List of NLL seasons
This is a list of seasons of the National Lacrosse League (NLL), a professional box lacrosse league, since its inception in 1987. The list also includes the seasons of Eagle Pro Box Lacrosse League and the Major Indoor Lacrosse League, the predecessor leagues of the NLL, which had teams continue play in the NLL.
1987–88: Eagle Pro Box Lacrosse
| No. | Season | No. of teams |
Reg. season games |
Start (reg. season) |
Finish (incl. playoffs) |
Top record | Champion |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 1987 | 4 | 6 | January 10 | March 21 | New Jersey Saints (5–1) | Philadelphia Wings |
| 2 | 1988 | 4 | 8 | January 3 | March 20 | Washington Wave (6–2) | New Jersey Saints |
1989–97: Major Indoor Lacrosse League
| No. | Season | No. of teams |
Reg. season games |
Start (reg. season) |
Finish (incl. playoffs) |
Top record | Champion |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3 | 1989 | 6[1] | 8 | January 7 | April 7 | Philadelphia Wings (6–2) | Philadelphia Wings |
| 4 | 1990 | 6[2] | 8 | January 5 | April 13 | New England Blazers (6–2) | Philadelphia Wings |
| 5 | 1991 | 6 | 10 | December 29, 1990 | April 6 | Detroit Turbos (8–2) | Detroit Turbos |
| 6 | 1992 | 7[3] | 8 | December 27, 1991 | April 11 | Detroit Turbos (6–2) | Buffalo Bandits |
| 7 | 1993 | 7 | 8 | January 9 | April 10 | Buffalo Bandits (8–0) | Buffalo Bandits |
| 8 | 1994 | 6[4] | 8 | January 8 | April 16 | Buffalo Bandits (6–2) | Philadelphia Wings |
| 9 | 1995 | 6[5] | 8 | January 7 | April 8 | Philadelphia Wings (7–1) | Philadelphia Wings |
| 10 | 1996 | 7[6] | 10 | December 30, 1995 | April 12 | Buffalo Bandits (8–2) | Buffalo Bandits |
| 11 | 1997 | 6[7] | 10 | January 4 | April 12 | Philadelphia Wings (7–3) | Rochester Knighthawks |
- Notes
^1. The Detroit Turbos and New England Blazers started play. The New Jersey Saints relocated to Long Island, New York, renamed the New York Saints.
^2. The Pittsburgh Bulls started play. The Washington Wave dissolved.
^3. The Buffalo Bandits started play. The New England Blazers relocated to Boston, Massachusetts, renamed the Boston Blazers.
^4. The Pittsburgh Bulls were dissolved.
^5. The Rochester Knighthawks started play. The Detroit Turbos were dissolved.
^6. The Charlotte Cobras started play.
^7. The Charlotte Cobras dissolved.
1998–present: National Lacrosse League
| No. | Season | No. of teams |
Reg. season games |
Start (reg. season) |
Finish (incl. playoffs) |
Top record | Champion |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 12 | 1998 | 7[8] | 12 | January 3 | April 28 | Philadelphia Wings (9–3) | Philadelphia Wings |
| 13 | 1999 | 7[9] | 12 | December 26, 1998 | April 23 | Toronto Rock (9–3) | Toronto Rock |
| 14 | 2000 | 8[10] | 12 | January 7 | May 6 | Toronto Rock (9–3) | Toronto Rock |
| 15 | 2001 | 9[11] | 14 | December 21, 2000 | April 27 | Toronto Rock (11–3) | Philadelphia Wings |
| 16 | 2002 | 13[12] | 16 | November 16, 2001 | April 13 | Albany Attack (14–2) | Toronto Rock |
| 17 | 2003 | 12[13] | 16 | December 27, 2002 | May 3 | Rochester Knighthawks (12–4) | Toronto Rock |
| 18 | 2004 | 10[14] | 16 | December 26, 2003 | May 7 | Colorado Mammoth (13–3) | Calgary Roughnecks |
| 19 | 2005 | 10[15] | 16 | January 1 | May 14 | Toronto Rock (12–4) | Toronto Rock |
| 20 | 2006 | 11[16] | 16 | December 30, 2005 | May 13 | Buffalo Bandits (11–5) | Colorado Mammoth |
| 21 | 2007 | 13[17] | 16 | December 30, 2006 | May 12 | Rochester Knighthawks (14–2) | Rochester Knighthawks |
| 22 | 2008 | 12[18] | 16 | December 29, 2007 | May 17 | Buffalo Bandits (10–6) | Buffalo Bandits |
| 23 | 2009 | 12[19] | 16 | January 3 | May 15 | Calgary Roughnecks (12–4) | Calgary Roughnecks |
| 24 | 2010 | 11[20] | 16 | January 8 | May 15 | Washington Stealth (11–5) | Washington Stealth |
| 25 | 2011 | 10[21] | 16 | January 8 | May 14 | Calgary Roughnecks (11–5) | Toronto Rock |
| 26 | 2012 | 9[22] | 16 | January 8 | May 19 | Calgary Roughnecks (12–4) | Rochester Knighthawks |
