Breaking Down Every Team’s Picks from the 2026 NLL Draft presented by Capelli Sport

No. 1 Pick Finn Thomson Adds Firepower to Dangerous Knighthawks Offense

Rochester Knighthawks 2025–26 regular-season record: 6–12 

Finn Thomson steps into a particularly interesting offensive environment. Connor Fields recorded 119 points and Ryan Lanchbury added 106 last season, including 82 assists. Rochester already had players who could create opportunities. The first overall pick offers another potential way to finish them.

General Manager Dan Carey highlighted Thomson’s ability to play with and without the ball. That matters on a roster with established creators: he can look for open space, contribute as a finisher and develop his own playmaking role without needing to dominate every possession. His junior familiarity with Thomas McConvey, who scored 32 goals last season, adds another connection.

The other first-round selection addresses a different statistical story. Rochester allowed 239 goals, the most in the League, despite scoring 205, the fourth-most. Trading back into the first round for Saka Thompson gives the Knighthawks a goaltending prospect with substantial box experience. It is an investment in improving that end of the floor, with his eventual role still to be earned.

Matt Vilas, Frank Coyle and Owen Tovell deepen the defensive pipeline. Thomson can make a productive attack more dangerous; the rest of the class could help Rochester get more value from that scoring.

The Champs Reload with Silas Richmond

Toronto Rock 2025–26 regular-season record: 11–7

The defending champions still have room for another scorer. Toronto finished with 195 regular-season goals, seventh in the League, before its championship run. Silas Richmond gives the Rock a chance to raise that offensive ceiling.

CJ Kirst and Owen Hiltz scored 34 and 32 goals, respectively, from the left side. On the right, Chris Boushy scored 28, Challen Rogers 26 and Josh Dawick 22. Richmond’s shooting ability gives Toronto another right-handed threat who could make it harder for defenses to devote extra attention to Kirst and Hiltz. He would have to earn his touches, but the potential fit is a scorer who helps make both sides of the attack dangerous.

There is also room for improvement on the power play: Toronto recorded 22 power-play goals, the fewest in the League. That is a goal total, not an efficiency ranking, but it identifies another area where an additional shooting option could prove valuable. Will Sheehan adds further offensive competition.

Andrew McMeekin addresses possession after Toronto won 34.5 percent of its recorded faceoffs. Alexis Simard can compete to support a defense that produced 190 caused turnovers, second-most. Brooks English is returning to Johns Hopkins, while Troy MacDonald adds another transition prospect. Toronto’s class offers several ways to make the title defense stronger.

Matt Collison Brings Size and Scoring to Vancouver

Vancouver Warriors 2025–26 regular-season record: 13–5

Vancouver allowed only 170 goals, second-fewest in the League, while Keegan Bal produced 124 points and Curtis Dickson scored 42 goals. Matt Collison joins a team with proven strengths, and his size gives the offense a potentially different way to create chances.

At 6-foot-4 and 225 pounds, the third overall pick can challenge the interior while presenting an outside shooting threat. Curt Malawsky specifically highlighted his ability to create space for teammates. That could benefit an attack whose left-handed options included Jesse King, with 80 points, and Adam Charalambides, with 68. Collison’s impact may show up in the chances he helps create for others as well as his own scoring.

Marcus Khan gives Vancouver a goaltending prospect to develop around Christian Del Bianco, who made 724 saves last season. Jeremy Wudrick and Joel McCormick add offensive competition, while Blake Young and Joel Mullen broaden the defensive pipeline.

Henry Dodge gives Vancouver another intriguing possibility at the faceoff dot. The Warriors won 40.3 percent of their recorded faceoffs last season; Dodge won 67.9 percent at Maryland. Success in field lacrosse does not guarantee the same results indoors, but developing that specialty could help Vancouver give its established scorers more possessions.

Michael White and Owen Tasse Raise the Stakes in Las Vegas

Las Vegas Desert Dogs 2025–26 regular-season record: 8–10

Las Vegas scored a League-leading 219 goals last season. Jonathan Donville recorded 105 points, Mitch Jones added 104 and Chris Cloutier scored 40 goals. There was plenty of offense. The opportunity for improvement lies at the other end, where the Desert Dogs allowed 229 goals, the second-most in the League.

That makes Michael White at No. 4 and Owen Tasse at No. 11 an especially understandable first-round pairing. Both bring size to the defensive pipeline. If they develop into dependable NLL defenders, the benefit would be fewer clean chances against a team that already knows how to score. White is the more immediate prospect to watch, with Tasse headed to Penn State for a graduate season. Nathan Pouliot adds another defensive and transition candidate.

Blake Malamphy offers a second route to helping the attack: possession. Las Vegas won 43.7 percent of its recorded faceoffs. His faceoff background gives the Desert Dogs a specialist to evaluate as they look for more opportunities to put their scorers to work.

