2005 NLL season

The 2005 National Lacrosse League season is the 19th season of the NLL that began on January 1, 2005 and concluded with the championship game on May 14. The Toronto Rock won their fifth NLL championship, defeating the Arizona Sting 19–13 in Toronto.

Colin Doyle of the Toronto Rock won the scoring title, marking the first time since 1990 that someone other than Gary Gait, Paul Gait, or John Tavares has led the league in scoring. For his efforts in leading the Rock to the championship, Doyle was named both league MVP and Championship Game MVP.

Just hours after the Rock's championship victory, another lacrosse legend, former Toronto head coach and general manager Les Bartley died from colon cancer at age 51. Bartley had coached the Buffalo Bandits to three MILL/NLL championships before moving to the expansion Ontario Raiders in 1998. Bartley moved with the Raiders to Toronto the next year, and went on to win titles in four of the next five seasons. Bartley also won the NLL Executive of the Year award in 2005, in part due to his involvement in the negotiation of the new CBA.

The 2005 season featured the NLL retirement of two lacrosse legends: Gary Gait and Tom Marechek. Marechek played his entire 12-year career with the Philadelphia Wings, winning Rookie of the Year in 1994, as well as four championships with the Wings. He was named to the All-Pro team eight times, and is third all-time in the NLL in points, after only Gary Gait and John Tavares . Marechek announced his retirement shortly before the end of the season.

Gait, at the time the league's all-time leading scorer, announced his retirement shortly before the season began. He was named League MVP six times, won seven scoring titles, and was named an All-Pro an astonishing 14 times in 14 seasons. With four games left in the regular season, Gait managed to coax his twin brother Paul out of retirement to play with him. However, Colorado was eliminated in the division semi-finals by Arizona, so Gait's dream of winning the championship in his final season did not come to fruition. He did win the championship in his first year as head coach of the Mammoth the next year.

Labour dispute The collective bargaining agreement (CBA) between the league and the Professional Lacrosse Players' Association (PLPA) expired at the end of the 2004 season, and negotiations for a new CBA took place over the summer. However, these negotiations did not result in a new agreement, and the NLL even accused the PLPA of negotiating in bad faith. The league made its "last, best, and final offer" to the PLPA on September 29, 2004, and announced that if this offer was not accepted by the players, the season would be officially cancelled on October 2.

Marathon negotiations continued until early morning on October 1, and resulted in two different proposals. Both were presented to the players that day with the stipulation that if neither of them was acceptable, the season would be cancelled. One of the two proposals (a three-year deal) was accepted, and the season went on as scheduled.

Team movement The season featured a new team added to the East division, and one removed from the West. The ownership of the Minnesota Wild NHL team purchased the rights to the old Montreal Express franchise, moving it to Minnesota and renaming it the Minnesota Swarm, while the Vancouver Ravens franchise was removed from the schedule less than three weeks before the start of the season.

Teams 2005 National Lacrosse League Division Team City Arena Capacity East Buffalo Bandits Buffalo, New York HSBC Arena 18,690 Minnesota Swarm Saint Paul, Minnesota XCEL Energy Center 18,064 Philadelphia Wings Philadelphia, Pennsylvania Wachovia Center 19,523 Rochester Knighthawks Rochester, New York Blue Cross Arena 10,662 Toronto Rock Toronto, Ontario Air Canada Centre 18,800 West Anaheim Storm Anaheim, California Arrowhead Pond 17,174 Arizona Sting Glendale, Arizona Glendale Arena 17,125 Calgary Roughnecks Calgary, Alberta Pengrowth Saddledome 19,289 Colorado Mammoth Denver, Colorado Pepsi Center 18,007 San Jose Stealth San Jose, California HP Pavilion 17,496

Map of teams

Milestones February 10: Buffalo Bandits legend John Tavares became the first player in league history to reach 500 assists, as the Bandits defeated the Anaheim Storm 20–9. February 18: Tavares reaches another milestone in his very next game, scoring his 1000th point in an 11–7 defeat of Rochester. Tavares becomes only the second player ever to reach that milestone, following Gary Gait.

Final standings Regular season

Playoffs

Toronto hosted the championship game.

All Star Game

The 2005 All-Star Game was held at the Pengrowth Saddledome in Calgary, Alberta on February 26, 2005. The East division defeated the West 11–10 in a thrilling overtime game. John Tavares scored the winner, and hometown captain Tracy Kelusky was named game MVP.

