PLL Free Agency Preview: The 30% Players

The Premier Lacrosse League Championship Series gets underway in February, and not long after that, the free agent market officially opens. As of March 4th at 12:00PM ET, the market is open. Some teams have already been hard at work, extending their pending free agents with new deals. The Cannons have inked 13 players to new deals who were set to hit free agency, solidifying their returning core before wading into the new player market. Other clubs don’t have particularly large free agent classes and haven’t had to do much. The California Redwoods had just six roster regulars with expiring deals this year. 

There is a subset of free agents in the PLL market that is worth watching each offseason. These are the players that meet the 30% Exception threshold. If a player is not on his club’s active roster for 30% or more of eligible games, he can enter free agency and seek a new deal with a new club. A player who is on the injured list doesn’t count as eligible. In short, a player who is a healthy scratch most weeks can test free agency. If the player doesn’t find a new deal with a new club in the market, they return to their current club on their current deal. 

The group is interesting because there are a number of reasons that they might have been scratched most weeks. For some guys, their current club might be exceptionally deep at a position, so their opportunities are limited. Others might be stuck behind superstars, while some might just be a head scratcher to everyone except the coach and the player. All of those things are decent reasons for a player to seek out a new place to play. However, because they were healthy scratched so often, other clubs might not feel they have seen enough tape or know enough about the player to take a chance on them. It’s an interesting dynamic. The free agent market for these players is abbreviated; it closes on April 1st at 12:01AM ET. Most years, this market is quiet, but there are a few names to watch this spring. 

Here are this year’s 30% Exception players:

Jack DiBenedetto, D, Utah Archers

DiBenedetto was a post draft add for the Archers. He only appeared in one game for them, dressing against the Waterdogs on June 1st before Utah had Graeme Hossack back. Utah drafted Mason Woodward in the first round, and he immediately stepped in down low. They also used a draft pick on Colby Barsz. The close defense unit of Woodward, Hossack, and Jeffrey is excellent. The LSM spot belongs to Jon Robbins. This is not an easy place to get time as a defender. DiBenedetto started every game of his career at Denver, a whopping 70 collegiate games. He was an All American at Denver, and is second all time in CTs there. A call from his collegiate coach, Bill Tierney, would certainly be answered. Tierney has been vocal about trying to get younger on the defensive end. Marcus Hudgins had a great year one, Kenny Brower hopefully is healthy this summer, and they extended Ben Randall. The Dogs defense isn’t one full of open spots either, but there might be better opportunities there than with Utah. 

Eli Fisher, SSDM, Utah Archers

Fisher didn’t appear in a game this year. Like DiBenedetto above, he’s trying to get time at a position that’s absolutely stacked at his current club. Piper Bond, Connor Maher, newly drafted Beau Pederson, and potentially returning Latrell Harris makes this group the league’s best. It's not easy to crack this lineup. Fisher was with Denver for training camp. There could be some opportunities there. Ryan Terefenko is among the league’s best, but Will Haus is entering Year 11, Alex Smith is also a free agent, and Mike Messenger didn’t play last year. The draft class is loaded with SSDM talent, but Denver is one of the places Fisher could potentially play his way into the lineup.

Jack VanOverbeke, A/M, Utah Archers

Now this is an interesting one. VanOverbeke didn’t appear in a game for the Archers until their home doubleheader in late August. In the two games, he scored four goals and had two assists, including an OT game winner against the Redwoods. He was in the lineup for both postseason games, although he didn’t register any points. VanOverbeke too very limited minutes and used them to prove he’s a very capable PLL pro. Teams should be interested. That said, it’s hard to see him leaving the Archers. The club started him the same week they acquired Jackson Morrill via trade, and then stuck with VanOverbeke the rest of the way. They clearly love him, and will work hard to keep him on his current deal. 

Colby Barsz, D, Utah Archers

Barsz was a late round draft pick by the Archers a year ago, who got a few weekends on the active roster. As noted above with DiBenedetto, the Archers close defense group is incredibly hard to crack. Really any close defense line in the PLL is. Barsz had an exceptional senior year at Towson, putting pro level play on tape, and that’s why the pick was used. Utah likes him, they won’t want to see him go. Graeme Hossack turns 33 this summer, having a pro ready close defender like Barsz on the roster is a smart play. With the draft pick invested, Barsz makes sense for the Archers to keep. That said, Denver has a pair of aging close defenders in Mike Manley and Jesse Bernhardt, and will need to get younger on that end of the field soon. Players like Barsz could be attractive. 