Koleton Marquis and John Alie add offensive competition. They enter a class whose biggest potential contribution is making Las Vegas’ existing scoring production translate into more wins.

Calgary Roughnecks Add a Pair of College Phenoms in Joey Spallina and Chad Palumbo

Calgary Roughnecks 2025–26 regular-season record: 6–12

Tanner Cook and Tyler Pace combined for 80 of Calgary’s 187 goals last season, accounting for 42.8 percent of the team’s scoring. The Roughnecks finished tied for ninth in goals, giving their two early offensive selections a clear opportunity to make a difference.

Joey Spallina, taken fifth after Calgary traded up, brings a Syracuse career of 333 points and international box experience with Team USA. Chad Palumbo, selected seventh, finished his Princeton career with 102 goals. Together, the righty Spallina and lefty Palumbo could give Calgary more ways to generate chances on both sides of the floor and spread the offensive responsibility.

For Spallina, the fit is especially appealing alongside a right-handed playmaker in Pace, who recorded 72 assists. Palumbo adds competition to a left side that received 49 goals from Cook and 31 from Brayden Mayea. Neither rookie needs to carry the attack to make it more difficult to defend.

At the other end, Calgary’s 110 caused turnovers ranked last. Zach Moen’s defensive pedigree makes him a prospect to watch, while Kaden Kublinskas, Luke Soenen, Alex Ross and Zach Vanderwal broaden the search for defenders who can help end possessions.

Dante Bowen Is Built to Make His Presence Felt in Buffalo

Buffalo Bandits 2025–26 regular-season record: 11–7

Dante Bowen does not need to arrive in Buffalo carrying the offense. Dhane Smith and Josh Byrne produced 118 and 113 points, respectively, last season. A rookie who helps get the ball back into their sticks can contribute without posting a huge scoring total of his own.

That is the opportunity for the sixth overall pick. Bowen’s defensive background at Syracuse and box experience in Brampton make him a candidate to compete for defensive and transition minutes. Buffalo already led the League with 158 blocked shots; Bowen can help sustain that commitment while looking for opportunities to move the ball quickly after a stop. The potential payoff is more chances for the established scorers before opposing defenses settle.

Owen Rice offers another right-handed offensive option behind a group in which Smith scored 39 goals and Kyle Buchanan added 29. Obrigh Tallchief, Raymond Cortes and Kyle Gonsiorek deepen the defensive competition, while Micah Hanson and Nate Ruff add transition candidates.

Buffalo’s final selection, Niky Lowe, was an honorary tribute following the former Jr. Bandits goaltender’s passing. His place in the class carries meaning beyond any statistical projection.

Aaron Toguri Could Elevate an Already Proven Defensive Core in Saskatchewan

Saskatchewan Rush 2025–26 regular-season record: 12–6

Saskatchewan allowed just 176 goals last season, third-fewest in the League. Aaron Toguri joins a defensive group with a high standard to maintain, and his arrival comes after the Rush traded Holden Garlent to Oshawa. Garlent contributed 65 loose balls and 11 caused turnovers in 13 games, illustrating some of the work that must be redistributed.

Toguri, selected eighth, brings 2025 OJLL Defender of the Year credentials. He is not guaranteed Garlent’s role, but the opportunity is clear: compete for defensive responsibility and help the Rush continue ending possessions efficiently. Alex Lemieux’s senior experience with Langley and Jayden Richards’ junior background add further candidates.

There are useful examples within the roster. Matt Hossack recorded 32 caused turnovers, while Mike Messenger blocked 29 shots. Toguri’s early value can come through smaller contributions in those areas as he adjusts to the League.

Xavier Delormier adds a young goaltending option behind a team that already defended well. Brian Jackman and Cal Brennan supply offensive depth for a club that scored 206 goals, tied for second. This class offers Saskatchewan a chance to sustain its strengths as the roster changes.

David Anderson Adds Another Dimension to Swarm Attack

Georgia Swarm 2025–26 regular-season record: 12–6

Georgia allowed a League-low 156 goals and led the NLL with 191 caused turnovers. The Swarm repeatedly did the work required to stop opponents. With 193 goals scored, eighth in the League, an additional offensive contributor could help turn that defensive excellence into an even more complete team.

David Anderson, selected ninth, is the leading candidate from this class to provide that boost. Lyle Thompson recorded 77 points and Kaleb Benedict added 49 last season, giving the right-handed prospect a group to complement as he competes for touches and a place in the rotation. Anderson’s opportunity is to become another credible threat when defenses focus on the established playmakers. Brinley Wilson and Kyle Lewis add further offensive competition.

Jack Cascadden’s selection at No. 15 has an especially clear statistical rationale. Georgia won 98 of 420 recorded faceoffs, just 23.3 percent. Cascadden won 62.7 percent at Cornell in 2026. Those percentages come from different versions of the game, but they explain the appeal of developing a specialist who could help Georgia start more possessions with the ball. He is returning to Cornell, so that is a future opportunity.

