his third with the Mammoth, Lintz remains one of the league’s more trusted & talented pure defensive defenders. While other top-end talent usually hog the headlines, Lintz is also big reason why Colorado has looked so consistently good to start the 2022 season.

Halifax Thunderbirds 4-1 (5)

Defensively he’s not as destructive as Graeme Hossack or quite as explosive as Tyson Bell on the press, but Brad Gillies is easily one of the Thuderbirds’ most talented, athletic and hard-working defenders, whose league-wide stock continues to climb. While is press points have slipped a bit from previous seasons (24G, 31A in 70 career games before 2022), Gillies’ game glows for a variety of different defensive reasons making him a versatile back-end threat every time he touches the turf.

Toronto Rock 4-3 (6)

You don’t often think of a team’s leading point producer as an unsung hero, but in Dan Craig’s case, he very much is. With more points presently (33) than any of the Rock’s high-profile talent, Craig has been arguably the club’s most consistent player over the past month.

While most outside of Toronto’s locker room have likely undervalued Craig, Rock Head Coach Matt Sawyer certainly hasn’t. The bench boss recently stated, “Dan has been outstanding for us. He does so much. He’s on the top of our scoresheet, he’s real active out there getting loose balls and regaining possessions, and it’s been good to see him getting better and better each and every game.”

Albany FireWolves 4-3 (4)

Albany has a bunch that could be brought up here, but we’ll agree with Tyson Bell, who last week said, “LaFontaine, who is my eyes is one of the top defenders in the league…He’s put in his time.” Like Lintz, John LaFontaine left an all-time deadly defensive unit with the Rush (2011-2017), and rarely got the proper praise his defensive game deserved. There are few defenders in the NLL with the same level of leadership, athleticism and decision making that Lafontaine has had for so, so, so long now.

Philadelphia Wings 5-4 (7)

While the most consistent trend during the Wings’ season so far seems to be, well, inconsistency, the defensive dependability Anthony Joaquim has displayed in 2022 has been one of the more pleasantly positive performances in Philadelphia. Joaquim has been a loose-ball hound (41), has a nice transitional touch, and impressively leads the team in caused turnovers (14) due to his relentless and refined defensive play.

Georgia Swarm 3-5 (8)

On reputation, Jordan Hall is an NLL all-timer, truly. On being acknowledge as such throughout his career, not so much. Many felt he was robbed of the ROTY in 2008. Since then, the supremely-skilled Hall has only made an NLL All-Pro Second Team twice. First? Never. A multiple Sportsmanship Award winner, sure, but he’s better than a budget Lady Bying. The 37-year-old Swarm standout sits second in Georgia point production behind only, shocker, Lyle Thompson & Shayne Jackson, and continues to play a critical role for the club. His proven leadership is likely a big reason why this young Swarm side has experienced some success recently too.

Saskatchewan Rush 2-4 (9)

Search the NLL Media Guide for mentions of Matt Beers and you’ll get a bunch of returns for his plentiful PIMs and constant CTs, but that’s where it ends. The BC-born Beers has been a Top 10 if not Top 5 pure defensive performer during most if not his entire career, yet year-end accolades have alarming averted acknowledging him. Since 2022, 20 players have been recognized as the NLL’s Defensive Player of the Year. Not a single one from British Columbia. In 2014, the league also began announcing finalists (or runners up), 21 to be exact. Guess what? No BC boys, again. For those that thought Beers was maybe slowing down, if you’ve seen him in Saskatoon this season, you’d know that’s far from the case.

Vancouver Warriors 3-3 (10)

After returning from not one but two major knee injuries, Tyler Codron is most definitely the definition of a pro lacrosse unsung hero. Vancouver Head Coach, Chris Grill, once told NLL.com that Codron is “an unbelievable leader for us…He does whatever it takes in the dressing room and on the floor.” Warriors GM, Dan Richardson, followed up with, “He might be overlooked outside of our locker room, but he’s definitely not within it…He’s a guy that junior players look to when the going gets tough; the way that he motivates his teammates is exactly what a coach would want to see out of a leader.”

New York Riptide 1-6 (11)

Scott Dominey sits second in team loosies behind only face-off taker Jay Thorimbert (an unsung hero himself), is up there in CTs too (10), plus has scored one of the most silly-skilled goals the season (see below). He’s awesomely athletic, high energy, physical and can clearly torch you in transition no matter the scenario. He may be a bit younger than most we’ve mentioned, but Dominey definitely deserves additional attention for what he’s provided the rebuilt Riptide in 2022. Expect more of the same the rest of the way.

Calgary Roughnecks 1-4 (12)

At some point this season, Curtis Manning will have played 150 regular season NLL games. Over that time, he’s been one of the most versatile, steady and difference-making defenders in the sport, but also one of the least talked about when it comes to warranted league-wide recognition. When returning from injury in 2019, Calgary Head Coach, Curt Malawsky, told the Calgary Sun, “…he’s a big body and very athletic and very intelligent player. He eats up a lot of space out there and keeps guys off his body really well...” Curtis Dickson was a bit more blunt and simply called Curtis “an animal”.

Rochester Knighthawks 2-5 (13)

We had him at 101 in our Top 100 and felt awful for not including him, because Curtis Knight is as consistent, composed, capable and clever an offensive performer as there is. Far from flashy, Knight is just a point and goal shy of leading both stat columns for the Knighthawks, while his goals scored to turnover tally (12:3) is one of the most impressive anywhere in the league so far this season. He’s ready, reliable and respected, always.

Panther City Lacrosse Club 1-6 (14)

Honestly, Liam Byrnes might be Panther City’s MVP so far this season. Although Matt Hossack went first in the PCLC Expansion Draft and Chad Cummings had a ‘C’ stitched into his sweater, Byrnes has arguably been the team’s most impactful defensemen seven games into their opening season. Byrnes is big but moves well for his size, is athletic as hell, and will likely crush his single season career LB & CT counts, both of which are Top 10ish in the NLL today.