NLL free agency: What teams have done since the Desert Dogs Expansion Draft
Jacob Ruest and Joe Resetarits (Photo: Jaclyn McKee)
Since the Las Vegas Desert Dogs dipped into the player pool during their Expansion Draft, teams have been busy qualifying, franchising and signing dozens of players over the last few weeks.
Note: The transactions listed below are as of October 31, 2022. For up-to-date transactions after this date, visit nll.com/news/transactions.
Sparked by Kyle Rubisch & Chris Corbeil rejecting the franchise tag offer presented to them by the Saskatchewan Rush, below is a breakdown of all team’s transactions since the Las Vegas Expansion Draft on July 7th.
Travis Cornwall (Photo: Dylan Nadwodny)
Each team below includes any players that fall into the following categories:
Franchised
Qualified (Note: Players that were qualified prior to the new CBA being signed will now need a qualifying offer +, negating the earlier roster transaction)
NEW Qualified + (Note: Added after the new CBA was signed requiring teams to offer at least 6% above a previous season’s salary in order to retain an A2 RFA’s rights)
Signed (or re-signed)
Rejected franchise tag
Unrestricted free agent
Unrestricted free agent who can reject the franchise tag
Restricted free agent (or projected restricted free agent)
A player is an unrestricted free agent if all the following conditions have been met (Note: See updates below):
Their current contract has expired (after 2021-22 season)
They will attain age 30 by December 31, 2022 (Update: As per NLL.com via new CBA, “
They have played at least six seasons in the NLL
Each team has one franchise tag they can apply to a player from their roster, keeping them on the team for one more season guaranteed, however, there are some players who can reject the franchise tag and become a UFA on August 1).
Players who will attain age 34 by December 31, 2022 may reject the franchise tag
Note: Transactions via NLL.com/News/Transactions, team sites/social media accounts and other team staff.
Update (August 1, 2022): The NLL & NLLPA issued a joint statement confirming the start of NLL free agency would be pushed to August 6th while both sides continue to negotiate a new CBA.
Update (August 5, 2022): The NLL & NLLPA have agreed to a new three-year CBA. The NLL confirmed that the start of free agency has now been pushed to August 15th.
Update (August 9, 2022): As per NLL.com re: unrestricted free agency:
Players can become unrestricted free agents if their contract has expired, they reach age 30 by the end of the 2022 calendar year and have played at least six seasons in the NLL. Each team has one franchise they can apply to one of their free agents to keep them on their roster for one more year guaranteed. Players who reach age 34 by the end of the calendar year may reject the franchise tag if their team tries to use it on them.
Update (August 16, 2022): The Lax Mag has confirmed that UFAs who reach the age of 33 by the end of the calendar year have the ability to reject the franchise tag. Players who meet that new CBA criteria (previously 34) that were franchised prior to the new agreement being signed, can have the designation offered to them again, but now possessing the power to reject or accept. This applied to both Joe Resetarits & Kiel Matisz.
Albany FireWolves
Franchised: Joe Resetarits (Note: Resetartits was franchised prior to the new CBA being signed, but now meets the requirements that provide him the ability to reject the tag as outlined in the new CBA, see above. He was re-offered the tag on August 14, 2022, has since signed with the Philadelphia Wings.)