Max Neeson, Blake Eiland and Brenden Boyle will compete to reinforce an already productive defense.

Aidan Maguire Brings Speed and Versatility to San Diego

San Diego Seals 2025–26 regular-season record: 8–10

San Diego won 74.4 percent of its recorded faceoffs last season and collected 1,354 loose balls, the second-most in the League. Yet the Seals scored 185 goals, tied for 11th. The numbers point to an opportunity to get more offensive value from the possessions they win.

Lucas Dudemaine, selected 22nd, gives San Diego another forward to evaluate alongside a group led in points by Wesley Berg with 74 and Tre Leclaire with 71. A rookie who earns a reliable supporting role could help diversify the attack. Bowie Horsman offers additional offensive potential further down the road, with Cornell confirming he will return for 2026–27.

First-round pick Aidan Maguire strengthens a different part of the equation. San Diego allowed 191 goals, eighth-fewest, and Patrick Merrill sees the Duke product’s physical presence as a fit on defense. Maguire could help the Seals finish defensive possessions and get the ball moving toward players such as Zach Currier, who contributed 200 loose balls and 57 points last season.

Owen Wills adds defensive competition and Greyson Beggs adds goaltending potential. San Diego also gained Calgary’s 2027 first-round pick by moving down to select Maguire, preserving another avenue to improve.

Nick Crowley and David Peterkin Strengthen Thunderbirds’ Defensive Identity

Halifax Thunderbirds 2025–26 regular-season record: 8–10

Halifax has a model for turning defensive work into offense. Jake Withers collected 223 loose balls and won 303 of 424 faceoffs, a 71.5 percent success rate, while Ryan Terefenko added 140 loose balls and 26 points. David Peterkin’s transition background gives the Thunderbirds another prospect who could contribute to that style.

Selected 29th, Peterkin brings experience playing both defense and offense. The potential fit is a runner who can help secure possession, advance the ball and recognize when to attack before the opposition gets organized. Halifax scored 187 goals, tied for ninth, so additional transition chances could provide a useful source of offense.

Nick Crowley, taken 12th, adds defensive potential, although he is returning to Rutgers and Halifax identifies the spring as his possible arrival window. Connor Gorman offers a different route to improvement: his size and left-handed scoring could eventually support an offense whose leading scorer, Clarke Petterson, finished with 90 points. Gorman is also returning to college.

Aiden Long is a longer-term transition prospect with ongoing Cornell hockey commitments, while Rory Graham provides another left-handed defensive candidate. Peterkin is the clearest near-term storyline in a class with several later arrival timelines.

Cole Teeple Adds Depth to an Already Deep Mammoth Roster

Colorado Mammoth 2025–26 regular-season record: 12–6

Colorado scored 206 goals, tied for second in the League, and allowed just 179, the fourth-fewest. This draft adds competition to a roster that already performed well at both ends. The question is whether a newcomer can give the Mammoth another dependable option when opponents concentrate on their leading scorers.

Ryan Stines is the offensive possibility. Will Malcom, Jack Hannah and Andrew Kew each recorded at least 84 points last season, while the next-highest total was Braedon Saris’ 53. Stines’ 243 collegiate points at Utah suggest scoring potential, although translating his field production and limited junior box experience into an NLL role is the challenge. A useful supporting scorer would make Colorado’s attack harder to contain.

Cole Teeple, the 18th overall pick, offers a defensive and transition option. Robert Hope set a substantial standard with 160 loose balls and 28 blocked shots last season. Teeple can compete for a complementary role built around reliable defensive shifts and moving the ball forward.

Goaltender Zach Constantopoulos rounds out the class as a development prospect. His selection gives Colorado another young netminder to evaluate behind an established goaltending group.

Justin Lee Adds Size to a Reshaped Offense in Oshawa

Oshawa FireWolves 2025–26 regular-season record: 6–12

Oshawa scored 179 goals last season, the second-fewest in the League. Alex Simmons and Tye Kurtz supplied 80 of them, or 44.7 percent. That provides the backdrop for a two-player class with the potential to broaden the offense.

Justin Lee, selected 19th, brings a 6-foot-5 frame and an existing connection with Simmons after playing alongside him for Oakville. Lee recorded 35 points in senior box lacrosse this summer. His size and versatility could give Oshawa another option for creating space and finishing chances around its established right-handed scorers. The FireWolves expect him to compete for an offensive role.

Andrew Bowman, selected 33rd, arrives after a 61-point WLA season with Nanaimo. His left-handed scoring adds depth following Oshawa’s dispersal selection of Jeff Teat, who recorded 115 points and 71 assists with Ottawa last season. Bowman will face competition for a role, but a productive finisher could benefit from the opportunities a playmaker such as Teat creates.

Neither prospect has to become the centerpiece to improve the roster. If Lee can make his size useful and Bowman can earn a finishing role, Oshawa gains more ways to complete possessions when opponents devote attention to its established threats.