| 27 | 2013 | 9 | 16 | January 4 | May 11 | Toronto Rock (10–6) | Rochester Knighthawks |
| 28 | 2014 | 9[23] | 18 | December 28, 2013 | May 31 | Edmonton Rush (16–2) | Rochester Knighthawks |
| 29 | 2015 | 9[24] | 18 | January 2 | June 5 | Toronto Rock (14–4) | Edmonton Rush |
| 30 | 2016 | 9[25] | 18 | January 1 | June 4 | Buffalo Bandits (13–5) | Saskatchewan Rush |
| 31 | 2017 | 9 | 18 | December 29, 2016 | June 10 | Georgia Swarm (13–5) | Georgia Swarm |
| 32 | 2018 | 9 | 18 | December 8, 2017 | June 9 | Saskatchewan Rush (14–4) | Saskatchewan Rush |
| 33 | 2019 | 11[26] | 18 | December 15, 2018 | May 25 | Buffalo Bandits (14–4) | Calgary Roughnecks |
| 34 | 2020 | 13[27] | 18 | November 29, 2019 | March 12 | New England Black Wolves (8–3) | Not awarded due to the COVID-19 pandemic |
| – | 2021 | Season not played due to COVID-19 pandemic | |||||
| 35 | 2022 | 14[28] | 18 | December 3, 2021 | June 18 | Buffalo Bandits (14–4) | Colorado Mammoth |
| 36 | 2023 | 15[29] | 18 | December 2, 2022 | June 3 | Buffalo Bandits (14–4) | Buffalo Bandits |
| 37 | 2024 | 15 | 18 | December 1, 2023 | May 18 | Toronto Rock (15–3) | Buffalo Bandits |
| 38 | 2025 | 14[30] | 18 | November 29, 2024 | May 24 | Buffalo Bandits (13–5) | Buffalo Bandits |
| 39 | 2026 | 14[31] | 18 | November 28, 2025 | May 17 | Vancouver Warriors (13–5) | Toronto Rock |
- Notes
^8. The Boston Blazers were dissolved. The Ontario Raiders and Syracuse Smash started play.
^9. The Ontario Raiders relocated to Toronto, Ontario, renamed the Toronto Rock.
^10. The Albany Attack started play. The Baltimore Thunder relocated to Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, renamed the Pittsburgh CrosseFire.
^11. The Columbus Landsharks began play. The Pittsburgh CrosseFire relocated to Washington, D.C., renamed the Washington Power. The Syracuse Smash relocated to Ottawa, Ontario, renamed the Ottawa Rebel.
^12. The Calgary Roughnecks, Montreal Express, New Jersey Storm, and Vancouver Ravens started play.
^13. The Montreal Express dissolved. The Washington Power relocated to Denver, Colorado, renamed the Colorado Mammoth.
^14. The Ottawa Rebel and New York Saints dissolved. The Albany Attack relocated to San Jose, California, renamed the San Jose Stealth. The Columbus Landsharks relocated to Glendale, Arizona, renamed the Arizona Sting. The New Jersey Storm relocated to Anaheim, California, renamed the Anaheim Storm.
^15. The Minnesota Swarm started play. The Vancouver Ravens dissolved.
^16. The Edmonton Rush and the Portland LumberJax started play. The Anaheim Storm dissolved.
^17. The Chicago Shamrox and the New York Titans started play.
^18. The Arizona Sting dissolved.
^19. The Boston Blazers started play.
^20. The Portland LumberJax dissolved. The New York Titans relocated to Orlando, Florida, renamed the Orlando Titans. The San Jose Stealth relocated to Everett, Washington, renamed the Washington Stealth.
^21. The Orlando Titans dissolved.
^22. The Boston Blazers dissolved.
^23. The Washington Stealth relocated to Langley, British Columbia, renamed the Vancouver Stealth.
^24. The Philadelphia Wings relocated to Uncasville, Connecticut, renamed the New England Black Wolves.
^25. The Edmonton Rush relocated to Saskatoon, Saskatchewan, renamed the Saskatchewan Rush. The Minnesota Swarm relocated to Duluth, Georgia, renamed the Georgia Swarm.
^26. The Philadelphia Wings and the San Diego Seals started play.
^27. The New York Riptide and the Rochester Knighthawks started play. The original Rochester Knighthawks franchise relocated to Halifax, Nova Scotia, renamed the Halifax Thunderbirds.
^28. The Panther City Lacrosse Club started play. The New England Black Wolves relocated to Albany, New York, renamed the Albany FireWolves.
^29. The Las Vegas Desert Dogs started play.
^30. The New York Riptide relocated to Ottawa, Ontario, renamed the Ottawa Black Bears. The Panther City Lacrosse Club dissolved.
^31. The Albany FireWolves relocated to Oshawa, Ontario, renamed the Oshawa FireWolves.