With its teams battling for playoff berths and seeds in the remaining weeks of the regular season, “The March to May” is on in the National Lacrosse League (@NLL), the world’s largest and most successful professional lacrosse league. Every matchup down the stretch will influence the eight-team NLL Playoffs that begin May 5-7.
“The March to May” begins with every NLL team in action during an eight-game slate this weekend, including seven contests on Saturday. The new campaign will be incorporated across all NLL channels, including broadcasts, NLL.com, social networks, and in-venue by all teams to promote their remaining regular season contests and push towards the playoffs.
“’The March to May’ clearly defines how the run up to the NLL Playoffs is an exciting time for fans, players, teams, and league partners as we collectively march towards the postseason played through the month of May,” said Kurt Hunzeker, Executive Vice President of Commercial Operations. “The campaign easily communicates the importance of every game as teams pursue the ultimate prize, the NLL Championship.”
As previously announced, the 2023 NLL Playoffs format will again feature the top four teams from the East Conference and top three from the West Conference, plus a “wild card” entry with the best record between the fourth-place team in the West standings and the fifth-place finisher in the East. This “wild card” will play in the West Conference side of the bracket as the fourth seed. The unique qualifying format gives fans in nearly every NLL market a chance to earn a spot in the postseason tournament.
Last year, the final week of the regular season featured 32 possible playoff seeding and qualifying combinations, and the final NLL Playoffs bracket wasn’t settled until the final game of the regular season was completed.
The first round will be single elimination, while the East and West Conference Finals and NLL Finals will each be a best-of-three series. Game 1 and 2 of the NLL Finals will be played during Memorial Day Weekend, while Game 3 of the NLL Finals, if necessary, is scheduled for the weekend of June 2-4. The complete broadcast TSN and ESPN broadcast schedules will be announced at a later date.
Shayne Jackson and Lyle Thompson, courtesy Georgia Swarm
The National Lacrosse League (@NLL), the longest running and most successful professional lacrosse league in the world, officially announced the 2019-20 NLL Award winners. All awards are voted on by head coaches, general managers, and the League’s Board of Governors.
Like all major sports, the 2019-2020 season was interrupted, and ultimately cut short due to COVID-19. There was over 15 weeks of game play and much success for the players, teams, and fans of NLL’s 13 active franchises—including two competing for the first time this year. All three divisions featured tight races with three or more teams within two games of the lead, the launch of the Alterna Cup Series, and thrilling overtime victories.
“In an unusual year we congratulate such exceptional players coaches and executives,” said NLL Commissioner, Nick Sakiewicz. “At the end of each season we award top performers and they epitomize everything that is good about the game of lacrosse on and off the field. All our leaders and athletes participate in the top lacrosse league in the world, and this year’s winners have distinguished themselves as the best of the best. We look forward to the time when we can present these awards in person and honor each of them with their teammates in front of their home fans.”
Peter Schmitz, President, Professional Lacrosse Players’ Association (PLPA), also shared his praise, “On behalf of the PLPA, I’d like to congratulate all the award winners for their excellence, commitment, and success. We wish to recognize the effort and talent that it takes to win these awards, especially among so many qualified candidates.”
The voting resulted in major award winners representing a wide array of squads, showcasing the competitive balance of talent and high-level competition in the NLL. Earning the Most Valuable Player Award was Shayne Jackson of the Georgia Swarm. Jackson finished the year with 31 goals and 42 assists totaling 73 points while leading the league in even strength assists with 36. Jackson also tied for the league lead in power play goals with 11 and collected 65 loose balls.
The Rookie of the Year was New York Riptide star, Tyson Gibson. Gibson was the first overall selection by the expansion franchise in the 2019 Entry Draft. Gibson scored 16 goals and had 27 assists for 43 points, which led the team in the Riptide’s inaugural season.
For the third year in a row, Georgia Swarm’s Lyle Thompson won the Sportsmanship Award. He is the only NLL player to ever win it three consecutive times since the award debuted in 2002. He continues to represent the sport of lacrosse to the highest degree and tallied 27 goals and 33 assists on the season.
