Predictions for the 2025 PLL season: Champions, MVP, rookie of the year

The 2025 Premier Lacrosse League season begins this weekend, with two games on Friday and two more on Saturday.

But we're looking way beyond just the opening games: Who are the top teams in the East and West? Who's going win the championship? And which players will win MVP and rookie of the year?

Paul Carcaterra and Quint Kessenich check in with their preseason picks:

Who will be the top team in the East?

Carcaterra: Boston Cannons. Boston has had an impressive run under head coach Brian Holman since he took over in 2023. I expect the offense to be explosive, with the combination of the right-handed Marcus Holman, the distributor with a point guard mentality in Asher Nolting, and the left-handed sniper in rookie Coulter Mackesy. This attack line has it all.

Kessenich: I like the New York Atlas because of their explosive offense led by Jeff Teat. It felt like they peaked too early last summer and lost in the semifinals. I expect them to better judge the finish line in 2025 -- and finish with authority.

Which team will be best in the West?

Carcaterra: The Utah Archers are the two-time defending champs for a reason. 2023 league MVP Tom Schreiber returns to the lineup after being injured late last regular season. With Schreiber healthy, this team gets only better on offense because of his ability to create his own shot and pass at an elite level to incredible goal scorers such as Mac O'Keefe and Connor Fields.

Kessenich: I think the Archers continue to be a dominant franchise. I would give them a small edge over the Denver Outlaws, who I think will be vastly improved. Schreiber is back and healthy. Fields is a matchup issue, and coach Chris Bates is a proven asset on the sidelines.

Who wins it all this postseason?

Carcaterra: Utah Archers. The offense might get the headlines, but at the end of the day this is an underrated defense with a show-stopping goaltender in Brett Dobson. He has played his best down the stretch in the playoffs when the lights are brightest.

Kessenich: In futures wagers, I would be backing the Atlas with a little saver on Denver, who I could see surprising Utah.

Who wins the Jim Brown MVP Award?

Carcaterra: Michael Sowers. Nobody in the league possesses quickness and ability to own a matchup like Sowers. He has put up impressive numbers the last few years, but last year Philly struggled, losing many close games. This year I expect Sowers to be the difference, and rip through defenses with his dodging ability.

Kessenich: I expect Brennan O'Neill to be unstoppable for Denver in his second pro season. He spent the spring working at Duke University and helping their goaltenders. The Outlaws added Logan Wisnauskas, which could be a perfect fit for O'Neill. A big storyline for the summer is the group of Year 2 players, the guys that comprised the best rookie class in league history in 2024. Who can take that next step? I think O'Neil takes a quantum leap.

Which player will be rookie of the year?

Carcaterra: Coulter Mackesy. The first-year pro from Princeton was drafted by a Cannons team that desperately needed a left-handed goal scorer. He is the all-time leading goal scorer in Princeton lacrosse history, and possesses a left-handed shot with multiple release points and uncanny accuracy. The passing from Asher Nolting will give Mackesy plenty of opportunities to light up the scoreboard this season.

Kessenich: With question marks about the early availability of CJ Kirst for the Waterdogs, I'm going to take Utah defender Brendan Lavelle over Kirst and Mackesy for ROY honors. Mackesy is a great fit on the left side for Boston, flanked by Marcus Holman and dealer Asher Nolting, but Lavelle is plug-in player, who is sturdy, tough, smart and ready. If the offensive rookies in 2025 struggle to produce, LaVelle will be the guy.