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- What: 2026 National Lacrosse League
- When: Nov 19, 2025-April 19, 2026
- Where: Saskatchewan, Buffalo, Denver, Rochester, Vancouver, Calgary, Philadelphia, Halifax, Duluth, Las Vegas, San Diego, Ottawa and Oshawa
Can the Buffalo Bandits win an unprecedented fourth straight championship? The Bandits raised their third championship banner during their opener against Georgia. Goaltender Matt Vinc anchors the defense and returns for his 20th season.
Leading the contenders are the Saskatchewan Rush. They are 6-1 through nine weeks. The Rush lost in the championship to the Bandits last year. Following the Rush, the Colorado Mammoth are 5-2, while the Rochester Knighthawks and Vancouver Warriors are at 4-2. The Warriors acquired goalie Christian Del Bianco at midseason last year, and he has transformed their defense.
Philadelphia and Halifax are both hovering around .500, both capable of playoff runs. The Las Vegas Desert Dogs have relocated to Lee’s Family Forum this season. San Diego returns Jeff Teat, who led the league with 56 goals last season. Although the Calgary Roughnecks are struggling at 1-5, they remain dangerous enough to pull off an upset on any given night.
The league relocated the Oshawa FireWolves from Albany this season. They are led by young phenom Dyson Williams. The 2024-25 Rookie of the Year now faces competition from another youngster. Toronto’s CJ Kirst, the 2025 first overall pick, has a very promising future.
Sticking in New York, Rochester adds Zed Williams to their squad under new Seneca Nation ownership. When it comes to placing your bets and answering any betting questions, take a look at our in-depth betting guide.
2026 National Lacrosse League Championship Odds
| Teams |  |  |  |
| Saskatchewan Rush | +400 | +400 | +400 |
| Buffalo Bandits | +500 | +500 | +500 |
| Colorado Mammoth | +600 | +600 | +600 |
| Rochester Knighthawks | +700 | +700 | +700 |
| Vancouver Warriors | +800 | +800 | +800 |
| Las Vegas Desert Dogs | +1100 | +1100 | +1100 |
| Toronto Rock | +1200 | +1200 | +1200 |
| San Diego Seals | +1200 | +1200 | +1200 |
| Ottawa Black Bears | +2200 | +2200 | +2200 |
| Halifax Thunderbirds | +2500 | +2500 | +2500 |
| Oshawa FireWolves | +4000 | +4000 | +4000 |
| Philadelphia Wings | +5000 | +5000 | +5000 |
| Calgary Roughnecks | +5000 | +5000 | +5000 |
Saskatchewan Rush
The Rush lead the league at 8-1 through 10 weeks. They’ve won seven games in a row after their comeback victory over San Diego. The Rush are led by Coach of the Year winner Jimmy Quinlan.
Their core remains intact from last season’s finals run. The Rush were defeated by Buffalo 15-6 last May. Can they redeem themselves this season?
Austin Shanks, Robert Church, and Ryan Keenan are all returning. They’ve got Frank Scigiliano anchoring the defense after winning Goaltender of the Year last season. Zach Manns and Brock Haley will provide some additional firepower to their offense.
https://x.com/SaskRushLAX/status/2020946990188671334
The Rush head to Buffalo at the end of the month for their first meeting of the season with the Bandits. While I understand why the Rush are favored, I would wait until after the first game before betting on them to win the league.
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Buffalo Bandits
Can the Bandits do what no NLL team has ever done before? Winning four straight titles would be very special. Their championship culture and coaching have led them to three straight titles.
The Bandits are led by Matt Vinc. The eight-time Goaltender of the Year posted a 13-5 record last year. Vinc owns every major NLL Goaltending record and earned his sixth championship ring in May.
Several of the team’s core players are returning this season. Dhane Smith broke his own assists record with 102 last season. He tied teammate Josh Byrne for the league lead with 134 points. In addition, Finals MVP Ian MacKay, Steve Priolo and Kyle Buchanan will all be returning.
https://x.com/NLLBandits/status/2020329744617837015
They also added Ryan Benesch, Mike Triolo and Mitch de Snoo. Despite those additions, they lost forwards Chase Fraser and Chris Cloutier to Las Vegas, and defensemen Justin Martin retired.
Will the Bandits be able to hold off challengers like Colorado and Saskatchewan? I would back the Bandits at this point. I think they still have the edge over the rest of the field. +500 odds are a solid value and price.
Colorado Mammoth
The Colorado Mammoth have retooled their roster this season after consecutive losing seasons. They finished 8-10 last year and were 5-13 two seasons ago. Head coach Pat Coyle has helped coordinate the roster overhaul.
The Mammoth added Andrew Kew in the offseason, Will Malcom and traded for Jack Hannah in December. They’ve won five straight after adding Hannah. The defense is led by legendary goaltender Dillon Ward. The team knew they had to get younger and faster.
https://x.com/MammothLax/status/2018860950695408041
General Manager Brad Self added young talents, Baedon Saris, Owen Rahn, Thomas Vela and Dylan McIntosh. All are 26 years old or younger. Ball Arena’s altitude advantage provides another edge as the Mammoth seek their first playoff appearance since 2023.
I need to see more from the Mammoth before I’m willing to back them at this price.
Rochester Knighthawks
The Knighthawks have reached the playoffs three straight seasons. They won a franchise-record 10 games last season. That being said, the team enters the year under new ownership after the Seneca Nation purchased the franchise.
Connor Fields made history for Rochester last season as the first Knighthawk to win MVP. Fields leads an explosive offense featuring Ryan Smith and Thomas McConvey. Smith scored 49 goals last season.
The goalie tandem of Rylan Hartley and Riley Hutchcraft provides stability for the defense. The move to acquire Zed Williams from Colorado could pay off. Williams posted 287 career points before an Achilles injury ended his 2024-25 season.
https://x.com/RocKnighthawks/status/2020371385768669422
As tempting as it may be to back the Knighthawks, I would wait to see if you get better later on in the season.
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