Now that week 9 of the Premier Lacrosse League has come to a close, here are my updated power rankings for the league.
Number 1-Denver Outlaws
The Outlaws are by far the number 1 team in the PLL. Having one of the top offenses in the league, it’s tough for defenses to prevent this squad with 4 former Tewaarton Award winners-Jared Bernhardt, Brennan O’Neill, Pat Kavanagh, and Logan Wisnauskas-Even the best of defenses heavily struggle with stopping this high-firepower offense with a defense to match.
Number 2-New York Atlas
The Atlas definitely have the top offense in the league. With reigning MVP Jeff Teat, definite 2025 MVP Candidate Connor Shellenberger, and 3rd-year star Xander Dickson as their attack along with rookie star Matt Traynor and 2025 All-Star Bryan Costabile at the midfield, this offense is nearly impossible to stop. They also have a defense to match led by Gavin Adler and Michael Rexrode.
Number 3-Boston Cannons
The Cannons did not play in week 9, but they have a very high firepower offense led by Marcus Holman, Matt Campbell, and Coulter Mackesy this year. Despite having a 3-4 record, the Cannons definitely have much more of a star-studded lineup than other teams.
Number 4-Maryland Whipsnakes
The Whipsnakes, despite being 3-5 this year, have an insanely good lineup. This year, they set the record for the largest margin of victory in PLL history in their 2nd homecoming game in week 4 when they beat the Carolina Chaos 20-6. They have a very powerful offense featuring All-Star players like TJ Malone (did not play in the ASG because of injury, but was selected) and Aidan Carroll alongside other stars like Brad Smith and Matt Brandau on offense and a young star defensive leader in Ajax Zappitello with long-time veterans Matthew Dunn and Tim Muller by his side. The goalie, Emmet Carroll is a very elite rookie this year and could really turn into an amazing player really quickly.
Number 5-Philadelphia Waterdogs
The Waterdogs have Michael Sowers-a player who is in a league of his own. Sowers is by far the frontrunner in the MVP race. He can’t score all the goals. In fact, he actually has more assists than goals this year which means his other teammates like Jake Taylor, Kieran McArdle, Connor Kelly, Zach Currier, Jack Hannah, and now CJ Kirst.
Number 6-California Redwoods
The Redwoods have a scary offense. When you hear that Chris Kavanagh, Ryder Garnsey, and Dylan Molloy are playing against your defense, you shiver. The thing is, offense is only half the game. A good team needs to have a good offense and a good defense. The Woods’ defense is anything but that. They could definitely be much, much better if they just got a decent defense.
Number 7-Carolina Chaos
The Chaos may have the best name in the league, but they don’t have the best team. While they might have a good-looking offense with players like Owen Hiltz, Ross Scott, and this week an incredible performance from Jackson Eicher, they often play lower than the level of expectation. Especially when facing a tough defense. Speaking of defense, they have an elite lineup of guys but much like the offense we they also often play below the level I’ve seen them play in seasons past. Like I said, when you hear that Jack Rowlett, Jarrod Neumann, and Troy Reh, you don’t think easy to score on but that is exactly how they’ve been most games this year. All in all, the Chaos could definitely be higher on this list if they can play like we all know they can.
Number 8-Utah Archers
If you went back in time to the beginning of this PLL season and told me that the Archers would be at the bottom of the league, I would not have believed you for a second. The Archers have won the last 2 PLL Championships, and this season they have sunk from the very top to the very bottom. Even though they have a great offense led by Connor Fields and a great defense led by Graeme Hossack, they just can’t execute. The defense has been better than the offense, and it also helps that they have potentially the best goalie in the world in Brett Dobson. Overall, the Archers have it all there for themselves, they just need to execute better to get out of this slump. It has been going on for a while now, and it looks like it will continue and be the reason for the detriment of their season.