Week 5 shook things up across the board, with movement in all eight spots of the Top 8. Even so, the very top stayed fairly steady — for now. One win either way and these rankings could’ve looked completely different. That’s what makes this League so much fun: the talent runs deep and anything can happen. Three games came down to the wire this week, and even an eight-goal lead wasn’t safe.
December 27, 2025: Georgia Swarm at Colorado Mammoth at the Ball Arena in Denver Colorado, United States. (Photo by John Matthew Harrison/National Lacrosse League)
The Swarm have been streaky in their four games so far, leading to a 2-2 record, but their dominant 12-3 win over Colorado makes them this week’s team to watch. Brett Dobson has been fantastic this season, ranking fourth in saves. Their rookie-heavy roster is getting better each game, with Michael Grace and Nolan Byrne leading the way. Veterans Shayne Jackson and Lyle Thompson are adjusting to working with new forwards, and after slow starts, each contributed a goal as well as five and four assists, respectively. This young Swarm roster had everyone wondering what to expect — but now it’s clear: things are trending up in Sting City.
Philadelphia Wings at Ottawa Black Bears 12.27.25
Week 5 Result: Beat Philadelphia 16-12
Week 6 Opponent: at Oshawa (1-3)
Previous Ranking: N/A
Call them the Cardiac Kids. The Black Bears have been forced to pull off epic comebacks in each of their last two outings. Though they fell by a single goal to Las Vegas, they had been down 9-1 before battling back. This weekend, they saw a 9-4 lead over Philadelphia dissipate before rallying for a seven-goal fourth quarter. With a 2-2 record, they’ve shown moments of brilliance – led by Jeff Teat, of course. He sits at the top of the NLL scoring race with 29 points (9G/20A), with Rob Hellyer right behind him (12G/16A). The dynamic duo is leading a resilient offence.
Week 5 Result: Idle
Week 6 Opponent: vs. Calgary (0-3)
Previous Ranking: 6th
The Seals get the benefit of the doubt after two weeks off. They looked good against Ottawa, but didn’t play well against Rochester. With only two games to draw from, there’s not a lot of data to determine how well the Seals could do this season. They have a couple of potentially easier tests coming up, hosting Calgary and Toronto before visiting Vancouver on January 16. The results from those contests will be telling.
Week 5 Result: Beat Toronto 17-11
Week 6 Opponent: at Buffalo
Previous Ranking: N/A
If the Las Vegas Desert Dogs could redo their season opener against Vancouver, a 15-9 loss, they would. They just weren’t cohesive in that first outing. But after a second consecutive win, the team is finding its stride. Their forward corps has figured it out, and their defence, backstopped by Landon Kells, is showing a confidence that had been lacking in past seasons. Las Vegas is having fun playing lacrosse, and that’s dangerous for their opponents. They have their toughest contest yet this weekend, with Chase Fraser and Chris Cloutier visiting Buffalo for the first time since leaving as free agents. If the ‘Dogs can hold their own against the defending champs, the sky might as well be the limit.
Week 5 Result: Idle
Week 6 Opponent: Bye Week
Previous Ranking: 4th
The Warriors benefit from two consecutive bye weeks over the holidays: they last played on December 19, beating Oshawa 8-6, and they’re off until they visit Calgary on January 9. The Roughnecks may be 0-3 but should not be taken lightly; they’re a hardworking team that can keep pace with anyone. Curtis Dickson, Jesse King, and Reece Callies, who are facing their old team for the first time, will add some pressure to what should be an exciting game between rivals.
Halifax Thunderbirds and Saskatchewan Rush on December 27 2025 at the Scotiabank Center in Halifax, Nova Scotia. (Trevor MacMillan/Halifax Thunderbirds)
Week 5 Result: Lost to Saskatchewan 10-9
Week 6 Opponent: at Saskatchewan (3-1)
Previous Ranking: 1st
Parity between the top teams in the League is alive and well – Halifax beat Buffalo, but fell to Saskatchewan, both by a single goal. Against Saskatchewan, a team against which Halifax has only one win in their last five meetings, the Thunderbirds had to play catch-up most of the game and saw two third-period leads evaporate. They just needed one more thing to go right, and that could happen in the rematch at Sasktel Centre this week with a focus on improving special teams. They allowed four goals on eight power play chances against Saskatchewan while only scoring twice on their own six chances.
Saskatchewan vs Halifax 12-27-2025
Week 5 Result: Beat Halifax 10-9
Week 6 Opponent: vs. Halifax (2-1)
Previous Ranking: 5th
The Rush and Thunderbirds cannot play a boring game. Two of their last three meetings have gone to overtime, and fans won’t forget when Austin Shanks buried the OT winner that sent the Rush to the Finals last season. Shanks has really found his groove in Saskatchewan as part of a close-knit, cohesive forward group that plays as a unit rather than relying on individual stars. That chemistry makes the Rush dangerous because the scoring threat comes from everywhere — and it showed on Saturday, with sophomore Matt Acchione scoring the first two goals of his career in transition.
CALGARY, AB, CANADA – DECEMBER 28, 2025: The Calgary Roughnecks against the Buffalo Bandirs at Scotiabank Saddledome on Sunday. (Photo by Jenn Pierce/NLL)
Week 5 Result: Beat Calgary 13-7
Week 6 Opponent: vs. Las Vegas (2-1)
Previous Ranking: 3rd
After a week off following their loss to Halifax, the Bandits were back to form in Week 5. Calgary initially kept the score close, but Buffalo pulled away in the third, outscoring the home team 8-3 in the second half. The Bandits were feisty in their return to the floor and put in a whole team effort, led by their veterans. 38-year-old Kyle Buchanan contributed two of the team’s best goals – a wraparound dunk goal, followed by a leaping far-side twister. 43-year-old Matt Vinc made 41 saves. Steve Priolo (36) and Paul Dawson (40) combined to block four shots. Age and experience are this team’s strengths.
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Philadelphia Wings @ Rochester Knighthawks 12/20/25 (Credit: Jonathan Tenca/NLL)
Week 5 Result: Idle
Week 6 Opponent: at Colorado (1-2)
Previous Ranking: 2nd
They are the League’s only remaining undefeated team. In their two outings, the Knighthawks have shown they’re a force to be reckoned with. Even with 15 goals scored in each of their games, it’s been the defence and goaltender Rylan Hartley that have made the difference. They’ve defeated the Seals and a determined Wings’ team, showing early that adversity isn’t going to be a concern as they face stronger and more frequent competition later in the season.