All-Star teams Eastern Division starters Western Division starters John Grant, Jr., Rochester Dan Dawson, Arizona Blaine Manning, Toronto Gary Gait, Colorado John Tavares, Buffalo Tracey Kelusky, Calgary Glenn Clark, Toronto Pat Coyle, Colorado Andrew Turner, Rochester Jim Moss, San Jose Pat O'Toole, Rochester (goalie) Anthony Cosmo, San Jose (goalie) Eastern Division Reserves Western Division Reserves Craig Conn, Minnesota Ryan Boyle, San Jose Kyle Couling, Buffalo Craig Gelsvik, Calgary Ryan Cousins, Minnesota Peter Lough, Arizona Colin Doyle, Toronto Gee Nash, Colorado (goalie) Dallas Eliuk, Philadelphia (goalie) Jesse Phillips, Calgary Thomas Hajek, Philadelphia Casey Powell, Anaheim Mike Hasen, Rochester Gavin Prout, Colorado Tom Marechek, Philadelphia Lewis Ratcliff, Calgary Mark Steenhuis, Buffalo Gary Rosyski, San Jose Dan Teat, Buffalo Scott Self, Arizona Shawn Williams, Rochester Mike Law, Anaheim Jim Veltman, Toronto Kaleb Toth, Calgary

Awards Annual AwardWinnerTeamMVP AwardColin DoyleTorontoRookie of the Year AwardRyan BoyleSan JoseLes Bartley Award (Coach of the Year)Bob HamleyArizonaGM of the Year AwardBob HamleyArizonaExecutive of the Year AwardLes BartleyTorontoDefensive Player of the Year AwardAndrew TurnerRochesterGoaltender of the Year AwardSteve DietrichBuffaloSportsmanship AwardGary GaitColoradoChampionship Game MVPColin DoyleToronto

All-Pro Teams Reference:

First Team Colin Doyle, Toronto John Grant, Jr., Rochester John Tavares, Buffalo Dan Dawson, Arizona Steve Dietrich, Buffalo Andrew Turner, Rochester

Second Team Gary Gait, Colorado Blaine Manning, Toronto Josh Sanderson, Toronto Jim Veltman, Toronto Bob Watson, Toronto Tracey Kelusky, Calgary

All-Rookie Team Reference: Ryan Boyle, San Jose Delby Powless, Buffalo Andrew Burkholder, Philadelphia Rory Glaves, Anaheim Ryder Bateman, Minnesota Dan Finck, Philadelphia

Weekly awards The NLL gives out awards weekly for the best overall player, best offensive player, best defensive player, and best rookie.

Week Overall Offensive Defensive Rookie 1 Craig Conn Craig Conn Gee Nash Pat Dutton 2 Dan Dawson Dan Dawson Dallas Eliuk Ryan Boyle 3 Blaine Manning Blaine Manning Mike Miron Riley Kemp 4 John Grant, Jr. John Grant, Jr. Matt Disher Ryan Boyle 5 John Tavares John Tavares Pat O'Toole Delby Powless 6 Dan Dawson Dan Dawson Dallas Eliuk Kevin Fines 7 John Tavares John Grant, Jr. Bob Watson Ryder Bateman 8 John Grant, Jr. John Grant, Jr. Steve Dietrich Andrew Burkholder 9 Keith Cromwell Keith Cromwell Dallas Eliuk Andrew Burkholder 10 Mark Steenhuis Gary Gait Dallas Eliuk Dan Finck 11 John Tavares John Tavares Curtis Palidwor Ryan McNish 12 Pat Campbell Aaron Wilson Pat Campbell Dan Finck 13 Casey Powell Colin Doyle Bob Watson Rory Glaves 14 Matt Roik Colin Doyle Matt Roik Delby Powless 15 Blaine Manning Blaine Manning Steve Dietrich Andrew Burkholder 16 Tracey Kelusky Tracey Kelusky Nick Patterson Ryder Bateman

Monthly awards Awards are also given out monthly for the best overall player and best rookie.

Month Overall Rookie Jan John Tavares Ryan Boyle Feb John Grant, Jr. Andrew Burkholder Mar John TavaresBob Watson (tie) Ryan Boyle

Statistics leaders Bold numbers indicate new single-season records. Italics indicate tied single-season records. StatPlayerTeamNumberGoalsJohn Grant, Jr.Rochester49AssistsJosh SandersonToronto71PointsColin DoyleToronto111Penalty MinutesJesse PhillipsCalgary69Shots on GoalJohn Grant, Jr.Rochester193Loose BallsJim VeltmanToronto193Save PctSteve DietrichBuffalo78.9GAASteve DietrichBuffalo10.96

Attendance Regular season + Home team Home games Average attendance Total attendanceToronto Rock817,123136,987Colorado Mammoth 817,035136,286Philadelphia Wings811,69693,568Minnesota Swarm810,31582,523Buffalo Bandits 810,28882,306Calgary Roughnecks 8 10,20781,660Rochester Knighthawks88,86670,930Arizona Sting86,56852,544San Jose Stealth85,43543,481Anaheim Storm 84,82938,635League8010,236818,920

Playoffs + Home team Home games Average attendance Total attendanceToronto Rock 218,36036,721Calgary Roughnecks111,46811,468Buffalo Bandits110,01410,014Arizona Sting15,5495,549League512,75063,752

2005 NLL season

Bron en licentie