Matt Knote, G, Denver Outlaws

Owen McElroy took over full time starter for Denver this year. He was over 50% on the year. Though it was a loss, McElroy was excellent in the playoffs against the Whipsnakes, making 15 stops and going 60%. The Outlaws also still have Sean Sconone as a backup, who spent time as the starter before giving way to McElroy. Knote was a rookie this past year. Carrying three goalies isn’t unheard of, the Whips have done it successfully before and it led them to Brendan Krebs. Knote was an All American at UMass and A-10 Goalie of the Year. He’s a similar build and style to Sconone, they even went to the same school. Denver is at (technically over until free agency starts) the roster limit as it is, making space for new faces could mean Knote’s days with Denver are running out. 

Saam Olexo, LSM, Denver Outlaws

Olexo played sparingly this year as Denver used Jake Piseno as the primary LSM, and Nick Grill getting the most opportunities as the second pole. Olexo was a post draft add this past year. At Syracuse, Olexo did his best work in transition and on faceoff wings. There aren’t a ton of LSM openings around the league right now. At best, Olexo could maybe win the second pole job behind Ethan Rall in Boston or Jared Conners with California. Where he is probably makes the most sense since, as noted above, Denver has some aging poles to replace soon. Eli Salama didn’t play in a game last year, Troy Hettinger was a late season add as a pole. Olexo can push for more time on this roster as it is, it’s likely he stays with Denver. 

Ron John, M, and Alex Simmons, A. California Redwoods

I put these two together. Both were free agent signings last offseason, which seemed to signal the Woods might try for a bit more of a box lacrosse influenced offense run by OC John Grant Jr. That didn’t really materialize, as both John and Simmons didn’t play much at all last summer. Simmons appeared in just one game and it wasn’t until late July, John played in just one game in late June. Simmons was an NLL Rookie of the Year, and he’s a deadly shooting and dynamic weapon indoors. John is a solid transition player and defender indoors. Both feel like they should be able to contribute somewhere, it just has to be the right fit. In recent years I would have said Carolina was a fit, given the number of indoor players they roster. But since Carolina is currently without a coach and GM, it’s impossible to know what direction that roster might be headed in. 

Thomas McConvey, A/M,  Philadelphia Waterdogs

By far the most intriguing player on this list. McConvey was a 1st round pick by the Waterdogs in 2023. He’s one of the bright young stars of the indoor game, but he just hasn’t found a way to be productive with Philadelphia. His rookie year he saw action in six games, this past year just four. He’s only appeared in one playoff game. The talent is undeniable; McConvey has the build of a PLL midfielder and can be both a scoring and passing threat off the dodge. A change of scenery could unlock a player like McConvey. As the Whipsnakes rebuild their offense and have traded Zed Williams, and with some of their midfielders starting to age, McConvey could be a player worth exploring. The Redwoods also like big bodied midfielders, and could use more depth at the position. 

Michael Boehm, A, Philadelphia Waterdogs

Boehm was a late round pick by the Waterdogs last year. He only appeared in one game, though he did register two points on a pair of assists. Given that he was often a healthy scratch and so didn’t get a ton of practice time with the team, walking on the field in August for his first pro game and putting up two points is a solid showing. That said, the Waterdogs attack line looks as solid as it gets. Michael Sowers, Kieran McArdle, and Zed Williams is the group. Ethan Walker will surely still be in the lineup even if he gets bumped to midfield.The Waterdogs also signed Carter Page, another young talent for Boehm to contend with for time. Attack is clogged, midfield is clogged, don’t let the record fool you, Philly remains supremely talented. California may be in the market for some attackman to bolster their offense, but otherwise, Boehm might be staying put just based on the attack groups across the league.

Petey LaSalla, F/O, Maryland Whipsnakes

LaSalla is in a tough spot, stuck behind Paul Cantabene Award regular Joe Nardella. In today’s PLL, most teams use a single roster spot on faceoff specialist, and if he isn’t winning, they opt for the prevent strategy rather than a secondary faceoff man. That said, Coach Stagnitta has said in the past that they love Petey. A faceoff specialist you know and trust as a backup still has value. If Joe Nardella gets hurt, the Whips can feel comfortable with LaSalla. But that doesn’t mean LaSalla won’t want to look for opportunities to win the primary specialist job elsewhere.