Qualified: Reilly O’Connor, Jordan Durston, Colton Watkinson and Jacob Ruest
Qualified +: Reilly O’Connor, Jacob Ruest and Colton Watkinson
Signed: Greg Downing (1 year), Nick Chaykowsky (1 year), Brett Manney (1 year), Justin Geddie (2 years), Brent Mitchell (2 years), Mike Byrne (1 year), Luke Van Schepen (1 year), Curtis Conley (2 years), Tanner Thomson (2 years), Connor Kelly (1 year), Justin McKinney (1 year), Travis Longboat (2 years), Justin Scott (2 years), Zac Masson (2 years) Patrick Kaschalk (2 years), Jackson Brown (2 years), Brett Erskine (2 years), Colton Watkinson (3 years), Kyle Marr (1 year), Jerome Thompson (1 year), Kyle Matt (2 years), Taite Cattoni (1 year), Joe Nardella (2 years), Aaron Forster (2 years), John Piatelli (1 year), Aiden Guld (2 years), Kieran McArdle (2 years), Jackson Nishimura (3 years) and Ty Logan (1 year)
Buffalo Bandits
Franchised: Dhane Smith
Qualified: Chase Fraser and Ian MacKay
Qualified +: Chase Fraser and Ian MacKay
Signed: Bryce Sweeting (1 year), Sam La Rue (3 years), Brandon Robinson (1 year), Dalton Sulver (3 years), Carter McKenzie (2 years) Devlin Shanahan (1 year) Matt Spanger (2 years), Frank Brown (1 year), Nicholas Miller (2 years), Greg Harnett (1 year) Kyle Buchanan (1 year), Ethan O’Connor (1 year), Matt Vinc (1 year), David Brock (1 year), Nick Weiss (1 year), Jordan Stouros (1 year), Marcus Minichiello (1 year), Dylan Robinson (2 years), Thomas Vaesen (2 years), Nathaniel Kozevnikov (2 years) and Max Adler (1 year)
Calgary Roughnecks
Rejected franchise tag: Curtis Dickson
Qualified: Tyler Pace, Zach Currier, Eli Salama, Shane Simpson and Christian Del Bianco
Qualified +: Tyler Pace, Zach Currier, Eli Salama, Shane Simpson and Christian Del Bianco
Signed: Reece Callies (2 years), Adam Bland (2 years), Mitch Wilde (1 year), Dylan McIntosh (2 years), Kieran McKay (1 year), Dan Taylor (2 years), Justin Inacio (1 year), Haiden Dickson (3 years), Brett Hickey (1 year), Zach Herreweyers (1 year), Harrison Matsuoka (3 years), Kellen LeClair (1 year), Nate Wade (1 year), Jake Gillis (1 year), Jacob Motiuk (1 year), Seth Van Schepen (2 years), Cordell Hastings (1 year), Connor Nichols (1 year), Kaden Doughty (1 year), Liam LeClair (3 years) and Curtis Manning (1 year)
Colorado Mammoth
Qualified: Zed Williams
Qualified +: Zed Williams
Signed: Robert Hope (1 year), Tim Edwards (1 year), Nate Faccin (2 years), Logan Wisnauskas (1 year), Connor Robinson (3 years), Noah Lebar (2 year), Keegan Khan (1 year), Jake Foster (1 year), Brett Draper (1 year), Asher Nolting (1 year), Chris Wardle (1 year), Josh Sullivan (2 years) Zed Williams (3 years), Tyson Gibson (2 years), Evan Downey (1 year), Zach Geddes (1 year), Nick Musso (1 year), Nick Finlay (3 years), John Lintz (1 year), Tyler Carlson (1 year), Jake Higgins (1 year), Anthony Joaquim (3 years) and Dylan Kinnear (2 years)
Retired: Scott Carnegie
Georgia Swarm
Signed: Craig Wende (3 years), Tanner Buck (1 year), Will Cecile (2 years), Ryan Lanchbury (2 years), Zach Miller (2 years), Devin Pipher (2 years), Brendan Bomberry (2 years), Adam Wiedemann (2 years), Jordan MacIntosh (3 years), Mike Manley (2 years), Dustin Hill (1 year), Miles Thompson (1 year), Alex Kew (2 years), Teioshontateh McComber (2 years), Brett Beetow (2 years), Max Wayne (2 years), Brett Dobson (2 years), Luke Frankeny (2 years) and Kason Tarbell (3 years)
Retired: Mike Poulin
Unrestricted free agent: Joel White
Unrestricted free agent who can reject the franchise tag: Jordan Hall and Stephan Leblanc
Halifax Thunderbirds
Franchised: Cody Jamieson
