Buffalo Bandits forward Josh Byrne, the National Lacrosse League (@NLL) leader in points with 135, today was named the League’s Most Valuable Player for the 2023-24 regular season, edging Buffalo teammate Dhane Smith and Toronto Rock goaltender Nick Rose for the annual award.
Byrne, Smith and the Bandits travel to NLL Rookie of the Year Alex Simmons and the Albany FireWolves tonight for Game 1 of the 2024 NLL Finals presented by AXIA Time at MVP Arena in Albany (7 p.m. ET, TSN, TSN+, ESPN+, CW23).
With Byrne’s win, the Bandits have now won two of the past three NLL MVP Awards (Smith, 2022), propelling them to the NLL Finals for three consecutive seasons.
Byrne, who was also named the League’s Offensive Player of the Year on Thursday, led the NLL in points with 135, placing third in goals (53) and second in assists (82). He surpassed the career 200 goals and 400 points marks while helping the Bandits win six of their last seven games to earn the No. 4 seed in the NLL Playoffs in defense of their 2023-24 title. It is the first MVP award for the sixth-year performer.
The All-NLL First and Second Teams were determined by the top vote-getters in each position-based award, and are comprised of six individuals per team consisting of two forwards, one transition player, two defensemen, and one goaltender:
2023-24 All-NLL First Team:
Josh Byrne, forward, Buffalo Bandits (MVP and Offensive Player of the Year)
Jeff Teat, forward, New York Riptide
Ryan Dilks, defense, Vancouver Warriors (Defensive Player of the Year)
Mitch de Snoo, defense, Toronto Rock
Jake Withers, transition, Halifax Thunderbirds (Transition Player of the Year)
Nick Rose, goaltender, Toronto Rock (Goaltender of the Year)
2023-24 All-NLL Second Team:
Dhane Smith, forward, Buffalo Bandits
Connor Fields, forward, Rochester Knighthawks
Brad Kri, defense, Toronto Rock
Kyle Rubisch, defense, San Diego Seals
Ian MacKay, transition, Buffalo Bandits
Doug Jamieson, goaltender, Albany FireWolves
Below are the all-time winners of the NLL Most Valuable Player Award
2024 – Josh Byrne, Buffalo Bandits
2023 – Christian Del Bianco, Calgary Roughnecks
2022 – Dhane Smith, Buffalo Bandits
2020 – Shayne Jackson, Georgia Swarm
2019 – Dane Dobbie, Calgary Roughnecks
2018 – Mark Matthews, Saskatchewan Rush
2017 – Lyle Thompson, Georgia Swarm
2016 – Dhane Smith, Buffalo Bandits
2015 – Shawn Evans, Calgary Roughnecks
2014 – Cody Jamieson, Rochester Knighthawks
2013 – Shawn Evans, Calgary Roughnecks
2012 – John Grant Jr., Colorado Mammoth
2011 – Jeff Shattler, Calgary Roughnecks
2010 – Casey Powell, Orlando Titans
2009 – Dan Dawson, Boston Blazers
2008 – Athan Iannucci, Philadelphia Wings
2007 – John Grant Jr., Rochester Knighthawks
2006 – Steve Dietrich, Buffalo Bandits
2005 – Colin Doyle, Toronto Rock
2004 – Jim Veltman, Toronto Rock
2003 – Gary Gait, Colorado Mammoth
2002 – Paul Gait, Washington Power
2001 – John Tavares, Buffalo Bandits
2000 – John Tavares, Buffalo Bandits
1999 – Gary Gait, Baltimore Thunder
1998 – Gary Gait, Baltimore Thunder
1997 – Gary Gait, Philadelphia Wings
1996 – Gary Gait, Philadelphia Wings
1995 – Gary Gait, Philadelphia Wings
1994 – John Tavares, Buffalo Bandits
2023-24 NLL Awards announcement schedule and summary:
Monday, May 13
Executive of the Year – John Catalano, President and Chief Executive Officer, Halifax Thunderbirds
Tom Borrelli Award (Media Person of the Year) – Adam Levi, NLL.com, Inside Lacrosse
Tuesday, May 14
Sportsmanship Award – Lyle Thompson, Georgia Swarm
Teammate of the Year (via NLLPA) – Zack Greer, Las Vegas Desert Dogs
Wednesday, May 15
Les Bartley Award (Coach of the Year) – Glenn Clark, Albany FireWolves
General Manager of the Year – Glenn Clark, Albany FireWolves
Thursday, May 16
Offensive Player of the Year – Josh Byrne, Buffalo Bandits
Defensive Player of the Year – Ryan Dilks, Vancouver Warriors
Transition Player of the Year – Jake Withers, Halifax Thunderbirds
Goaltender of the Year – Nick Rose, Toronto Rock
Friday, May 17
Rookie of the Year – Alex Simmons, Albany FireWolves
2023-24 All-Rookie Team:
Finalists for each award, announced last week, as well as selection criteria can be found here.
