Teat, Orleman, Bowering and Dodds nearing end of dominant rookie runs
Jeff Teat, New York Riptide (Photo: Stacey Salter)
This past weekend, New York Riptide rookies Jeff Teat and Steve Orleman set new single-season rookie records during the team’s 16-13 loss to the Halifax Thunderbirds.
While the result officially removed the Riptide from post-season contention, the duo’s impressive play this season has provided a significant boost for a second-year squad seemingly headed for coming-soon success.
Teat jumped Tom Schreiber for assists by a rookie in a debut season, plus passed Randy Staats for points from a first-year player during last week’s game against the Thunderbirds.
Patrick Dodds, Panther City Lacrosse Club (Photo: Dylan Nadwodny)
Panther City Lacrosse Club standout rookie, Patrick Dodds, who last week found out his talented expansion team would also miss the playoffs, sits high on some all-time rookie rankings already as well. He’ll soon be suiting up for the Victoria Shamrocks for his final season of Junior lacrosse this summer.
With single game still left for all teams this weekend, here’s where both first-year forwards rank amongst the top rookie assist and point producers going back to the National Lacrosse League’s first season in 1987.
As of April 26, 2022. All stats provided by NLL.com.
All-Time Rookie Assists
Jeff Teat, New York (2022) 67
Tom Schreiber, Toronto (2016) 61
Randy Staats, Georgia (2016) 59
Patrick Dodds, Panther City (2022) 57
Jesse King, Georgia (2016) 55
Rhys Duch, San Jose (2009) 54
Gavin Prout, New York (2002) 52
Garrett Billings, Toronto (2010) 50
Blaine Manning, Toronto (2002) 50
Ben McIntosh, Edmonton (2015) 49
Adam Jones, Colorado (2012) 47
All-Time Rookie Points
Jeff Teat, New York (2022) 103
Randy Staats, Georgia (2016) 95
Tom Schreiber, Toronto (2017) 94
Rhys Duch, San Jose (2009) 89
Ben McIntosh, Edmonton (2015) 86
Garrett Billings, Toronto (2010) 83
Gavin Prout, New York (2022) 82
Stephan Leblanc, Toronto (2010) 82
John Grant, Rochester (2000) 77
Daryl Veltman, Boston (2009) 77
Jesse King, Georgia (2016) 77
Although it would take quite a final performance to catch Paul Gait’s remarkable 47 rookie goals, Teat has steadily climbed the goal leaderboard in recent weeks. Becoming just the third rookie ever to finish with 40 goals seems within reach this weekend.
All-Time Rookie Goals
Paul Gait, Detroit (1991) 47
Ryan Painter, Ottawa (2002) 45
Mark Matthews, Edmonton (2013) 38
John Grant, Rochester (2001) 37
Ben McIntosh, Edmonton (2015) 37
Jeff Teat, New York (2022) 36
Stephan Leblanc, Toronto (2010) 36
Kevin Crowley, Philadelphia (2012) 36
Logan Schuss, Minnesota (2014) 36
Randy Staats, Georgia (2016) 36
Rhys Duch, San Jose (2009) 35
Ryan Smith, Rochester (2022) 33
Steve Orleman, New York Riptide
Much earlier this year, we wondered if Orleman’s season would be good enough to garner really rare All-Rookie Team goalie inclusion. Several weeks later, and it would be shocking if the Riptide’s starting stopper wasn’t named to the exclusive year-end team. Last week he topped tender Matt King for most saves made by a rookie, the former Calgary Roughnecks backstop #1 in that rookie rundown for the past 20 years.
All-Time Rookie Saves
Steve Orleman, New York (2022) 628
Matt King, Calgary (2002) 603
Dillon Ward, Colorado (2014) 592
Doug Buchan, Philadelphia (2019) 532
Matt Roik, New Jersey (2002) 430
Chris Sanderson, Baltimore (1999) 388
Zach Higgins, Minnesota (2014) 331
Mike Miron, Columbus (2002) 319
Phil Wetherup, Buffalo (2001) 318
Andrew Leyshon, Ottawa (2002) 299
Reid Bowering, Vancouver Warriors (Photo: Jaclyn McKee)
Meanwhile, Vancouver Warriors’ defensive dynamo, rookie Reid Bowering, will almost surely set a new caused-turnover record in the team’s final game this Saturday. While it would take by far his highest haul of his outstanding season, Bowering is also nearing Brodie Merrill’s loose-ball rookie total too. Like the three high-level rookies mentioned earlier, Bowering’s Warriors were recently bounced from the 2022 playoff picture too.
All-Time Rookie Caused Turnovers
Zach Currier, Calgary (2018) 33
Reid Bowering, Vancouver (2022) 32
Latrell Harris, Toronto (2017) 29
Robert Hope, Colorado (2015) 28
Mitch de Snoo, Buffalo (2016) 26
Chad Tutton, Georgia (2016) 24
Tyler Garrison, Washington (2013) 21
Graeme Hossack, Rochester (2016) 21
Mike Messenger, Saskatchewan (2017) 21
Kyle Rubisch, Boston (2011) 20
Steph Charbonneau, Philadelphia (2019) 20
Owen Barker, Vancouver (2019) 20
TJ Comizio, Georgia (2022) 18
Patrick Shoemay, San Diego (2022) 18
All-Time Rookie Loose Balls
Brodie Merrill, Portland (2006) 214
Zach Currier, Calgary (2018) 200
Reid Bowering, Vancouver (2022) 191
Geoff Snider, Philadelphia (2007) 180
Trevor Baptiste, Philadelphia (2019) 179
Jordan MacIntosh, Minnesota (2012) 153
Bill Greer, Columbus (2002) 152
Kyle Rubisch, Boston (2011) 143
Derek Suddons, Columbus (2002) 138
Stephen Peyser, New York (2009) 137
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