Signed: Colton Armstrong (1 year), Chris Boushy (1 year), Clarke Petterson (1 year), Tyson Bell (1 year), Rhys Duch (1 year), Luc Magnan (2 years) Aaron Bold (1 year), Ryan Benesch (1 year), Drew Hutchison (1 year), Kealan Pilon (1 year), Daylen Hill (1 year), Max Wilson (3 years), Wes Whitlow (1 year), Jackson Reid (1 year), Colin Hinton (1 year), Cory Becker (1 year), Brayden Hill (1 year), Keaton Brown (1 year), Jon McConvey (1 year), Jerry Staats (1 year), Steve Portelli (1 year), Justin Martin (1 year), Keegan White (1 year), Wake:Riat Bowhunter (5 years), Aaron Skye (1 year), Tanner Cole (1 year) and Connor Watson (1 year)
Retired: Scott Campbell
Las Vegas Desert Dogs
Qualified: James Barclay
Qualified +: James Barclay
Signed: Jon Phillips (1 year), Jackson Subboch (2 years), Garrett McIntosh (1 year), Landon Kells (2 years) Nakeie Montgomery (1 year), Alec Simons (1 year), Conrad Chapman (1 year), Tor Reinholdt (1 year), Peytin Wallace (1 year), Griffin Hall (1 year), Stryker Roloff (1 year), Tyler Ewen (1 year), Nick Ellerton (1 year), Ilija Gajic (1 year), Rylee McKinnon (1 year), Joe Robertson (1 year), Jacob Ruest (2 years), Rob Hellyer (3 years), Austin Paddy (1 year), Zack Greer and Travis Cornwall
Restricted free agent: Brandon Clelland
New York Riptide
Franchised: Callum Crawford
Qualified: Dan Lomas, Leo Stouros and Kieran McArdle
Qualified +: Dan Lomas and Kieran McArdle
Signed: Damon Edwards (1 year), Leo Stouros (1 year), Gowah Abrams (2 years), Jay Thorimbert (2 years) Connor Kearnan (5 years), Dan MacRae (2 years), Callum Crawford (1 year), Dan Lomas (3 years), Will Johnston (2 years) Dylan Molloy (1 year) Kevin Brownell (2 years) Scott Dominey (2 year), Brent Noseworthy (2 years), Darryl Robertson (1 year), Reilly O’Connor (1 year), Kris Veltman (3 years), Tyler Davis (3 years), Andrew Horsley (3 years), Zach Sunderland (2 years), Brine Rice (3 years), Mason Kamminga (2 years), Chris Gray (1 year), Justin Tkachuk (1 year) and Dylan Sprentz (3 years)
Unrestricted free agent: Scott Johnston
Unrestricted free agent who can reject the franchise tag: Jon Harnett
Panther City Lacrosse Club
Qualified: Connor Sellars, Liam Patten, Matt Hossack and Kevin Orleman
Qualified +: Connor Sellars, Liam Patten, Matt Hossack and Kevin Orleman
Signed: Nick Damude (3 years), Patrick Dodds (3 years), Ronan Jacoby (1 year), Spencer Milne (2 years), Caleb Kueber (2 years), Cam MacLeod (2 years) Phil Caputo (2 years), Connor Sellers (2 years), Liam Byrnes (2 years), Adam Perroni (2 years), Rob King (2 years) Tyler Burton (2 years), Cole Pickup (2 years), Pat Foley (2 years) Josh Medeiros (2 years), James Whiteford (2 years) Cam Wengreniuk (2 years), Will Malcom (1 year), Ryan Fournier (1 year), Clay Scanlan (1 year), Brooker Muir (2 years), Evan Messenger (2 years), Kaleb Martin (2 years), Carter Zavitz (2 years), Ronin Pusch (2 years), Mathieu Gautier (2 years), Cam Milligan (1 year), Dylan Hutchison (1 year), Kevin Orleman (1 year), Austin Murphy (1 year), Dean Fairall (1 year) and Dalton Hill (2 years)
Philadelphia Wings
Rejected franchise tag: Ian Llord and Kiel Matisz
Qualified: Kyle Jackson, Ryan Wagner, Steph Charbonneau and Trevor Baptiste
Qualified +: Kyle Jackson, Steph Charbonneau, Trevor Baptiste and Ryan Wagner
Signed: Alex Pace (2 years), Ian Llord (2 years) Isaiah Davis Allen (2 years) Joe Resetarits (3 years), Chad Tutton (2 years) Blake McDonald (2 years), Ryan Wagner (2 years), Steph Charbonneau (1 years), Jack Farrell (1 years), Hunter Lemieux (1 year), Sean Quinn (1 year), Kobe Smith (1 year), Deacan Knott (1 year), Blaze Riorden (3 years), Matt Rambo (1 year) and Eric Shewell (1 year)
Rochester Knighthawks
Qualified: Matt Gilray, Thomas Hoggarth, Turner Evans and Holden Cattoni
Qualified +: Matt Gilray, Thomas Hoggarth, Turner Evans and Holden Cattoni
