2024 NLL season explained

2024 NLL season
League:National Lacrosse League
Sport:Indoor lacrosse (box lacrosse)
Pixels:100px
No Of Teams:15
No Of Games:18
Duration:December 1, 2023 — May 18, 2024
Playoffs:Playoffs
Conf1:Semi-Final
Conf1 Champ:Buffalo Bandits
Conf1 Runner-Up:Toronto Rock
Conf2:Semi-Final
Conf2 Champ:Albany FireWolves
Conf2 Runner-Up:San Diego Seals
Finals:Finals
Finals Champ:Buffalo Bandits (6th title)
Finals Runner-Up:Albany FireWolves
Finals Mvp:Josh Byrne
Seasonslistnames:NLL
Prevseason Link:2023 NLL season
Prevseason Year:2023 season
Nextseason Link:2025 NLL season
Nextseason Year:2025 season
Tv:ESPN[1] [2] [3] (United States)
TSN (Canada)

The 2024 NLL season was the 37th season of play of the National Lacrosse League (NLL). The season began on December 1, 2023, and ended on May 18, 2024, with the Buffalo Bandits sweeping the Albany FireWolves 2–0 in the NLL Finals series to claim their sixth league title.

League business

NLL Unboxed

On November 16, 2023, the NLL announced "NLL Unboxed", a new initiative to promote lacrosse among youth via branded "lacrosse communities" in strategic markets that do not currently have NLL teams.[4] As part of the initiative, the NLL hosted a regular season game known as the NLL Unboxed Series in Laval, Quebec (a suburb of Unboxed market Montreal, which previously had an NLL team in 2002 in the form of the Montreal Express) featuring the New York Riptide hosting the Toronto Rock at Place Bell.[5]

Team relocation

On February 21, 2024, the NLL announced that the New York Riptide would relocate to Ottawa, and will be renamed the Ottawa Black Bears.[6]

Teams

2024 National Lacrosse League
Team City Arena Capacity
Albany FireWolvesAlbany, New YorkMVP Arena14,236
Buffalo BanditsBuffalo, New YorkKeyBank Center19,070
Calgary RoughnecksCalgary, AlbertaScotiabank Saddledome19,289
Colorado MammothDenver, ColoradoBall Arena18,000
Georgia SwarmDuluth, GeorgiaGas South Arena10,500
Halifax ThunderbirdsHalifax, Nova ScotiaScotiabank Centre10,500
Las Vegas Desert DogsParadise, NevadaMichelob Ultra Arena12,000
New York RiptideUniondale, New YorkNassau Veterans Memorial Coliseum13,917
Panther City Lacrosse ClubFort Worth, TexasDickies Arena12,200
Philadelphia WingsPhiladelphia, PennsylvaniaWells Fargo Center19,306
Rochester KnighthawksRochester, New YorkBlue Cross Arena10,662
San Diego SealsSan Diego, CaliforniaPechanga Arena12,920
Saskatchewan RushSaskatoon, SaskatchewanSaskTel Centre15,195
Toronto RockToronto, OntarioScotiabank Arena18,800
Vancouver WarriorsVancouver, British ColumbiaRogers Arena18,910

Map of teams

Regular season

The 2024 season introduced a new regular season format; conferences were abolished, with all teams now playing within the same standings. Each team played each other at least once, and the schedule formula provided the opportunity for four "flex games" to showcase league rivalries and players. The top eight teams advanced to the playoffs.[7] x = clinched playoff berth | z = clinched top overall record

Scoring leaders

Note: GP = Games played; G = Goals; A = Assists; Pts = Points; PIM = Penalty minutes

PlayerTeamGPGAPtsPIM
18331011348
1836751110
183167988
183858964
183758950
164252944
1830538312
1842398110
183246784
182255772

Playoffs

Quarterfinal

(3) Albany FireWolves vs. (6) Halifax Thunderbirds

Semifinal (best of three)

(1) Toronto Rock vs. (4) Buffalo Bandits

Bandits wins the series 2–0.

Awards

Annual awards

AwardWinnerOther Finalists
Most Valuable PlayerJosh Byrne, Buffalo Bandits[8] Dhane Smith, Buffalo Bandits[9]
Nick Rose, Toronto Rock
Goaltender of the YearNick Rose, Toronto Rock[10] Doug Jamieson, Albany FireWolves
Chris Origlieri, San Diego Seals
Defensive Player of the YearRyan Dilks, Vancouver WarriorsMitch de Snoo, Toronto Rock
Brad Kri, Toronto Rock
Transition Player of the YearJake Withers, Halifax ThunderbirdsIan MacKay, Buffalo Bandits
Shane Simpson, Calgary Roughnecks
Offensive Player of the YearJosh Byrne, Buffalo BanditsDhane Smith, Buffalo Bandits
Jeff Teat, New York Riptide
Rookie of the YearAlex Simmons, Albany FireWolves[11] Owen Grant, Vancouver Warriors
Tye Kurtz, Albany FireWolves
Sportsmanship AwardLyle Thompson, Georgia Swarm[12] Keegan Bal, Vancouver Warriors
Tom Schreiber, Toronto Rock
GM of the YearGlenn Clark, Albany FireWolves[13] Jamie Dawick, Toronto Rock
Curt Malawsky, Vancouver Warriors
Les Bartley AwardGlenn Clark, Albany FireWolvesCurt Malawsky, Vancouver Warriors
Matt Sawyer, Toronto Rock
Executive of the Year AwardJohn Catalano, Halifax Thunderbirds[14] Mike Hancock, Toronto Rock
Oliver Marti, Albany FireWolves
Teammate of the Year AwardZach Greer, Las Vegas Desert Dogsnot announced
Tom Borrelli AwardAdam Levi, NLL.com, NLLPA, Inside Lacrosse, "Lacrosse Matrix" podcastTeddy Jenner, TSN, "Off the CrosseBar" podcast
Graeme Perrow, NLL Chatter

