The 2023 National Lacrosse League season, formally known as the 2022–2023 season, was the 36th in the history of the NLL. The season began on December 2, 2022, and ended with the NLL final on June 3, 2023. This was the inaugural season for the expansion team Las Vegas Desert Dogs.
The preseason went from November 5 through November 26, 2022. It included games at Aʼnowaraʼko꞉wa Arena and Toronto Rock Athletic Centre. The regular season went from December 2, 2022, through April 20, 2023. This season had the most regular season games in NLL history with 135. The broadcasting partners are TSN in Canada and ESPN in the United States. TSN featured 20 games on TV with their NLL Game of the Week on TSN and show all the games online and their app. ESPN aired 10 games on TV and all games on ESPN+. Due to scheduling conflicts with ESPN's linear networks, Game 3 of the NLL Final was simulcast on WNLO in addition to being carried on ESPN+.
This was the first season for Commissioner Brett Frood, who was previously a NASCAR executive as president of the Stewart-Haas Racing team. Frood was a collegiate lacrosse player and was captain of the Brown University lacrosse team.
The 2023 NLL Stadium Showdown, the first outdoor NLL game, was held on March 4 at Snapdragon Stadium, between the San Diego Seals and the Las Vegas Desert Dogs.
Teams 2023 National Lacrosse League Division Team City Arena Capacity East Albany FireWolves Albany, New York MVP Arena 14,236 Buffalo Bandits Buffalo, New York KeyBank Center 19,070 Georgia Swarm Duluth, Georgia Gas South Arena 10,500 Halifax Thunderbirds Halifax, Nova Scotia Scotiabank Centre 10,500 New York Riptide Uniondale, New York Nassau Veterans Memorial Coliseum 13,917 Philadelphia Wings Philadelphia, Pennsylvania Wells Fargo Center 19,306 Rochester Knighthawks Rochester, New York Blue Cross Arena 10,662 Toronto Rock Toronto, Ontario Scotiabank Arena 18,800 West Calgary Roughnecks Calgary, Alberta Scotiabank Saddledome 19,289 Colorado Mammoth Denver, Colorado Ball Arena 18,000 Las Vegas Desert Dogs Paradise, Nevada Michelob Ultra Arena 12,000 Panther City Lacrosse Club Fort Worth, Texas Dickies Arena 12,200 San Diego Seals San Diego, California Pechanga Arena 12,920 Saskatchewan Rush Saskatoon, Saskatchewan SaskTel Centre 15,195 Vancouver Warriors Vancouver, British Columbia Rogers Arena 18,910
Map of teams
Regular season
Scoring leaders Note: GP = Games played; G = Goals; A = Assists; Pts = Points; PIM = Penalty minutes; LB = Loose Balls
Player Team GP G A Pts PIM LBJeff Teat New York Riptide 1856801362105Dhane Smith Buffalo Bandits 183696132699Mitchell Jones Vancouver/Philadelphia 19448212614119Tom Schreiber Toronto Rock 1848681162110Connor Fields Rochester Knighthawks 17526011212142Joe Resetarits Philadelphia Wings 184169110262Wesley Berg San Diego Seals 18397010912100Lyle Thompson Georgia Swarm 1846601062113Andrew Kew Georgia Swarm 164363106291Robert Church Saskatchewan Rush 185153104882
Leading goaltenders Note: GP = Games played; Mins = Minutes played; W = Wins; L = Losses: GA = Goals Allowed; SV% = Save Percentage; GAA = Goals against average
Player Team GP Mins W L GA SV% GAA Nick Rose Toronto Rock 181056 13 5 1590.8049.03 Christian Del Bianco Calgary Roughnecks 181080 13 5 1670.8109.28 Nick Damude Panther City Lacrosse Club 18971 10 6 1670.78810.31 Matt Vinc Buffalo Bandits 181047 14 4 1820.80310.42 Brett Dobson Georgia Swarm 18881 8 7 1570.77910.69
Playoffs
Conference Semifinal
Eastern Conference
(E1) Buffalo Bandits vs. (E4) Rochester Knighthawks
(E2) Toronto Rock vs. (E3) Halifax Thunderbirds
Western Conference
(W1) San Diego Seals vs. (W4) Colorado Mammoth
(W2) Calgary Roughnecks vs. (W3) Panther City Lacrosse Club
Conference Final (best of three)
Eastern Conference
(E1) Buffalo Bandits vs. (E2) Toronto Rock
Bandits win series 2–0.