Making it three consecutive seasons, Halifax Thunderbirds stalwart, Graeme Hossack took home Defensive Player of the Year honors. Hossack lead all defensemen in Time on Floor averaging 27:32 per game, over two minutes higher than the next best player, and finished in the top four amongst all defensemen in goals, points, loose balls, and caused turnovers.
Another back-to-back award winner, the Toronto Rock’s Challen Rogers was named Transition Player of the Year. In 11 games, Rogers scored 11 goals and recorded 14 assists while corralling 51 loose balls.
In his first full year as a full-time starter, New England Black Wolves goaltender, Doug Jamieson won the Goaltender of the Year Award. Jamieson led the league in Save Percentage (.829), which is a league record for save percentage, Goals Against Average (8.80) and tied for the league lead in wins with 8.
For the first time in NLL Awards history, the Teammate(s) of the Year honor was a tie to both Dan Dawson, Toronto Rock, and Mike Poulin, Georgia Swarm. Throughout the season, the players exhibited leadership, sportsmanship, and dedication to their teammates, communities and the sport.
Philadelphia Wings Head Coach and General Manager, Paul Day received dual honors, winning the Les Bartley Award for Coach of the Year and General Manager of the Year. Day led his squad to an 8-6 record after acquiring Goaltender of the Year finalist Zach Higgins and veteran forward Cory Vitarelli during the offseason, and overseeing the development of second-year stars, Trevor Baptiste and Matt Rambo. Day previously won the Les Bartley Award in 2004 when he helmed the Rochester Knighthawks.
The Tom Borrelli Award Media Member of the Year goes to Craig Rybczynski of the Rochester Knighthawks. As the longest-tenured broadcaster in NLL history, calling over 300 straight games, he provides strategic communications, develops community partnerships and interacts with local, regional and national media
John Catalano, of the Halifax Thunderbirds, was honored as the Executive of the Year, overseeing the day-to-day operations following the franchise’s relocation after a long, successful run in Rochester. John played an instrumental role in what was a successful inaugural season for the franchise, both on and off the floor. His guidance and expertise in sales, integrated marketing, game presentation, broadcast, and community relations have landed Halifax on the map as one of the newest staple franchises in the league.
The complete list of 2019-20 NLL Awards winners are as follows:
Most Valuable Player: Shayne Jackson, Georgia Rookie of the Year: Tyson Gibson, New York Sportsmanship Award: Lyle Thompson, Georgia Defensive Player of the Year: Graeme Hossack, Halifax Transition Player of the Year: Challen Rogers, Toronto Goaltender of the Year: Doug Jamieson, New England Teammate of the Year: Dan Dawson, Toronto, AND Mike Poulin, Georgia (t) Les Bartley Award Coach of the Year: Paul Day, Philadelphia General Manager of the Year: Paul Day, Philadelphia Tom Borrelli Award Media Member of the Year: Craig Rybczynski, Rochester Executive of the Year: John Catalano, Halifax
Additionally, the 2019-20 NLL All-League and All-Rookie Teams have been announced. The teams are comprised of the top vote getters for the season awards.
All-League First Team: Doug Jamieson, New England, Goaltender Graeme Hossack, Halifax, Defense Kyle Rubisch, Saskatchewan, Defense Challen Rogers, Toronto, Transition Shayne Jackson, Georgia, Forward Callum Crawford, New England, Forward
All-League Second Team: Dillon Ward, Colorado, Goaltender Robert Hope, Colorado, Defense Dan MacRae, New York, Defense Kiel Matisz, Philadelphia, Transition Rob Hellyer, Toronto, Forward Cody Jamieson, Halifax, Forward
All-Rookie Team: Tyson Gibson, New York, Forward Andrew Kew, New England, Forward Connor Fields, San Diego, Forward Clarke Peterson, Halifax, Forward Ryland Rees, Rochester, Transition Joe Nardella, New England, Defense
