Predictions for the 2025 PLL season: Champions, MVP, rookie of the year

The 2025 Premier Lacrosse League play begins this weekend, with 2 games connected Friday and 2 much connected Saturday.

But we're looking mode beyond conscionable the opening games: Who are the apical teams successful the East and West? Who's going triumph the championship? And which players volition triumph MVP and rookie of the year?

Paul Carcaterra and Quint Kessenich cheque successful with their preseason picks:

Who volition beryllium the apical squad successful the East?

Carcaterra: Boston Cannons. Boston has had an awesome tally nether caput manager Brian Holman since helium took implicit successful 2023. I expect the discourtesy to beryllium explosive, with the operation of the right-handed Marcus Holman, the distributor with a constituent defender mentality successful Asher Nolting, and the left-handed sniper successful rookie Coulter Mackesy. This onslaught enactment has it all.

Kessenich: I similar the New York Atlas due to the fact that of their explosive discourtesy led by Jeff Teat. It felt similar they peaked excessively aboriginal past summertime and mislaid successful the semifinals. I expect them to amended justice the decorativeness enactment successful 2025 -- and decorativeness with authority.

Which squad volition beryllium champion successful the West?

Carcaterra: The Utah Archers are the 2 clip defending champs for a reason. 2023 league MVP Tom Schreiber returns to the lineup aft being injured precocious past regular season. With Schreiber healthy, this squad lone gets amended connected discourtesy due to the fact that of his quality to make his ain changeable and walk astatine an elite level to unthinkable extremity scorers specified arsenic Mac O'Keefe and Connor Fields.

Kessenich: I deliberation the Archers proceed to beryllium a ascendant franchise. I would springiness them a tiny borderline implicit the Denver Outlaws, who I deliberation volition beryllium vastly improved. Tom Schreiber is backmost and healthy. Connor Fields is simply a matchup issue, and Coach Bates is simply a proven plus connected the sidelines.

Who wins it each this postseason?

Carcaterra: Utah Archers. The discourtesy mightiness get the headlines, but astatine the extremity of the time this is an underrated defence with a show-stopping goaltender successful Brett Dobson. He has played his champion down the agelong successful the playoffs erstwhile the lights are brightest.

Kessenich: In futures wagers, I would beryllium backing the Atlas with a small saver connected Denver, who I could spot astonishing Utah.

Who wins the Jim Brown MVP Award?

Carcaterra: Michael Sowers. Nobody successful the league possesses quickness and quality to ain a matchup similar Sowers. He has enactment up awesome numbers the past fewer years, but past twelvemonth Philly struggled, losing galore adjacent games. This twelvemonth I expect Sowers to beryllium the difference, and rip done defenses with his dodging ability.

Kessenich: I expect Brennan O'Neill to beryllium unstoppable for Denver successful his 2nd pro season. He spent the outpouring moving astatine Duke University and helping their goaltenders. The Outlaws added Logan Wisnauskas, which could beryllium a cleanable acceptable for O'Neill. A large storyline for the summertime is the radical of Year 2 players, the guys that comprised the champion rookie people successful league past successful 2024. Who tin instrumentality that adjacent step? I deliberation O'Neil takes a quantum leap.

Which subordinate volition beryllium rookie of the year?

Carcaterra: Coulter Mackesy. The first-year pro from Princeton was drafted by a Cannons squad that desperately needed a left-handed extremity scorer. He is the all-time starring extremity scorer successful Princeton lacrosse history, and possesses a left-handed changeable with aggregate merchandise points and insane accuracy. The passing from Asher Nolting volition springiness Mackesy plentifulness of opportunities to airy up the scoreboard this season.

Kessenich: With question marks astir the aboriginal availability of CJ Kirst for the Waterdogs, I'm gonna instrumentality Utah defender Brendan Lavelle implicit Kirst and Mackesy for ROY honors. Mackesy is simply a large acceptable connected the near broadside for Boston, flanked by Marcus Holman and trader Asher Nolting, but Lavelle is plug-in player, who is sturdy, tough, astute and ready. If the violative rookies successful 2025 conflict to produce, LaVelle volition beryllium the guy.