After the first several weeks of the 2025-26 National Lacrosse League season are complete, The Lax Mag publishes 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 only 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. 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.Earlier this season, we examined which players were seeing the most significant increases and decreases statistically in a variety of offensive and defensive stats versus a season ago.

Matt Hossack, 2025 Defensive Player of the Year (Photo: Jeff Crawford)

With only a month of regular season lacrosse left, in this week’s NLL Player Rankings, we take a deeper look at The Lax Mag’s highest ranked defensemen, where they rank statistically across the league, plus where recent past Defensive Players of the Year have ranked in those same stats.

This breakdown does not include players categorized as transition players.

We pulled the per-game loose ball (LB), caused turnover (CTO) and blocked shots (BLK) averages for this year’s defenders, plus where the last four NLL DPOTYs have ranked at the end of the season: Mitch de Snoo, Latrell Harris, Ryan Dilks and Matt Hossack.

Let’s look at those past recent winners first…

Mitch de Snoo, Toronto Rock ‘22 (Photo: Ryan McCullough)

Mitch de Snoo ‘22

Toronto Rock
LB: 185 (5th)
CTO: 39 (T2nd)
BLK: 18 (T4th)

Latrell Harris ‘23

Toronto Rock
LB: 108 (39th)
CTO: 24 (T16th)
BLK: 10 (T42nd)

Ryan Dilks ‘24

Vancouver Warriors
LB: 102 (T42nd)
CTO: 46 (1st)
BLK: 14 (T30th)

Matt Hossack ‘25

Saskatchewan Rush
LB: 129 (T15th)
CTO: 33 (T1st)
BLK: 26 (4th)

Outside of Harris in 2023, defensive stats definitely mattered when it came to voting for DPOTY, most of the names above dominating in at least one category, or like de Snoo in 2022, every category. Although we’re concentrating on D stats today, what helped Harris stand out during his award-winning season was his huge offensive numbers (10G, 20A…just three points less than that year’s Transition Player of the Year), which you’d think would move into TPOTY territory, but the NLL awards and nominations often make little sense, so let’s not go down that road again.

Ahead of Week 18, here are our Top 13 ranked defenders, and again, for those unfamiliar with our player rankings math, click here for more.

13. Michael Grace

Georgia Swarm
LB: 5.86 (T40th)
CTO: 1.71 (3rd)
BLK: 0.29 (124th)

Although his turnover causing slowed up considerably fom the end of January through all of February, Georgia rookie Michael Grace is clearly crushing CTOs this year, and could still possibly set a rookie record for the single-season stat. He ranks quite a ways back in loose balls and blocks, but Grace has clearly been a critical defender for the Swarm’s stingy D unit this year. Unless someone else really goes off over the next four week, this year’s Rookie of the Year will no doubt come down to Grace and Toronto Rock rook CJ Kirst.

12. Brayden Laity

Calgary Roughnecks
LB: 6.14 (36th)
CTO: 1.00 (T27th)
BLK: 0.71 (T34th)

Brayden Laity is quietly having a pretty outstanding season in Calgary, on pace to set new loose ball and caused turnover highs while sitting Top 3 in all Roughneck defensive stats. He is also one of only nine defenders this year with above averages high enough to rank Top 30 in each key category. Based on Laity’s continued pro development, there’s no doubt he has a DPOTY award waiting for him, and probably won’t have to wait too long for that to happen.

Reid Bowering, Vancouver Warriors (Photo: Greg Mason)

11. Reid Bowering

Vancouver Warriors
LB: 6.40 (31st)
CTO: 0.47 (114th)
BLK: 1.20 (7th)

No longer the high-scoring transitional threat like we saw over his first two seasons in the league, during Vancouver’s ongoing Curt Malawsky era, Reid Bowering has become a stronger pure defensive asset that we have as the Warriors #2 defender behind only Ryan Dilks. Big, strong, athletic and coming up defensively clutch with some key fourth-quarter shutdowns this year, Bowering is a huge reason why Vancouver is tied for first in the standings right now.

