5. Oshawa FireWolves
2024-25 Regular Season Record: 7-11
2024-25 Season Result: Missed the playoffs
2025-26 Power Rating: 0.0479
2025-26 Playoff Odds: 72% chance to make the playoffs
6. Toronto Rock
2024-25 Regular Season Record: 6-12
2024-25 Season Result: Missed the playoffs
2025-26 Power Rating: 0.0447
2025-26 Playoff Odds: 72% chance to make the playoffs
7. Halifax Thunderbirds
2024-25 Regular Season Record: 11-7
2024-25 Season Result: Lost to Saskatchewan in the NLL Semifinals
2025-26 Power Rating: 0.0397
2025-26 Playoff Odds: 63% chance to make the playoffs
8. Ottawa Black Bears
2024-25 Regular Season Record: 8-10
2024-25 Season Result: Missed the playoffs
2025-26 Power Rating: -0.0172
2025-26 Playoff Odds: 53% chance to make the playoffs
9. San Diego Seals
2024-25 Regular Season Record: 9-9
2024-25 Season Result: Lost to Buffalo in the NLL Quarterfinals
2025-26 Power Rating: -0.0489
2025-26 Playoff Odds: 49% chance to make the playoffs
The middle of the pack in the NLL feels wide open and I’m expecting a few teams that underperformed last season to bounce back. Making my top five are the FireWolves, who I wrote about being a dark horse to return to the NLL Finals this season and are one of my favorite bets to win it all at +1600.
Goaltender is a premium position in the NLL and Doug Jamieson is one of the best. He was asked to do a lot last year with the FireWolves dealing with so many injuries on defense, so I expect an even better season with a healthy defense (that now features Kyle Rubisch) in front of him. The offense should also remain strong as it’s led by back-to-back rookies kf the year Alex Simmons and Dyson Williams.
Their odds to make the playoffs of -150 aren’t short enough in my opinion. I have their odds of making the playoffs at 72.27% — more than 12% higher than implied 60%. Bet the Oshawa FireWolves to make the playoffs at -150 on bet365.
The Toronto Rock are another team that dealt with numerous key injuries, but should bounce back. The Rock added CJ Kirst and Owen Hiltz with two of its first three overall draft picks the 2025 NLL Draft and have rookie Sam English (brother of its other top three selection Ty English) joining the fold as well. Veteran Nick Rose also returns as the starting netminder and the squad as a whole is a lot healthier to start the season. We’ll need to see how the right side of the offense fares without Tom Schreiber to start the season, but Josh Dawick and Chris Boushy have proven to be effective even without Schreiber.
Unfortunately, the sportsbooks are also high on Toronto and I don’t see much value in betting them to make the playoffs or their title futures at their current odds, even with a favorable schedule this season. I have their playoff probability at 72%, which is right in line with their odds’ implied probability.
Ottawa and San Diego are two teams I’m not sure what to make of just yet. I don’t think we’ll see the Seals take a step back and like the acquisitions of Corey Small and Connor Robinson to replace Ryan Benesch and Rib Hellyer, but we need to temper our expectations with this team. They’ll have a lot young talent on offense around Wes Berg and Zach Currier is still one of the most dynamic players in the league, but we’ll need to see how this defense fares without Kyle Rubisch, Cam Holding and Drew Belgrave (who they traded away midway through last season).
Ottawa is a team returning most of the core and added Rob Hellyer, a move I think could really give the Black Bears some consistency on offense. Ottawa’s defense was also very good during certain parts of the season when healthy and Zach Higgins continues to be one of the top goaltenders in the league. With new head coach Dan MacRae at the helm, they get a relatively high spot in my rankings based on their potential. Any team with Jeff Teat has a chance to make some noise and I think the Black Bears finally have the pieces to make the postseason, even if I don’t think they’re worth betting from an odds standpoint.
Pick: Oshawa FireWolves to Make the Playoffs
