The NFL (National Football League), the NBA (National Basketball Association), the MLB (Major League Baseball) and the NHL (National Hockey League) all have one thing that MLL (Major League Lacrosse) doesn’t have, and that is a Hall of Fame.
Technically, there is a Lacrosse Hall of Fame, called the National Lacrosse Hall of Fame, but I want one specifically for the League.
If you look at the NFL, MLB, NBA and NHL hall of fames, the only way you can be inducted in is if you played in the league. Major League Lacrosse is only in its 15th season. It’s still a young league, but there have been some great players.
In all honesty, I don’t think lacrosse fans will be seeing a Major League Lacrosse Hall of Fame for a long time. But you know what, I'm going to take initiative and make my own.
Here are the first players chosen by me to be in an MLL Hall of Fame. The only rule is they can't have played in a game since the end of the 2014 MLL season.
Tim Goettelman
Tim Goettelman spent his whole career in a Lizards jersey, and played outstandingly. In his time for the Lizards, he helped bring the Lizards home two titles, and also helped them reach the championship game a total of five times. He finished with 270 goals, good for third all-time entering the start of the 2016 season. Goettelman was also seventh all-time in career points, coming into this season with 366. Goettelman also ranks second all-time in game-winning goals with 14. Goettleman never left the Lizards and really helped make the Lizards a dominant force in the MLL to this day. Tim was also named the MLL’s Sportsman of the Year in 2009 and 2010.
Stephen Berger
Stephen Berger began his career in Long Island/New York, and that is really where Berger found his most success. Although Berger was never able to bring a title home to Lizards fans, he did help them reach the title game twice. Berger also spent some time in Charlotte and Boston toward the end of his career. His career numbers are 226 goals and 79 assists as well as seven two-point goals, giving him 319 points.
Ryan Boyle
Ryan Boyle had an outstanding MLL career, and always seemed to win on the big stage. Boyle recently walked away from the game, but what he left behind was a fantastic resume. Early on in his career, Boyle played for the Philadelphia Barrage (who no longer exist in the MLL). In his time there, Boyle helped lead the Barrage to three title games and came away as a champion in all three games. In Boyle’s rookie year, not only did he walk away with a title but was also named the Rookie of the Year that season. After the Barrage were gone from the MLL, Boyle went to end his career in Boston. Boyle wasn’t done winning. Boyle found a way to get the Cannons into a title game and helped win them a title. Now looking at the numbers, these are where Boyle stands on the All-Time MLL records books coming into the start of the 2016 MLL season. Boyle is tied for tenth all-time in-game winning goals with nine. Boyle currently holds the MLL record for career assists with 272, and fourth all-time in points with 449.
Mark Millon
Mark Millon is are next inductee. Millon really saw success early on in his career in Baltimore as a member of the Baltimore Bayhawks, now called Chesapeake. In his time there, Millon helped lead the Bayhawks to three championship games but only took home one title. Following the end of his time in Baltimore, Millon then went to Boston before he made a return back to Baltimore. After his second brief stint with Baltimore, the team was then moved to Washington. After some time in Washington, Millon went to the Long Island Lizards. He played his final season in Rochester. What Millon left behind was a great career, and he is one of the greatest scorers in the MLL. Entering this season, Millon was eigth all-time in goals with 240, and tied for 10th all-time in points with 360. Millon had a decorated career in the MLL, winning a plethora of awards, starting in 2001 when he was named the All-Star Games MVP. He then followed that season up by being named the Offensive Player of the Year two years in a row in 2002 and 2003. Also in the 2002 season, Millon was named the Championship Games MVP. But Millon’s final accolade wouldn’t be accomplished until 2005 when he was named the League’s Co-MVP with Garry Gait.
Matt Poskay
Matt Poskay spent his whole career in the same uniform, playing for the Boston Cannons. Poskay had a great career and became the Cannons go-to goal-scorer. In Poskay’s time with Cannons, he helped the Cannons bring home their first and only MLL title. Entering this season, Poskay was tied for fifth all-time in game-winning goals with 11. Poskay also sits sixth all-time in goals with 248. Poskay received some impressive accolades in his MLL career, being named the 2007 All-Star Game MVP, as well as being named the 2010 Major League Lacrosse MVP, and in the same year being named the Offensive Player of the Year.
Kyle Dixon
Kyle Dixon’s career was okay in the beginning, but he found his most success toward the end of his career. Dixon was a part of the Baltimore Bayhawks for a few years before the team moved to Washington. Dixon stayed a part of the Bayhawks organization his whole career. But once the team moved to Chesapeake, everything seemed to click. Dixon helped lead the Bayhawks to three championship games, and the Bayhawks came away champions in all three games. Why I choose Dixon to make the hall of fame was his unique play style that I think changed the game. Dixon is currently the all-time leader in two-point goals with 52. Dixon made people not afraid to pull up and shoot the two-point shot.
