The 2025-26 Nationwide Lacrosse League season begins this weekend, with 4 video games on faucet:
Toronto Rock at Oshawa FireWolves: Friday, 7:30 p.m.
San Diego Seals at Ottawa Black Bears: Saturday, 7 p.m.
Georgia Swarm at Buffalo Bandits: Saturday, 7:30 p.m.
Colorado Mammoth at Vancouver Warriors: Saturday, 10 p.m.
All video games this season will be seen on the ESPN App and within the NLL streaming hub.
Buffalo’s house opener will embrace a banner-raising ceremony, because the membership celebrates its third straight NLL championship. With eyes on a fourth straight title, which groups are almost definitely to problem the Bandits?
Here is a take a look at all 14 groups forward of what guarantees to be an thrilling season of NLL motion.
Buffalo Bandits
2024-25 report: 13-5
Playoff end result: Received the championship
Key gamers added: Ryan Benesch, Mike Triolo, Coltrane Tyson
Key gamers misplaced: Chase Fraser, Chris Cloutier
What to look at for this season: The Bandits sealed their future as a dynasty by three-peating final season. Can they add to their legend with one other consecutive title? Goaltender Matt Vinc is again on board for his twentieth NLL season between the pipes, however Chase Fraser and Chris Cloutier signed elsewhere.
Saskatchewan Rush
2024-25 report: 13-5
Playoff end result: Misplaced within the NLL Remaining
Key gamers added: Levi Verch
Key gamers misplaced: Mike Triolo
What to look at for this season: A lot of the identical roster returns for a group that pushed Buffalo to the sting — each within the common season and the playoffs.
Halifax Thunderbirds
2024-25 report: 11-7
Playoff end result: Misplaced in semifinal
Key gamers added: Brendan Bomberry, Ethan O’Connor
Key gamers misplaced: N/A
What to look at for this season: Brendan Bomberry, a member of the Six Nations Chiefs, joins six different gamers from that roster in Halifax. Can he assist push them over the hump and into the Finals?
Vancouver Warriors
2024-25 report: 11-7
Playoff end result: Misplaced in semifinal
Key gamers added: Reece Callies, Curtis Dickson, Jesse King, Shane Simpson, Ethan Ticehurst
Key gamers misplaced: Riley Loewen, Aden Walsh
What to look at for this season: The Warriors have been a distinct group after buying goaltender Christian Del Bianco throughout final season. How far can he — and their key offseason additions — take them in 2025-26?
Rochester Knighthawks
2024-25 report: 10-8
Playoff end result: Misplaced in quarterfinal
Key gamers added: Adam Thistlethwaite, Zed Williams
Key gamers misplaced: Brandon Slade, Kevin Orleman
What to look at for this season: With new possession — the Seneca Nation — and a legendary participant in Zed Williams now within the combine, Rochester hopes to get again into the playoffs, and push farther than the primary spherical this time.
Calgary Roughnecks
2024-25 report: 10-8
Playoff end result: Misplaced in quarterfinal
Key gamers added: Riley Loewen, Noah Manning, Kyle Pepper, Aden Walsh
Key gamers misplaced: Reece Callies, Curtis Dickson, Dane Dobbie, Jesse King, Nick Rose
What to look at for this season: It is powerful to lose one of many league’s top-10 scorers from one season to the following. Sadly for Calgary, they misplaced two: Curtis Dickson (No. 9, 108 factors) and Jesse King (No. 10, 105). Who will step as much as substitute them?
Georgia Swarm
2024-25 report: 9-9
Playoff end result: Misplaced in quarterfinal
Key gamers added: Nolan Byrne, Michael Grace, Connor Kelly, Ben Trumble
Key gamers misplaced: Brendan Bomberry, Andrew Kew, Jeremy Thompson, Miles Thompson
What to look at for this season: What’s going to this group seem like after dropping two of the Thompson brothers from the roster?
San Diego Seals
2024-25 report: 9-9
Playoff end result: Misplaced in quarterfinal
Key gamers added: Cam Dunkerley, Chris Kavanagh, Connor Robinson, Corey Small, Ari Steenhuis
Key gamers misplaced: Ryan Benesch, Rob Hellyer, Cam Holding, Kyle Rubisch
What to look at for this season: It is a Kavanagh household reunion in Southern California, as rookie Chris joins older brother Pat. The brothers gained an NCAA outside lacrosse championship at Notre Dame.
Ottawa Black Bears
2024-25 report: 8-10
Playoff end result: Didn’t qualify
Key gamers added: Liam Aston, Tyler Carlson, Sam Firth, Rob Hellyer
Key gamers misplaced: Taggart Clark, Cam Dunkerley, John LaFontaine
What to look at for this season: Jeff Teat gained the goal-scoring race in 2024-25, with 56, properly forward of Wesley Berg and Ryan Smith (49). Can one of many NLL’s most electrifying abilities hit that very same benchmark once more this season?
Colorado Mammoth
2024-25 report: 8-10
Playoff end result: Didn’t qualify
Key gamers added: Andrew Kew, Dylan McIntosh, Braedon Saris, Aaron Woods
Key gamers misplaced: Damon Edwards, Tyson Gibson, Connor Kelly, Connor Robinson, Zed Williams
What to look at for this season: One of many NLL’s most raucous house crowds will welcome in fairly a number of new faces, because the Mammoth have been energetic this offseason in free company.
Oshawa FireWolves
2024-25 report: 7-11
Playoff end result: Didn’t qualify
Key gamers added: Taggart Clark, Kyle Rubisch
Key gamers misplaced: Callum Crawford, Sam Firth, Ethan O’Connor
What to look at for this season: Following a transfer from Albany to Oshawa, the FireWolves welcome house four-time Defensive Participant of the 12 months Kyle Rubisch, who’s initially from Brampton, Ontario, and now resides in Whitby.
Philadelphia Wings
2024-25 report: 7-11
Playoff end result: Didn’t qualify
Key gamers added: Brian Cameron, Eric Fannell, Pat Foley
Key gamers misplaced: Mitch Jones, Tony Malcom, Shane Simpson
What to look at for this season: Joe Resetarits had an unbelievable 122 factors final season because the Wings fell simply shy of a playoff berth. What’s going to it take to recover from the hump this season?
Toronto Rock
2024-25 report: 6-12
Playoff end result: Didn’t qualify
Key gamers added: Sam English, Owen Hiltz, CJ Kirst, Nick Rose
Key gamers misplaced: Brian Cameron, Corey Small
What to look at for this season: How excessive can rookie sensations Owen Hiltz and CJ Kirst take the Rock of their preliminary NLL campaigns?
Las Vegas Desert Canines
2024-25 report: 4-14
Playoff end result: Didn’t qualify
Key gamers added: Chris Cloutier, Chase Fraser, Tyson Gibson, Mitch Jones, John LaFontaine
Key gamers misplaced: Holden Cottoni, Jonathan Gagliardi, Max Wayne
What to look at for this season: The Desert Canines went all-in this offseason, bringing in a ridiculous quantity of expertise. Will that cause them to the playoffs?