10. Jake Withers

Halifax Thunderbirds
LB: 13.00 (1st)
CTO: 0.79 (T54th)
BLK: 0.79 (T26th)

The former Transition Player of the Year really doesn’t have a stat line that screams transitional threat this year (largely due to a drop in offensive transitional production and isn’t listed as one either), but Withers still sits #1 in loose balls per game and is always a pain in the ass to play against. If he maintains his position a the top of the LB leaderboard, it will be the fourth consecutive season Withers tops the NLL in that all-important category, something that hasn’t been done since Jim Veltman’s legendary loosie lead during the late 90s and early 00s.

Brad Kir, Toronto Rock (Photo: Christian Bender)

9. Brad Kri

Toronto Rock
LB: 6.50 (T28th)
CTO: 1.64 (5th)
BLK: 0.57 (63rd)

Easily one of the most consistent pure defenders over the last five seasons, while Brad Kri’s overall defensive stat line is a bit behind what we’re used to seeing from him, it’s still one of the stronger across the league. He’s also one of only four Rock defenders to play in every game so far this season, the team dealing with an array of key injuries in their own end through most of the year.

8. Phil Mazzuca

Toronto Rock
LB: 6.82 (23rd)
CTO: 1.00 (T27th)
BLK: 0.91 (19th)

On Toronto’s IR for most of this month, Phil Mazzuca has slowly been sliding down our charts while sidelined. Prior to that, Mazzuca was arguably this year’s biggest breakout player, no matter the position, and as we outlined earlier this season, has seen one of the most significant defensive stat line spikes across the league. He is one of the very few defenders to rank Top 30 in loose balls, caused turnovers and blocked shots per game.

Of note, Toronto’s Latrell Harris has been one of our highest ranked defenders over the past month, but just missed our list today since his season start didn’t quite match the overpowering play we’ve seen from him more recently.

Ryan Dilks, Vancouver Warriors (Photo: Jonathan Tenca)

7. Ryan Dilks

Vancouver Warriors
LB: 4.47 (94th)
CTO: 1.33 (13th)
BLK: 0.67 (T44th)

Statistically speaking, Dilks isn’t dominating in defensive data this year, but consistently cracks out star-rating system for everything else he brings to the table: leadership, shutdown skills that don’t always show up on the scoresheet, and timely caused turnovers. As always though, he’s right up their for caused turnovers, a stat he only trails Kyle Rubsich for the all-time regluar season lead…

All-Time Caused Turnovers

1. Kyle Rubisch - 484
2. Ryan Dilks - 353
3. Brad Kri - 288
4. Steve Priolo - 287
5. Zach Currier - 265
6. Jordan MacIntosh - 262
7. Brodie Merrill - 261
8. Graeme Hossack - 259
9. Chris Corbeil - 258
10. Brett Mydske - 245

6. Robert Hope

Colorado Mammoth
LB: 8.27 (T6th)
CTO: 0.53 (T101st)
BLK: 1.47 (4th)

Robert Hope, who cracked our Top 30 earlier this year when he was blocking his ass off over the first third of Colorado’s campaign, has seen a steady decline in that stat, but is still scooping a way-above-average amount of loosies and still has the fourth best blocking average in the NLL.

5. Matt Hossack

Saskatchewan Rush
LB: 7.00 (20th)
CTO: 1.93 (3rd)
BLK: 0.67 (T45th)

Last year’s DPOTY is up there again this year, Matt Hossack having a defensively strong year for the Saskatchewan Rush, again. Last year, his O numbers were outstanding for a defender, and he could have just as easily been a TPOTY finalist (although the league doesn’t allow that for some reason). This year, his points obviously aren’t where they were in 2025, and he’s blocking about half as many shots as he did a season ago. Still, he’s been superb.

Graeme Hossack, Halifax Thunderbirds (Photo: David Pickering)

4. Graeme Hossack

Halifax Thunderbirds
LB: 7.14 (19th)
CTO: 1.43 (T10th)
BLK: 1.00 (T9th)

Halifax’s Graeme Hossack hasn’t cracked our Top 30 yet this year, but has been in that 30-40 range for almost the entire season. Inside the Top 20 in those three critical defensive stats, few in the league can match his consistent defensive production. A former 3x winner and 6x finalist for the league’s DPOTY, expect him to be in the convo again this year.

