2026 Buffalo Bandits season

2026 Buffalo Bandits
LeagueNLL
2026 record8–6
Home record4–3
Road record4–3
Goals for156
Goals against153
General ManagerSteve Dietrich
CoachJohn Tavares
CaptainSteve Priolo
Alternate captainsDhane Smith, Nick Weiss
ArenaKeyBank Center
2027 season →

The Buffalo Bandits are a professional box lacrosse team based in Buffalo, New York playing in the National Lacrosse League (NLL). The 2026 season is their 34th season in the NLL.

The Bandits entered the season as the defending champions for the third straight year, and will attempt to become the first team in league history to win four straight NLL championships.

Regular season

NLL Standings Reference:[1]

PTeamGPWLPCTGBHomeRoadGFGADiffGF/GPGA/GP

1Saskatchewan Rush – x15114.7330.06–05–4178146+3211.879.73
2Vancouver Warriors – x15114.7330.04–37–1170138+3211.339.20
3Colorado Mammoth – x15105.6671.06–24–3172151+2111.4710.07
4Georgia Swarm1495.6431.54–35–2144122+2210.298.71
5Toronto Rock1495.6431.55–34–2160155+511.4311.07
6Buffalo Bandits1486.5712.54–34–3156153+311.1410.93
7Ottawa Black Bears1587.5333.04–34–4166169−311.0711.27
8Las Vegas Desert Dogs1367.4624.04–32–4166166−-012.7712.77
9San Diego Seals1468.4294.52–64–2141147−610.0710.50
10Rochester Knighthawks1358.3855.03–52–3153171−1811.7713.15
11Halifax Thunderbirds1459.3575.52–53–4145152−710.3610.86
12Calgary Roughnecks14410.2866.52–52–5146170−2410.4312.14
13Oshawa FireWolves14410.2866.53–31–7139163−249.9311.64
14Philadelphia Wings14311.2147.51–52–6126161−359.0011.50


Game log

The Bandits' schedule was released on September 19, 2025. The team's home opener was announced by the league on September 12.

Game Date Opponent Location Score OT Attendance Record
1 November 29, 2025 Georgia Swarm KeyBank Center W 15–11 19,070 1–0
2 December 13, 2025 Halifax Thunderbirds KeyBank Center L 8–9 OT 17,192 1–1
3 December 28, 2025 @ Calgary Roughnecks Scotiabank Saddledome W 13–7 11,715 2–1
4 January 3, 2026 Las Vegas Desert Dogs KeyBank Center W 15–13 19,070 3–1
5 January 10, 2026 @ Rochester Knighthawks Blue Cross Arena L 9–12 8,546 3–2
6 January 16, 2026 Ottawa Black Bears KeyBank Center L 9–10 17,190 3–3
7 January 31, 2026 @ Colorado Mammoth Ball Arena L 9–20 9,114 3–4
8 February 7, 2026 Philadelphia Wings KeyBank Center L 11–13 19,070 3–5
9 February 14, 2026 @ Halifax Thunderbirds Scotiabank Centre W 11–10 10,595 4–5
10 February 20, 2026 @ Vancouver Warriors Rogers Arena L 9–11 9,392 4–6
11 February 27, 2026 Saskatchewan Rush KeyBank Center W 11–10 OT 17,595 5–6
12 February 28, 2026 @ Toronto Rock TD Coliseum W 14–9 8,960 6–6
13 March 13, 2026 Colorado Mammoth KeyBank Center W 13–10 19,070 7–6
14 March 21, 2026 @ San Diego Seals Pechanga Arena W 9–8 OT 6,034 8–6
15 March 28, 2026 @ Saskatchewan Rush SaskTel Centre
16 April 4, 2026 Vancouver Warriors KeyBank Center
17 April 11, 2026 Rochester Knighthawks KeyBank Center
18 April 18, 2026 @ Oshawa FireWolves Tribute Communities Centre

Current roster

Buffalo Bandits roster
Active (21-man) roster Inactive roster Coaches
Goaltenders
Defensemen
Forwards
Transition
Practice squad
  • 19 Taylor Dooley
  • 00 Waukiigan Shognosh
  • 87 Coltrane Tyson
Unable to play
  • 94 Bryce Sweeting
Head coach

John Tavares

Assistant coaches
Legend
  • * Suspended list
  • (C) Captain
  • (A) Alternate captain

Roster updated 2026-3-21
NLL Transactions

Entry Draft

The 2025 NLL Entry Draft was held on September 6, 2025. The Bandits' selections are listed below.[2]

Round Overall Player College/Club Notes
1 14 Waukiigan Shognosh Peterborough Lakers Jr. A (OLA Junior A Lacrosse)
2 21 Coltrane Tyson UMass Minutemen (NCAA) / Brampton Excelsiors (MSL) from Philadelphia
2 32 Jimmy Freehill Denver Pioneers (NCAA)
3 39 Carter Coffey Orangeville Northmen Jr. A (OLA Junior A Lacrosse) from Ottawa
4 61 Jaden Kennedy Onondaga Community College (NJCAA) / Seneca WarChiefs (First Nations Junior B Lacrosse League)
5 74 David Burr Robert Morris Colonials (NCAA) from Saskatchewan
5 75 Liam Keane Robert Morris Colonials (NCAA)
6 89 Traded to the Philadelphia Wings[A]

Notes

  1. ^ The Bandits traded their sixth round selection to the Philadelphia Wings in exchange for a sixth round selection in the 2027 NLL Entry Draft.

References

  1. ^ "Standings". National Lacrosse League.
  2. ^ "2025 NLL Entry Draft Order". Retrieved May 25, 2025.
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