2025 NLL Player Rankings: The best full stat lines so far this season

Owen Grant, Vancouver Warriors (Photo: Jaclyn McKee)

After the first several weeks of the 2023-24 National Lacrosse League season are complete, The Lax Mag will publish a weekly NLL Player Ranking, examining the league’s Top 30 players from Week 1 right up until the end of the regular season.

TLM’s Top 30 NLL Player Rankings have nothing to do with reputations, career resumes, success in past seasons, whether we know a player personally, recognizing deserving players who’ve previously been passed over, player popularity, the size of their social media following, whether you slide into their DMs, or who others around the league tell us should get hype.

Our rankings, which only take into consideration a player’s performance for the current regular season, will be calculated using both our star-rating system after each game, but also a player’s season-long statistical position (based on per-game averages) across the league (more on both breakdowns below). Only players who have played two-thirds of their team’s games or more will qualify.

Click here for an even more in-depth breakdown of our scoring system.

Adam Wiedemann, Georgia Swarm (Photo: Victoria Adkins)

This week, we’re looking for the most impressive individual spread-out stat lines so far this season. As we’ve done in the past, we pulled the Top 100 per-game averages for goals, assists, loose balls, caused turnovers and blocks.

The results…

Well, no player had a stat line that snuck him into each category’s Top 100, although a few came close. In total, eleven players had averages that got them in four of those five per-game averages, however.

Below are those eleven players, their Top 100 worthy averages, how they’ve impacted the season so far, plus this week’s update NLL TOP 30 Player Rankings.

Adam Wiedemann, Georgia Swarm

Assists: 1.75 (57)
Loose Balls: 6.75 (22)
Caused Turnovers: 0.75 (T79)
Blocks: 1.00 (T18)

For those looking for reasons why the Swarm have slipped in the standings so much over the past month, look no further than the absence of Adam Wiedemann from their lineup. On Georgia’s IR since January 4, the team went 4-0 with Wiedemann on their game-day roster, and 0-3 since. Wiedemann, who provides impact at either end of the floor - as the above stats would suggest - is very much missed in Georgia, who hope to flip their fortunes this weekend in Las Vegas.

Challen Rogers, Toronto Rock

Goals: 1.00 (T72)
Assists: 2.33 (40)
Loose Balls: 4.67 (T98)
Blocks: 1.67 (7)

On Toronto’s IR for their first four games (0-4), Challen Rogers’ return to their lineup provided an immediate and very visual all-over impact during the Rock’s almost-win over Buffalo in Week 7 (he had 1G and 7A). The Rock are 2-0 since that uplifting loss, and Rogers continues to serve a critical role in the team’s recent comeback (even though he has just 3 GPs due to that previously mentioned injury). If Rogers can get his CT/GP average back up to what we’ve seen from him in more recent seasons, there’s a good chance he’d be Top 100 worthy by the end of the year in all five of the categories we called today.

Dawson Theede, Halifax Thunderbirds (Photo: Jonathan Tenca)

Dawson Theede, Halifax Thunderbirds

Goals: 3.00 (T5)
Assists: 2.40 (T37)
Loose Balls: 6.20 (34)
Caused Turnovers: 0.80 (T74)

His named popped up a bunch of times in our Most Improved Player analysis last week, Dawson Theede again forcing his way into our five-category conversation leading into Week 10. Those are premier power forward numbers above, Theede averaging a hat-trick per outing, at least two apples a game, plus six loosies and change every night. A last second injury-related scratch in Halifax’s last game, Theede has hovered just outside of our weekly NLL TOP 30 for the last month due to his kind of spectacular spread-out stat line and overpowering upfront presence.

Dhane Smith, Buffalo Bandits

Goals: 2.00 (T21)
Assists: 7.60 (1)
Loose Balls: 7.20 (20)
Caused Turnovers: 0.80 (T74)

Our #1 ranked player in the preseason and at the top of the NLL TOP 30 since our opening edition, you can’t be surprised to see Dhane Smith statistically dominating here. In addition to posting preposterous, potential record-setting assist and points totals over Buffalo’s first five games, Smith’s ability to stay on the floor and tame the opposition’s transition (and sometimes even go back up the floor offensively, because that’s normal), makes him one of today’s most dynamic pound-for-pound talents, who is also registering ridiculous offensive numbers. If the Transition Player of the Year now means nominating the most versatile two-way player in the league (which past winners would suggest it certainly is), well, than Smith should easily be in the running (but he won’t be).

Graeme Hossack, Halifax Thunderbirds

Assists: 1.00 (T94)
Loose Balls: 6.33 (T29)
Caused Turnovers: 1.00 (T46)
Blocks: 1.17 (15)

Although he’s yet to connect on the press this year (averaging about a chance per game so far), Graeme Hossack saw a bump in his offensive output last season, and is on pace to post is highest helper numbers ever in 2025. His defensive individual data is above average in comparison to full-time defenders in the league this year, but behind his best-ever seasons.

Ian MacKay, Buffalo Bandits (Photo: Bill Wippert)

Ian MacKay, Buffalo Bandits

Goals: 3.00 (T5)
Assists: 1.00 (T94)
Loose Balls: 5.40 (T65)
Caused Turnovers: 1.20 (T37)

He may be playing a majority of his minutes up front this year, but Ian MacKay is still contributing in those more defensive categories too, just obviously not to the same levels he was when coming out Buffalo’s backdoor more. One of just seven players averaging a hatty or more so far this season, MacKay sits just outside of this week’s NLL TOP 30, which is largely due to his assists average, which barley made the Top 100 we pulled for this analysis.