Nick Chaykowsky, Oshawa FireWolves (Photo: David Pickering)

3. Nick Chaykowsky

Oshawa FireWolves
LB: 7.15 (18th)
CTO: 1.62 (6th)
BLK: 1.00 (T9th)

With four games to go, Nick Chaykowsky has already set new career highs for caused turnovers and blocks, and could do the same for loosies, even though he missed a game early in the year. While Oshawa is near the bottom of the standings, allowing an above average amount of shots on goal (52.1 – 10th) and goals too (11.6 – 11th), Chaykowsky has individually stood out both on the floor and all over stat sheet.

Mitch de Snoo, Buffalo Bandits (Photo: Caroline Sherman)

2. Mitch de Snoo

Buffalo Bandits
LB: 10.70 (3rd)
CTO: 1.20 (20th)
BLK: 2.20 (1st)

With four games missed due to injury, it’s unlikely Mitch de Snoo will get too much DPOTY love when voters look at year-end stats, but when analyzing his production on a per-game basis (which is what we do here), de Snoo has the strongest defensive stat line in the league (see above). Yep, even higher than the player below him here.

This past weekend, de Snoo registered the most loose balls by a non-face-off taker in a game this year when he scooped 20 LB in Buffalo’s thrilling OT win over San Diego on Saturday night. de Snoo is averaging more LB/GP right now (10.7) than he did during his DPOTY campaign in 2022 (10.3).

In just ten games this year, de Snoo has now also set a new personal best for blocks in a single season (22), collecting another three in Week 17. His 2.2 blocks per game is the highest average across the NLL heading into Week 18.

One last thing, Buffalo is 8-2 in games de Snoo has played this year. 0-4 without him.

Callum Jones, Ottawa Black Bears (Photo: Jonathan Tenca)

1. Callum Jones

Ottawa Black Bears
LB: 9.80 (4th)
CTO: 2.00 (1st)
BLK: 0.67 (T45th)

Callum Jones has been by far our highest ranked defender this season. He’s appeared in every edition of our TOP 30 NLL Player Rankings this year, and has been inside our Top 10 for most of the season. Jones has been near or right at the top of loose balls and caused turnovers per game since Week 1, and even though he’s a bit further back in blocks across the league, he is tied for first on Ottawa’s roster. The Black Bears are one of only four teams allowing fewer than 50 shots on goal per game right now, Jones helping erase an average of 3.11 SOG per game in comparison to last year. Although we have four weeks of regular season lacrosse left, it would take a complete collapse by Jones to fumble this year’s DPOTY honour, well, based on our season-long analysis at least.

NLL TOP 30: WEEK 18

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

1. (1) Brett Dobson, Georgia (G)
2. (3) Keegan Bal, Vancouver (F)
3. (2) Jeff Teat, Ottawa (F)
4. (4) Dhane Smith, Buffalo (F)
5. (5) Andrew Kew, Georgia (F)
6. (9) Christian Del Bianco, Vancouver (G)
7. (6) Zach Currier, San Diego (F)
8. (7) Callum Jones, Ottawa (D)
9. (10) Connor Fields, Rochester (F)
10. (11) Mitch Jones, Las Vegas (F)
11. (17) Josh Byrne, Buffalo (F)
12. (8) Mike Messenger, Saskatchewan (T)
13. (13) Ryan Lanchbury, Rochester (F)
14. (12) Jack Hannah, Colorado (F)
15. (14) Alex Simmons, Oshawa (F)
16. (15) Ryan Keenan, Saskatchewan (F)
17. (16) Tanner Cook, Calgary (F)
18. (19) Jonanthan Donville, Las Vegas (F)
19. (20) Dillon Ward, Colorado (G)
20. (18) Rob Hellyer, Ottawa (F)
21. (23) Jordan MacIntosh, Georgia (T)
22. (25) CJ Kirst, Toronto (F)
23. (21) Will Malcom, Colorado (F)
24. (26) Curtis Dickson, Vancouver (F)
25. (22) Jake Boudreau, Saskatchewan (T)
26. (27) Connor Kirst, Las Vegas (T)
27. (30) Clarke Petterson, Halifax (F)
28. (29) Robert Church, Saskatchewan (F)
29. (NR) Mitch de Snoo, Buffalo (D)
30. (NR) Tyler Pace, Calgary (F)