Is Jeff Teat of the Ottawa Black Bears the best player in the National Lacrosse League? Will he be a free transfer to the Oshawa FireWolves this season?
The answer to the first question is probably yes and the second question will be answered in the coming days after the league announced that the Ottawa franchise, as well as the Philadelphia Wings, have both “discontinued operations” and will not participate in the 2026-27 season, with Oshawa first up in the dispersal draft.
The NLL will move forward with 12 active member clubs as it prepares for its 40th anniversary season.
The decision follows efforts to identify viable paths forward for both franchises, with NLL Commissioner Brett Frood saying the league evaluates the long-term sustainability of its member clubs across several core areas, including committed ownership, venue and lease conditions, local market infrastructure, operational capabilities and sustained investment in the fan experience.
“Today is a difficult day for the National Lacrosse League and, most importantly, for the fans, players, employees and partners who have supported the Ottawa Black Bears and Philadelphia Wings,” Frood said in a statement. “These are proud lacrosse markets with passionate communities, and we are grateful to everyone who has invested their time, energy and belief in these clubs. As we enter our 40th anniversary season, our responsibility is to provide certainty for our constituents and move forward with 12 active member clubs aligned behind the league’s collective future.”
Ottawa and Philadelphia remain “important markets” to the NLL, Frood said, adding that the league will consider future opportunities in either community if the long-term conditions and partners necessary to support a sustainable franchise are established.
The league has set a revised player transaction calendar to provide clarity for affected players and all 12 clubs and announced that as of 4 p.m. Thursday, teams can begin talking to the players on the two affected franchises.
Oshawa, which completed its first season in the city last spring, will select first but a spokesman for the club said the team isn’t ready to announce if it had already contacted Teat or anyone else on Ottawa or Philadelphia.
Jeff Teat
Teat, for the record, is a former Brampton Excelsior who was the NLL’s first overall selection in 2020, the league’s rookie of the year in 2022 and an all-star in each of his four seasons in the league.
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The Ottawa and Philadelphia player pools will be combined for a single dispersal draft on Sept. 15, with clubs selecting in reverse order based on their regular-season winning percentages over the two most recently completed seasons, with the most recent season weighted at 70 percent. The reigning NLL Finals champion will select last.
Following the draft, clubs may sign selected players and negotiate with selected unrestricted free agents, subject to applicable league rules and procedures.
The NLL Dispersal Draft order:
Oshawa FireWolves
Las Vegas Desert Dogs
Rochester Knighthawks
Calgary Roughnecks
San Diego Seals
Halifax Thunderbirds
Colorado Mammoth
Georgia Swarm
Buffalo Bandits
Saskatchewan Rush
Vancouver Warriors
Toronto Rock
Franchise player designations are due by 4 p.m. ET on Sept. 18, with free agency beginning an hour later. During free agency, clubs may negotiate with and sign eligible rostered restricted free agents and unrestricted free agents in accordance with NLL rules.
“This revised timeline gives our clubs the opportunity to address their rosters in a logical and structured manner, beginning with the dispersal draft and then moving into free agency and the entry draft,” Frood said. “Just as importantly, it establishes a clear path forward for players throughout the league and allows everyone to make informed decisions as we build toward the 2026-27 season.”
In other FireWolves news, coach and general manager Glenn Clark is one of 12 legends to be enshrined in the Canadian Lacrosse Hall of Fame on Sept. 19. He will be joined by former NLL championship MVP Gavin Prout of Whitby, who until last month was the general manager of the Brooklin Lacrosse Club of Major Series Lacrosse.
Oshawa FireWolves coach and GM Glenn Clark
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