Stadiums and locations

Georgia SwarmAlbany FireWolvesNew York RiptidePhiladelphia Wings
Gas South ArenaMVP ArenaNassau ColiseumWells Fargo Center
Capacity: 11,355Capacity: 14,236Capacity: 13,917Capacity: 19,543
Buffalo BanditsHalifax ThunderbirdsRochester KnighthawksToronto Rock
KeyBank CenterScotiabank Centre[15] Blue Cross ArenaFirst Ontario Centre
Capacity: 19,070Capacity: 10,595Capacity: 11,200Capacity: 17,383
Calgary RoughnecksColorado MammothSan Diego SealsSaskatchewan Rush
WestJet Field at Scotiabank SaddledomeBall ArenaPechanga ArenaCo-op Field at SaskTel Centre
Capacity: 19,289 Capacity: 18,007Capacity: 12,920Capacity: 15,190
Vancouver WarriorsLas Vegas Desert DogsPanther City Lacrosse Club
Rogers ArenaMichelob Ultra ArenaDickies Arena
Capacity: 18,910Capacity: 12,000Capacity: 12,200

Regular season

Home Team Home Games Average Attendance Total Attendance[16]
Buffalo Bandits916,974152,767
Calgary Roughnecks911,713105,417
Colorado Mammoth910,38093,416
Halifax Thunderbirds99,16582,484
Vancouver Warriors98,87479,867
Toronto Rock98,63677,727
Philadelphia Wings98,36475,276
Saskatchewan Rush98,08572,767
Las Vegas Desert Dogs96,35057,154
Georgia Swarm96,23156,079
Rochester Knighthawks 95,52648,738
New York Riptide94,89144,021
San Diego Seals94,66742,002
Albany FireWolves93,96335,665
Panther City LC 92,70424,332
League1357,7681,047,712

Playoffs

Home TeamHome GamesAverage AttendanceTotal Attendance
Buffalo Bandits 317,74953,247
Toronto Rock27,03214,064
San Diego Seals24,9039,805
Albany FireWolves32,9308,790
League108,59185,906

See also

Notes and References

  1. News: Rigdon. Jay. October 26, 2021. ESPN gets exclusive rights to National Lacrosse League in multiyear deal. Awful Announcing.
  2. Web site: Full Schedule.
  3. Web site: National Lacrosse League Heads to ESPN Under New Broadcast Deal. 26 October 2021.
  4. News: Genetti . Dominic . St. Louis Rhythm could be a reality if NLL's youth initiative works . 2024-05-23 . The Edwardsville Intelligencer . en.
  5. Web site: 2023-11-16 . NLL returns to Montreal area for regular season game . 2024-05-23 . TSN . en-CA.
  6. News: February 21, 2024 . NLL's New York team to move to Ottawa and be renamed Black Bears starting next season . live . https://web.archive.org/web/20240221184944/https://www.thestar.com/sports/lacrosse/nlls-new-york-team-to-move-to-ottawa-and-be-renamed-black-bears-starting-next/article_33c48d13-0c4f-51fe-87e1-69af0da1f48b.html . February 21, 2024 . February 21, 2024 . . The Canadian Press.
  7. Web site: NLL ADOPTS UNIFIED STANDINGS FORMAT, UPDATED PLAYOFF STRUCTURE . September 26, 2023 . National Lacrosse League.
  8. Web site: JOSH BYRNE VOTED NATIONAL LACROSSE LEAGUE MVP. NLL.com. May 17, 2024. May 17, 2024.
  9. Web site: NATIONAL LACROSSE LEAGUE ANNOUNCES FINALISTS FOR 2023-24 NLL AWARDS. NLL.com. May 8, 2024. May 9, 2024.
  10. Web site: BUFFALO'S BYRNE, VANCOUVER'S DILKS, HALIFAX'S WITHERS AND TORONTO'S ROSE TAKE NLL POSITIONAL PLAYER OF THE YEAR AWARDS. NLL.com. May 16, 2024. May 17, 2024.
  11. Web site: ALBANY'S ALEX SIMMONS WINS 2023-24 NLL ROOKIE OF THE YEAR. NLL.com. May 17, 2024. May 17, 2024.
  12. Web site: GEORGIA'S LYLE THOMPSON COLLECTS SIXTH STRAIGHT NLL SPORTSMANSHIP AWARD. NLL.com. May 14, 2024. May 17, 2024.
  13. Web site: ALBANY'S GLENN CLARK SCORES DOUBLE HONOR AS NLL COACH OF THE YEAR AND NLL GENERAL MANAGER OF THE YEAR. NLL.com. May 15, 2024. May 17, 2024.
  14. Web site: HALIFAX'S JOHN CATALANO SELECTED NLL EXECUTIVE OF THE YEAR AS NATIONAL LACROSSE LEAGUE ANNOUNCED FIRST 2023-2024 AWARDS. NLL.com. May 13, 2024. May 13, 2024.
  15. Web site: NLL Announces brands and identities for its two newest teams. NLL.com. August 24, 2019. February 17, 2019.
  16. Web site: 2024 Season . 16 June 2023 . nllstats.com.