Several of NLL’s most successful single-season scorers super active during free agency
Brett Hickey (Photo: Kate Frese)
Since in 1987, there have been just 18 players who have scored 50 goals or more during a National Lacrosse League regular season.
Over the past three seasons, which yes, includes one that was cut short due to the pandemic, no player has hit 50.
Last year, Joe Resetarits, Tom Schreiber and Lyle Thompson shared the league lead in goals with 47. It’s the first time maybe ever (1996 is the earliest we could accurately confirm the NLL’s Top 3 goal scorers in a single season based on available online data) that a Canadian has not finished first, second and/or third in goals. Resetarits and Schreiber are both Americans and Thompson is Indigenous.
Gary Gait, Rochester Knighthawks (Photo: Larry Palumbo)
The only other Americans to rank that high since 1996 were Casey Powell in 2010 when he finished second in league goal scoring, Roy Colsey in 2001 when he co-led the league alongside John Tavares with 51 goals each, and Mark Millon’s total of 40 goals sat him second behind Gary Gait in 1998.
Thompson had twice before finished in the Top 3 (2017 & 2019), but prior to him the only other Indigenous player to rank that high was Darris Kilgour in 1998 with the Buffalo Bandits behind just the previously mentioned Gait and Millon that winter.
Outside of Coley’s classic 2001 season with the New York Saints, however, most of the remarkable runs we mentioned didn’t touch that exclusive & elusive 50. The regular-season accomplishment is an incredibly rare one, which is why so many of those past 50-goal getters have been in such high demand this past offseason.
Ryan Benesch, Halifax Thunderbirds (Photo: Trevor MacMillan)
Six former 50-goal scorers have either been franchised, signed or re-signed in recent weeks. Another, UFA Shawn Evans, is still available but likely to get signed soon, plus Mark Matthews is still Saskatchewan Rush property.
After losing Curtis Dickson, one of only four players to score at least 50 more than once, the Calgary Roughnecks signed Brett Hickey yesterday. Hickey, the Rock’s only 50-goal scorer in franchise history, did it with Toronto in 2015. Kevin Crowley, the last player who was able to finish with 50 or more (2018), joined Dickson in San Diego. Former 50-goal scorers Dhane Smith (franchised by Buffalo), Ryan Benesch (signed by Halifax) and Dane Dobbie (re-signed by San Diego) have also been active this offseason.
Curtis Dickson (Photo: Candice Ward)
Will we see another 50-goal scorer in 2023?
Had they played a full season last year, both Schreiber and Thompson had goals-per-game averages that would have had them at 50. During the partially played 2020 pandemic season, both Callum Crawford and Rob Hellyer, who Toronto traded to the Las Vegas Desert Dogs a week ago, were on pace for 50, with Shayne Jackson not all that far off either.
Going all the way back to season one in 1987, here are the only instances a player has popped 50 or more in a single NLL regular season.
2022 (0)
2020 (0)
2019 (0)
2018 (1)
Kevin Crowley, Philadelphia Wings – 51
2017 (1)
Curtis Dickson, Calgary Roughnecks – 54
2016 (3)
Dhane Smith, Buffalo Bandits – 72
Curtis Dickson, Calgary Roughnecks – 61
Shawn Evans, New England Black Wolves – 50
2015 (4)
Ryan Benesch, Buffalo Bandits – 55
Mark Matthews, Edmonton Rush – 53
Adam Jones, Colorado Mammoth – 51
Brett Hickey, Toronto Rock – 50
2014 (1)
Dane Dobbie, Calgary Roughnecks – 51
2013 (0)
2012 (1)
John Grant, Colorado Mammoth – 50
2011 (0)
2010 (0)
2009 (2)
Mark Steenhuis, Buffalo Bandits – 51
John Tavares, Buffalo Bandits – 51
2008 (1)
Athan Iannucci, Philadelphia Wings – 71
2007 (2)
John Grant, Rochester Knighthawks – 51
Lewis Ratcliff, Calgary Roughnecks – 50
2006 (1)
John Grant, Rochester Knighthawks – 54
2005 (0)
2004 (1)
Gary Gait, Colorado Mammoth – 55
2003 (1)
Gary Gait, Colorado Mammoth – 61
2002 (4)
Paul Gait, Washington Power – 54
Chris Gill, Vancouver Ravens – 53
John Grant, Rochester Knighthawks – 52
Gary Gait, Washington Power – 50
2001 (2)
Roy Colsey, New York Saints – 51
John Tavares, Buffalo Bandits – 51
2000 (0)
1999 (1)
Gary Gait, Baltimore Thunder – 50
1998 (1)
Gary Gait, Baltimore Thunder – 57