Ryan Powell
Ryan Powell is the first Powell I will select this year. Mikey Powell had a good MLL career, but really didn’t play in the MLL long enough in my mind. So, Mikey Powell just misses the cut this year. Ryan had a great career in the MLL, but never really had much success winning any championships. In fact, Ryan never won an MLL championship, and I thought that might hurt his chances, but it really didn’t. Ryan still managed to get to one title game in his career, so he still gets in. If you also look at the career numbers Ryan has, it’s easy to see why he is being put in this MLL Hall of Fame. Ryan achieved so much in the MLL. In the MLL’s first season, Ryan was named the League’s first ever MVP. But it wouldn’t be the last time he would take home the award, either. Powell was once again named the League’s MVP in 2006, as well as being named the Offensive Player of the Year. But Powell’s final award would come in the 2008 season when he was named the 2008 All-Star Game MVP. According to my calculations, which I got by looking back at the Record books of the MLL seasons, Ryan Powell finished with 205 career goals, and 189 assists, giving him 394 career points. All those stats include the many playoff appearances as well.
Gary Gait
Gary Gait. You hear that name, and you think of how awesome of a career he had at Syracuse. Gait actually also had a successful career in the MLL, and made a name of himself in the years he played. Gait helped lead the Long Island Lizards to the first ever Major League title and was named MVP of the game as well. Gait managed to also make three more championship game appearances, but in a different uniform, playing for the Baltimore Bayhawks. In his time there, Gait helped lead the Bayhawks to two championships, including in the 2005 season when he was named the championship game's MVP. That same season, Gait was named the Co-MVP of the League alongside Mark Millon. Gait was also named the 2003 MLL All-Star Game MVP. When he decided to hang it up, he left behind a great career. These numbers include playoff games: 186 career goals and 70 assists, giving him a career of 256 points. Not too shabby, Mr. Gait.
Jesse Hubbard
Jesse Hubbard had a notable career only playing for two teams: the New Jersey Pride and the Los Angles Riptide. Hubbard’s teams always struggled in his career, and he actually never made a championship game appearance. But in the end, the numbers were telling. Coming into the start of this season, Hubbard ranked 7th all time in career goals with 247. Although Hubbard never really found success in the postseason, he always tried to help will his team into it. Unfortunately, his teams always seemed to come up just short of a title game.
Greg Cattrano
In the first year, I have induct one goalie. So, I choose Greg Cattrano. Cattrano had a very decorated MLL career. He began in Baltimore, where he found success right away, helping lead the Bayhawks to three championship games in the first three years of the league. Sadly, the Bayhawks only walked away with one title in those three attempts, in 2002. In the first couple years of the League, Cattrano was the gold standard for MLL goalies, leading the league in save percentage in 2001 and 2002. After the 2003 season, Cattrano joined a new expansion team: the Philadelphia Barrage. In the team's first season, he helped lead the Barrage to the championship game and the Barrage won. Cattrano was named the MVP of the title game. After the 2004 season, Cattrano spent the last couple of years with the Long Island Lizards, but the team struggled to find any success. However, Cattrano left behind a significant career. His all-time record, including the postseason, has him at 49-35. Not too bad of a record. His career save percentage is .583, which also includes postseason. Not to mention that Cattrano made a killing in accolades, making him one of the most decorated goalies in MLL history. For two straight years (2001 and 2002), Cattrano was named the Goalie of the Year, and he was named Goalie of the Year in 2004. I believe he is the only MLL goalie to ever be named the League’s MVP, which he was named in the 2002 season.
Lee Zink
Zink is the final inductee of this first class, and is actually the only defenseman inducted. I know people might give me a hard time for not inducting another pole, but most of the great poles are still playing, or they only retired last year. In order to make this Hall of Fame, you couldn't have played in the MLL last season. Zink had an outstanding MLL career, and he really became known for his amazing defense and ability to shut down a team's best player. In Zink's 11 year career that came to an end after the 2014 MLL season, he spent two seasons in Baltimore with the Bayhawks and the other nine season in Denver with the Outlaws. What Zink left behind in the MLL was a grinder legacy, a player who wanted to play in every single game possible. Zink played in 129 games, good for sixth all-time entering the 2016 MLL season. Zink also might be known as a physical player who wasn't afraid to throw his body around, and if he had to go to the box then he would go to the box. In fact, Zink currently sits fifth overall in MLL history in penalty minutes with 67.5. According to Zink's retirement article, which dates back to September 4th, 2014, at that time, Zink had played in the most games in franchise history for the Denver Outlaws, playing 110 games. In Zink's time with the Baltimore Bayhawks, he helped lead the Bayhawks to two playoff appearances and one MLL title which came in 2005, his final season with Baltimore. In his first season with Denver, he helped lead the Outlaws to a championship game, but the Outlaws would lose. The Outlaws didn't get another shot at the title until 2008, when the Outlaws again faltered in the championship game. The following year, the Outlaws got close, but lost again, this time losing by one goal to the Hamilton Nationals. Zink and the Outlaws got another chance in 2012 to win a title, but couldn't get the job done. Then in Zink's final season in 2014, Zink helped lead the Outlaws back to the title game, and this time he finally brought home a title to the Outlaws. The end of Zink's career could be seen as his best. In his last two seasons in 2012 and 2013, he was named the MLL's Defensive Player of the Year.
Now those are all my inductees that I choose. Let me know if you think I missed someone, or tell me who should have made it that I didn't select. Comment and let me know what you think!
