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Brett Dobson – Georgia Swarm
Dobson had a career year in goal, setting the record for lowest GAA (7.86) and SV% (.847) in League history, but his MVP award goes beyond the numbers. Dobson truly came into form this season and became the all-pro level goalie, and his performance has certainly been a contributing factor to what has been a successful season for the Swarm, keeping them in the playoff hunt.
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Keegan Bal – Vancouver Warriors
Bal continues to improve year after year; 2026 was his best season in the League, as he finished T-2 in goals (45) and T-2 for assists (79), accumulating 124 points. This was good enough to notch 6.9 points per game, only sitting behind a fellow Offensive player of the year nominee, Andrew Kew, with 7.0. Producing at the level Bal did this season is a remarkable achievement, but doing so while sharing the workload with fellow NLL stars Curtis Dickson and Jesse King makes this season all the more impressive.
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Callum Jones – Ottawa Black Bears
It didn’t take long for the 3rd overall pick from the 2023 draft to show why he should already be considered one of the best defenders in the League. Jones is already regarded as one of the strongest men in the League. Jones finished the season T-2 in caused turnovers (32), only behind a fellow defensive player of the year nominee in Brad Kri. In addition, Jones finished 3rd in the League in loose balls (173) behind transition player of the year nominee, San Diego’s Zach Currier and Halifax’s faceoff man, Jake Withers. Jones plays a physical yet clean game, only amassing 14 penalty minutes, making life on the opposition difficult all season as he was often a factor on the floor.
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Zach Currier – San Diego Seals
The 2022 and 2023 TPOY is up for the award again after an outstanding season with San Diego. Playing predominantly out the front door this season, Currier ranked T-3 in team scoring with 57 points (22G, 35A). He also finished second in the League with 200 loose balls, marking the 4th time in his 8 seasons played in which he’s scooped at least 200 loose balls. Currier is often regarded as one of the best two-way players in lacrosse. Currier cemented his legacy by becoming the second player in League history to win 3 TPOY awards (Brodie Merril – 2009, 2010, 2017).
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Brett Dobson – Georgia Swarm
Since the opening days of the season, Dobson has been a frontrunner for Goaltender of the Year. After a shaky start in week 1 against Buffalo, Dobson did not allow more than 5 goals in a game again until after week 5. He was the glue that held together a retooled Swarm as they worked to find a new identity. Along the way, he had five more games allowing seven goals or fewer, contributing to a league-fewest 156 goals against. Dobson ended the season by making history: a 7.86 GAA and a .847 save percentage. He is the first goaltender ever to finish a season with a sub-8.00 GAA.
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CJ Kirst – Toronto Rock
The NCAA champion from Cornell, Tewaaraton award winner, and 2025 number one overall draft pick, fit seamlessly into the NLL in year one. Any reservations about his limited box lacrosse experience were quickly squashed. He was energetic and willing to learn from the jump. Kirst finished the season first in rookie scoring with 71 points and tied for first in Rock scoring with Mark Matthews. He scored 34 goals and tied for first in assists among rookies with 37. In addition, he was fourth among rookies in loose balls with 95, second in caused turnovers with 19, and he only saw the penalty box twice.
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Ryan Keenan – Saskatchewan Rush
Not only is Ryan Keenan a proficient scorer, but he is also sets a good example while on the floor. In 2026, he took zero penalties despite always having a defender in his way, looking to block him. Keenan also escorts the team’s Kid Captain from Ronald McDonald House to the floor each game, ensuring they are having a memorable experience joining the Rush starting lineup.
(Voted on by the Players)
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Luc Magnan – Ottawa Black Bears
After bouncing around for a few seasons, Magnan has found a stable home with the Black Bears, where he patrols the defensive end. But Magnan isn’t a one-trick pony – he’s a utility guy, and his teammates count on him for whatever they need.
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Pat Coyle – Colorado Mammoth
Coyle led his team to a second-place regular season finish despite several blows to the Mammoth offense. Eli McLaughlin was unavailable (due to personal reasons); Ryan Lee was lost early with a season-ending injury, and Andrew Kew was on the IR twice for short stints. Despite all of the changes to the team throughout the year, the Mammoth were one of two teams to finish top-5 in goals per game (11.44) and goals against per game (9.94). Coyle instilled so much confidence in his players that they found another level and never came down. Coyle was the only Finalist this season not to have won previously.
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Brad Self – Colorado Mammoth
Self pulled off a couple of major trades to bolster the Mammoth’s lineup. Preseason, he sent Connor Kelly to the Swarm for Andrew Kew, and then acquired Jack Hannah from Las Vegas for three high draft picks. The Mammoth were in need of offensive assistance after losing Eli McLaughlin (personal reasons), Connor Robinson (trade), and Zed Williams (trade), and the moves proved especially fortuitous when Ryan Lee later went down due to an injury. First as a player, then as general manager, Self has always thought three steps ahead.
