Sports season
| 2019 NLL season |
|---|
| League | National Lacrosse League |
|---|
| Sport | Indoor lacrosse (box lacrosse) |
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| Duration | December 15, 2018 — May 25, 2019 |
|---|
| Number of games | 18 |
|---|
| Number of teams | 11 |
|---|
| TV partner(s) | B/R Live[1] |
|---|
|
| Top seed | Buffalo Bandits |
|---|
| Season MVP | Dane Dobbie |
|---|
| Top scorer | Dane Dobbie |
|---|
|
| Eastern champions | Buffalo Bandits |
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| Eastern runners-up | Toronto Rock |
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| Western champions | Calgary Roughnecks |
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| Western runners-up | Colorado Mammoth |
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|
| Champions | Calgary Roughnecks |
|---|
| Runners-up | Buffalo Bandits |
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| Finals MVP | Dane Dobbie |
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|
|
The 2019 National Lacrosse League season, formally known as the 2018–2019 season, is the 33rd in the history of the NLL. It was originally scheduled to begin on December 1, 2018 and ending with the NLL final in late spring of 2019. This season is the inaugural season for the expansion teams San Diego Seals and Philadelphia Wings. This is also the final season for the Rochester Knighthawks under owner Curt Styres, as the team's operations are being relocated to Halifax for the 2019–20 season while Pegula Sports and Entertainment takes over the Knighthawks moniker with a new expansion team.
The Professional Lacrosse Players Association, who represents the NLL players, opted out of their seven-year collective bargaining agreement after the fifth season (2017–18) seeking a new deal. On November 15, 2018 the league announced that a counter-proposal submitted by the Professional Lacrosse Players Association was rejected. This came after the league suspended their Wednesday November 14 deadline to review the counter-proposal after the PLPA rejected the league's offer; the PLPA advised its members not to attend training camp and thus effectively went on strike. Subsequent to this the league announced that all games to be played in the first two weeks of the season (encompassing December 1 and 8 weekends) were cancelled.[2] On November 24 the NLL and the PLPA came to an agreement on the CBA for 5 years, ending the labor dispute.[3]
Regular season
Reference: [4]
x: Clinched playoff berth; c: Clinched playoff berth by crossing over to another division; y: Clinched division; z: Clinched best regular season record; GP: Games Played
W: Wins; L: Losses; GB: Games back; PCT: Win percentage; Home: Record at Home; Road: Record on the Road; GF: Goals scored; GA: Goals allowed
Differential: Difference between goals scored and allowed; GF/GP: Average number of goals scored per game; GA/GP: Average number of goals allowed per game
[5]
Playoffs
| Divisional Semifinal
| | | Divisional Final
| | | NLL Final (best of 3)
| |
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| E1
| Buffalo
| 13
| | | |
|
| E4
| New England
| 6
| |
| | E1
| Buffalo
| 12
| |
| Eastern Division
| |
| | | E3
| Toronto
| 8
| |
| E2
| Georgia
| 14
| |
| |
| E3
| Toronto
| 16
| |
| | E1
| Buffalo
| 7
| 13
| —
| |
|
| |
| | | W3
| Calgary
| 10
| 14*
| —
| |
| W1
| Saskatchewan
| 10
| | |
| |
| W4
| Colorado
| 11*
| |
| | W4
| Colorado
| 4
| |
| Western Division
| |
| | | W3
| Calgary
| 8
| |
| W2
| San Diego
| 11
| |
| |
| W3
| Calgary
| 12
| |
*Overtime
Awards
Annual awards
References: Nominees[6] and Winners[7]
| Award
|
Winner
|
Other Finalists
|
| Most Valuable Player
|
Dane Dobbie, Calgary Roughnecks
|
Lyle Thompson, Georgia Swarm
Matt Vinc, Buffalo Bandits
|
| Goaltender of the Year
|
Matt Vinc, Buffalo Bandits
|
Christian Del Bianco, Calgary Roughnecks
Dillon Ward, Colorado Mammoth
|
| Defensive Player of the Year
|
Graeme Hossack, Rochester Knighthawks
|
Steve Priolo, Buffalo Bandits
Kyle Rubisch, Saskatchewan Rush
|
| Transition Player of the Year
|
Challen Rogers, Toronto Rock
|
Zach Currier, Calgary Roughnecks
Kiel Matisz, Philadelphia Wings
|
| Rookie of the Year
|
Austin Staats, San Diego Seals
|
Ian MacKay, Buffalo Bandits
Matt Rambo, Philadelphia Wings
|
| Sportsmanship Award
|
Lyle Thompson, Georgia Swarm
|
Dan Dawson, San Diego Seals
Tom Schreiber, Toronto Rock
|
| GM of the Year
|
Steve Dietrich, Buffalo Bandits[8]
|
Mike Board, Calgary Roughnecks
Patrick Merrill, San Diego Seals
|
| Les Bartley Award
|
John Tavares/Rich Kilgour, Buffalo Bandits[9]
|
Curt Malawsky, Calgary Roughnecks
Matt Sawyer, Toronto Rock
|
| Executive of the Year Award
|
Terri Giberson, Toronto Rock
|
Lindsey Masciangelo, Philadelphia Wings
Dave Zygaj, Buffalo Bandits
|
| Teammate of the Year Award
|
John Ranagan, Georgia Swarm
|
Kyle Buchanan, San Diego Seals
Chad Cummings, Calgary Roughnecks
|
| Tom Borrelli Award
|
Tyson Geick, Lacrosse Flash
|
Bob Chavez, IL Indoor
Barstool Jordie, Barstool Sports
|