Jake Boudreau, Saskatchewan Rush

Assists: 1.14 (T89)
Loose Balls: 9.57 (8)
Caused Turnovers: 1.29 (T26)
Blocks: 0.71 (T46)

One of our highest ranked transition players so far this season, Jake Boudreau is on pace to set new personal single-season best totals for goals, assists, points, shots, loose balls and blocks. His caused turnover stats are always strong, and this year he’s looking like he’ll slice his turnovers in half, which is huge.

Lyle Thompson, Georgia Swarm

Lyle Thompson, Georgia Swarm

Goals: 3.14 (4)
Assists: 2.57 (T28)
Loose Balls: 6.14 (T36)
Caused Turnovers: 0.71 (T81)

Lyle Thompson joins Smith, MacKay and Theede as the only forwards to have a full stat line strong enough to rank here. One of just a handful of players to register multiple 30/60/90 (G/A/LB) seasons (2017, 2019 and 2023), like Smith, seeing Thompson pop up here shouldn’t be a surprise. Thompson is on pace to get back to the 100 point mark after falling to 87 a season ago.

Nick Weiss, Buffalo Bandits

Assists: 1.40 (75)
Loose Balls: 8.20 (14)
Caused Turnovers: 1.60 (T11)
Blocks: 0.60 (T63)

Although Buffalo didn’t play last weekend, due to non-Bandits player movement after Week 9, Nick Weiss is actually our 31st ranked player this week. Why? Look at his stats above. Few defensive players rank that high in LB and CT per-game averages, plus he provides serious pop in transition. Often overshadowed by some all-timers in Buffalo, Weiss’ dynamic stat line make him as serious a two-way defensive threat as anyone on that ultra-talented team. It’s also worth mentioning, at the end of last season, when we pulled these same Top 100 lists during our TPOTY analysis, Weiss was one of only three players to see his name in four of five categories - Dhane Smith and Jordan MacIntosh were the other two.

Owen Grant, Vancouver Warriors

Goals: 1.29 (T55)
Loose Balls: 6.14 (T36)
Caused Turnovers: 1.57 (T13)
Blocks: 1.71 (T5)

Playing a true everyday transition role, Owen Grant is a favourite for many to win this year’s TPOTY honour, and his early stat line this season supports that bold statement for a second-year pro. “I think Owen Grant is very similar to a Brodie Merrill type player,” Vancouver GM and Head Coach Curt Malawsky told NLL.com earlier this week. “He can score in transition. He can take the ball out of the other team’s stick and picks up a lot of loose balls in our end. I like to say he plays for blood. Plays to win. And we like that, a win at all cost attitude within the parameters of the game is something that is really contagious on our team.” Also, Grant was the closest to being Top 100 strong in those five statistical categories we examined, his assists average currently ranked 112th in the NLL after Week 9.

Reid Bowering, Vancouver Warriors (Photo: Jordan Leigh)

Reid Bowering, Vancouver Warriors

Goals: 0.71 (T95)
Loose Balls: 5.43 (T61)
Caused Turnovers: 1.29 (T26)
Blocks: 0.71 (T46)

While a lot of attention has deservedly been delivered to Vancouver teammate Owen Grant this year, most have likely missed Reid Bowering’s rising statistical season. In fact, Bowering’s per-game averages have him on pace to match the outstanding O numbers he registered during his rookie season. His D data is about the same as we’ve seen in recent seasons, which is fair considering the upgrades the Warriors have made to their own end since Bowering’s first year.

NLL TOP 30: Week 10

TW. (LW) Player, Team (Pos.)

1. (1) Dhane Smith, Buffalo (F)
2. (2) Josh Byrne, Buffalo (F)
3. (3) Joe Resetarits, Philadelphia (F)
4. (4) Mitch Jones, Philadelphia (F)
5. (6) Zach Higgins, Ottawa (G)
6. (5) Matt Vinc, Buffalo (G)
7. (7) Robert Hope, Colorado (D)
8. (9) Jesse King, Calgary (F)
9. (8) Zach Currier, San Diego (T)
10. (10) Curtis Dickson, Calgary (F)
11. (11) Kyle Rubisch, San Diego (D)
12. (12) Holden Cattoni, Philadelphia (F)
13. (13) Randy Staats, Halifax (F)
14. (16) Alex Simmons, Albany (F)
15. (14) Clarke Petterson, Halifax (F)
16. (18) Aden Walsh, Vancouver (G)
17. (20) Connor Fields, Rochester (F)
18. (17) Connor Kelly, Colorado (F)
19. (21) Owen Grant, Vancouver (T)
20. (19) Lyle Thompson, Georgia (F)
21. (15) Dane Dobbie, Calgary (F)
22. (23) Zach Manns, Saskatchewan (F)
23. (24) Ryan Lanchbury, Rochester (F)
24. (26) Jake Boudreau, Saskatchewan (T)
25. (22) Jeff Teat, Ottawa (F)
26. (25) Will Malcom, Colorado (F)
27. (29) Matt Hossack, Saskatchewan (D)
28. (27) Mitch de Snoo, Toronto (D)
29. (30) Jack Hannah, Las Vegas (F)
30. (NR) Ryan Dilks, Vancouver (D)

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