Signed: Riley Hutchcraft (1 year) Connor Fields (3 years), Curtis Knight (2 years), Jake McNabb (2 years) Ryan McCrory (2 years), Brad Gillies (3 years), Mike Burke (1 year) Matt Gilray (3 years), Lucas Nagy (2 years), Matthew Bennett (2 years) Ethan Schott (1 year), Logan Swanton (2 years), Corson Kealey (2 years), Pent Eistrat (2 years), Riley Curtis (2 years), Ryland Rees (2 years), Turner Evans (2 years), Thomas Hoggarth (2 years), Paul Dawson (1 year), Curtis Romanchych (2 years), Cory Highfield (2 years), Thomas Whitty (2 years), Ryan Hartley (1 year), Chris Willman (1 year), Austin Hasen (1 year), Lukas Coote (1 year), Carter Schott (2 years), Thomas Vela (2 years), Parker Pipher (2 years), Vaughn Harris (1 year), Daire Newbrough (2 years), Trent Boyd (2 years) and Alex Woodall (2 year)
Unrestricted free agent who can reject the franchise tag: Evan Kirk
San Diego Seals
Franchised: Frank Scigliano
Qualified: Drew Belgrave
Qualified +: Drew Belgrave
Signed: Jacob Dunbar (2 years), Graydon Bradley (2 years), Connor Farrell (1 year), Tyler Sceviour (2 years), Jacob Dowell (2 years) Dane Dobbie (1 year), Curtis Dickson (1 year) Kevin Crowley (1 year), Drew Belgrave (3 years), Brodie Merrill (1 years), Eli Gobrecht (1 year), Mike McCannell (2 years) Matt Sykes (2 years), Owen Russell (2 years), Cameron Lumb (2 years), Jake Govett (2 years), Adam Noakes (2 years), Kyle Hebert (2 years), Frank Scigliano (1 year), Reed Rezanka (2 years), Brayden Brown (1 year), Taggart Eymer (1 year) and Jesse Gamble (1 year)
Unrestricted free agent: Jeremy Noble
Saskatchewan Rush
Franchised: Ryan Dilks
Rejected franchise tag: Kyle Rubisch and Chris Corbeil
Qualified: Mike Messenger and Adam Shute
Qualified +: Mike Messenger and Adam Shute
Signed: Eric Penney (2 years), Clark Walter (1 year), Mike Mallory (1 year), Jerrett Smith (2 years), Jake Boudreau (2 years) Ryan Barnable (2 years), Dan Lintner (2 years), Kyle Rubisch (1 year), Holden Garlent (1 year), Alex Buque (2 years), Ethan Forgrave (1 year), Austin Madronic (2 years), Isaac Ngyou (2 years), Jeremy Searle (2 years), Ryan Dilks (1 year) Cam Badour (2 years), Laine Hruska (1 year), Matthew Dinsdale (1 year) and Mike Messenger (1 year)
Unrestricted free agent who can reject the franchise tag: Jeff Shattler
Toronto Rock
Qualified: Tom Schreiber
Signed: Latrell Harris (2 years), Mitch de Snoo (3 years), Bill Hostrawser (1 year), Corey Small (1 year) Dan Dawson (1 year), Troy Holowchuk (3 years), Jordan McKenna (3 years), Chris Weier (3 years), Josh Jubenville (3 years), Phil Mazzuca (3 years) Tom Schreiber (3 years) Nick Rose (1 year), Brandon Slade (3 years), Sheldon Burns (1 year), TD Ierlan (3 years), Marley Angus (1 year) , Tyler Hendrycks (1 year), Sam Haines (1 year), Josh Dawick (1 year) and Jamison Dilks (3 years)
Restricted free agent: Johnny Powless and Paul Rabil
Vancouver Warriors
Qualified: Keegan Bal
Qualified +: Keegan Bal
Signed: Connor Goodwin (2 years), Mason Pynn (2 years), Thomas Semple (2 years), Isaac Bot (2 years), Tyler Codron (1 year), Brett Mydske (2 years), Justin Salt (1 year), Riley Loewen (2 years) Logan Schuss (1 year), Brody Harris (1 year), Dallas Wade (2 years), Brandon Goodwin (1 year), Nick Preston (1 year), Cal Slade (1 year), Graden Soucy (1 year), Aden Walsh (2 years), Ryan Martel (1 year), Keegan Bal (1 year) Erik Maas (1 year) Kyle Killen, Harrison Smith (2 years), Chase Scanlan (1 year), Anthony Courcelle (1 year), Chase Cosgrove (1 year), Matt Delmonico (1 year), Drew Kask (1 year), Gord Phillips (1 year), Dylan Robinson (1 year), Aidan Solomon (1 year), Marcus Klarich (2 years), Jonathan Gagliardi (1 year) Shawn Evans (1 year), Trent Kellner (1 year), Steve Fryer (1 year), Taylor Stuart (1 year) and Ethan Woods (1 year)
Unrestricted free agent who can reject the franchise tag: Jordan McBride