Western Conference
(W2) Calgary Roughnecks vs. (W4) Colorado Mammoth
Mammoth wins series 2–1.
(E1) Buffalo Bandits vs. (W4) Colorado Mammoth
NLL Final (best of three)
Bandits win series 2–1
Awards Annual awards
AwardWinnerOther Finalists Most Valuable Player Christian Del Bianco, Calgary Roughnecks Dhane Smith, Buffalo BanditsJeff Teat, New York Riptide Goaltender of the Year Christian Del Bianco, Calgary Roughnecks Nick Rose, Toronto RockMatt Vinc, Buffalo Bandits Defensive Player of the Year Latrell Harris, Toronto Rock Graeme Hossack, Halifax ThunderbirdsBrad Kri, Toronto Rock Transition Player of the Year Zach Currier, Calgary Roughnecks Reid Bowering, Vancouver WarriorsChallen Rogers, Toronto Rock Rookie of the Year Jonathan Donville, Panther City Lacrosse Club Brett Dobson, Georgia SwarmJack Hannah, Las Vegas Desert Dogs Sportsmanship Award Lyle Thompson, Georgia Swarm Kyle Buchanan, Buffalo BanditsTom Schreiber, Toronto Rock GM of the Year Dan Carey, Rochester Knighthawks Mike Board, Calgary RoughnecksJamie Dawick, Toronto Rock Les Bartley Award Curt Malawsky, Calgary Roughnecks Tracey Kelusky, Panther City Lacrosse ClubMike Hasen, Rochester Knighthawks Executive of the Year Award Mark Fine, Las Vegas Desert Dogs Melissa Blades, Calgary RoughnecksMatt Hutchings, Colorado Mammoth Teammate of the Year Award Dan Dawson, Toronto Rock Kyle Buchanan, Buffalo BanditsJohn LaFontaine, Albany FireWolves Tom Borrelli Award Teddy Jenner, TSN, Off The Crossebar Podcast Adam Levi, NLL, Lacrosse FlashPat Gregoire, Halifax Thunderbirds, Off The Crossebar Podcast
Stadiums and locations Georgia Swarm Albany FireWolves New York Riptide Philadelphia Wings Gas South Arena MVP Arena Nassau Coliseum Wells Fargo Center Capacity: 11,355 Capacity: 14,236 Capacity: 13,917 Capacity: 19,543 Buffalo Bandits Halifax Thunderbirds Rochester Knighthawks Toronto Rock KeyBank Center Scotiabank Centre Blue Cross Arena First Ontario Centre Capacity: 19,070 Capacity: 10,595 Capacity: 11,200 Capacity: 17,383
Calgary Roughnecks Colorado Mammoth San Diego Seals Saskatchewan Rush WestJet Field at Scotiabank Saddledome Ball Arena Pechanga Arena Co-op Field at SaskTel Centre Capacity: 19,289 Capacity: 18,007 Capacity: 12,920 Capacity: 15,190
Vancouver Warriors Las Vegas Desert Dogs Panther City Lacrosse Club Rogers Arena Michelob Ultra Arena Dickies Arena Capacity: 18,910 Capacity: 12,000 Capacity: 12,200
Attendance Regular season + Home team Home games Average attendance Total attendanceBuffalo Bandits 914,731132,581Calgary Roughnecks 9 11,665104,984Colorado Mammoth 99,97289,748Toronto Rock99,42384,806Georgia Swarm98,66577,984Saskatchewan Rush98,60677,454Philadelphia Wings 98,53076,768Halifax Thunderbirds98,51276,604Vancouver Warriors 98,16673,489Las Vegas Desert Dogs95,96053,636San Diego Seals 95,11546,032Rochester Knighthawks95,11446,024New York Riptide 94,61241,501Albany FireWolves93,61032,491Panther City LC 92,81325,316League1357,7001,039,418
Playoffs + Home team Home games Average attendance Total attendanceBuffalo Bandits4 14,71558,860Calgary Roughnecks 3 8,67926,036Colorado Mammoth 2 9,43518,869Toronto Rock28,56817,135San Diego Seals1 5,2105,210League1210,509126,110
See also 2023 in sports
References