National Lacrosse League - Definition and Overview

The National Lacrosse League (NLL) is the professional league of men's indoor lacrosse in North America. Indoor lacrosse is a less violent version of box lacrosse. Crosschecking and sticks with solid shafts are not allowed; these differences allow more running than in box lacrosse. Unlike other lacrosse leagues, which play in the summer, the NLL plays its games in the winter.

The NLL was formed in 1997 from the Major Indoor Lacrosse League(MILL), with the decision to move from league ownership of all teams to individual team ownership. The MILL was created in 1986 as the Eagle Pro Box Lacrosse League. The first season started in January 1987 as the Eagle Pro Box Lacrosse League. It changed its name to Major Indoor Lacrosse League in 1988. The MILL disbanded in 1997 at the time the NLL was formed and five of the MILL teams joined the NLL. The National Lacrosse League recognizes the MILL history as its own.

East Division

• Buffalo Bandits
• Minnesota Swarm
• Philadelphia Wings
• Rochester Knighthawks
• Toronto Rock

West Division

• Anaheim Storm
• Arizona Sting
• Calgary Roughnecks
• Colorado Mammoth
• San Jose Stealth

Defunct teams

• Albany Attack (1999-2003) (See also: San Jose Stealth)
• Baltimore Thunder (1987-1999) (See also: Colorado Mammoth)
• Boston Blazers (1992-1997) (See also: New England Blazers)
• Charlotte Cobras (1996)
• Columbus Landsharks (2001-2003) (See also: Arizona Sting)
• Detroit Turbos (1989-1994)
• Montreal Express (2002) (Defunct see also Minnesota Swarm)
• New England Blazers (1989-1991)
• New Jersey Saints (1987-1988) (See also: New York Saints)
• New Jersey Storm (2002-2003) (See also: Anaheim Storm)
• New York Saints (1989-2003) (Currently inactive)
• Ontario Raiders (1998) (See also: Toronto Rock)
• Ottawa Rebel (2001-2003) (Currently inactive)
• Pittsburgh Bulls (1990-1993)
• Pittsburgh CrosseFire (2000) (See also: Colorado Mammoth)
• Syracuse Smash (1998-2000) (See also: Ottawa Rebel)
• Vancouver Ravens (2001-2004) (Currently inactive)
• Washington Wave (1987-1989)
• Washington Power (2001-2002) (See also: Colorado Mammoth)

MILL Championship results

• 1987 Baltimore Thunder 11, Washington Wave 10
• 1988 New Jersey Saints 17, Washington Wave 16
• 1989 Philadelphia Wings 11, New York Saints 10
• 1990 Philadelphia Wings 17, New England Blazers 7
• 1991 Detroit Turbos 14, Baltimore Thunder 12
• 1992 Buffalo Bandits 11, Philadelphia Wings 10 (OT)
• 1993 Buffalo Bandits 13, Philadelphia Wings 12
• 1994 Philadelphia Wings 26, Buffalo Bandits 15
• 1995 Philadelphia Wings 15, Rochester Knighthawks 14 (OT)
• 1996 Buffalo Bandits 13, Philadelphia Wings 12
• 1997 Rochester Knighthawks 15, Buffalo Bandits 12

NLL Championship results

• 1997-98 Philadelphia Wings 2-0 Baltimore Thunder ( Best of 3 Games Series)
• 1998-99 Toronto Rock 13-10 Rochester Knighthawks
• 1999-00 Toronto Rock 14-13 Rochester Knighthawks
• 2000-01 Philadelphia Wings 9-8 Toronto Rock
• 2001-02 Toronto Rock 13-12 Albany Attack
• 2002-03 Toronto Rock 8-6 Rochester Knighthawks
• 2003-04 Calgary Roughnecks 14-11 Buffalo Bandits

Commissioners

• Darrel Russell..........1987-1997
• Jim Livsey Jr.......... 1997-2000
• Jim Jennings........... 2000-

League Offices

• Buffalo, NY......... 1997-2000
• Lyndhurst, NJ....... 2000-2001
• New York, NY........ 2001-

See Also

• NLL All Star Game

External Links

• League's Website (http://www.nll.com/)
• Outsider's Guide to the National Lacrosse League (http://www.lacrosse-network.com/outsidersguide/index.htm)

There was an early unrelated indoor lacrosse league named National Lacrosse League. It lasted two seasons 1974 and 1975. Note that the Toronto 1974 team and Long Island 1975 team had the same nicknames Tomahawks, they were separate franchises.

• Maryland Arrows (1974-1975)
• Montreal Quebecois (1974-1975)
• Philadelphia Wings (1974-1975)
• Rochester Griffins (1974) / Long Island Tomahawks (1975)
• Syracuse Stingers (1974)
• Toronto Tomahawks (1974)/ Boston Bolts (1975)
• Quebec Caribous (1975)

• Champions
• Year Champion Games Runner-Up
• 1974 Rochester Griffins 4-2 Philadelphia Wings
• 1975 Quebec Caribous 4-2 Montreal Quebecois