# 2025 Buffalo Bandits season

The Buffalo Bandits are a lacrosse team based in Buffalo, New York playing in the National Lacrosse League (NLL). The 2025 season is their 33rd season in the NLL.
The Bandits entered the season as the defending champions for the second straight year and will look to become the first team since the original Rochester Knighthawks from 2012 to 2014 to win 3 straight NLL championships.

## Regular season

NLL Standings Reference:
| P | Team | GP | W | L | PCT | GB | Home | Road | GF | GA | Diff | GF/GP | GA/GP |
| 1 | Buffalo Bandits | 9 | 8 | 1 | .889 | 0.0 | 4–1 | 4–0 | 135 | 95 | +40 | 15.00 | 10.56 |
| 2 | Saskatchewan Rush | 11 | 9 | 2 | .818 | 0.0 | 4–1 | 5–1 | 139 | 111 | +28 | 12.64 | 10.09 |
| 3 | Halifax Thunderbirds | 10 | 6 | 4 | .600 | 2.5 | 3–2 | 3–2 | 131 | 121 | +10 | 13.10 | 12.10 |
| 4 | Georgia Swarm | 10 | 6 | 4 | .600 | 2.5 | 2–3 | 4–1 | 116 | 120 | −4 | 11.60 | 12.00 |
| 5 | Colorado Mammoth | 11 | 6 | 5 | .545 | 3.0 | 3–3 | 3–2 | 132 | 128 | +4 | 12.00 | 11.64 |
| 6 | Calgary Roughnecks | 11 | 6 | 5 | .545 | 3.0 | 2–4 | 4–1 | 143 | 140 | +3 | 13.00 | 12.73 |
| 7 | Ottawa Black Bears | 10 | 5 | 5 | .500 | 3.5 | 2–3 | 3–2 | 97 | 100 | −3 | 9.70 | 10.00 |
| 8 | Philadelphia Wings | 11 | 5 | 6 | .455 | 4.0 | 3–2 | 2–4 | 140 | 144 | −4 | 12.73 | 13.09 |
| 9 | Vancouver Warriors | 11 | 5 | 6 | .455 | 4.0 | 3–2 | 2–4 | 111 | 107 | +4 | 10.09 | 9.73 |
| 10 | San Diego Seals | 11 | 5 | 6 | .455 | 4.0 | 3–3 | 2–3 | 122 | 126 | −4 | 11.09 | 11.45 |
| 11 | Rochester Knighthawks | 12 | 5 | 7 | .417 | 4.5 | 1–4 | 4–3 | 139 | 151 | −12 | 11.58 | 12.58 |
| 12 | Toronto Rock | 11 | 3 | 8 | .273 | 6.0 | 1–5 | 2–3 | 108 | 123 | −15 | 9.82 | 11.18 |
| 13 | Las Vegas Desert Dogs | 11 | 3 | 8 | .273 | 6.0 | 1–4 | 2–4 | 117 | 155 | −38 | 10.64 | 14.09 |
| 14 | Albany FireWolves | 11 | 3 | 8 | .273 | 6.0 | 2–4 | 1–4 | 125 | 134 | −9 | 11.36 | 12.18 |

## Game log

The Bandits' schedule was released on September 17, 2024.
| Game | Date | Opponent | Location | Score | OT | Attendance | Record |
| 1 | December 7, 2024 | @ Rochester Knighthawks | Blue Cross Arena | W 15–7 | | 6,454 | 1–0 |
| 2 | December 13, 2024 | @ Ottawa Black Bears | Canadian Tire Centre | W 18–7 | | 5,272 | 2–0 |
| 3 | December 28, 2024 | Rochester Knighthawks | KeyBank Center | W 13–6 | | 19,070 | 3–0 |
| 4 | January 10, 2025 | Toronto Rock | KeyBank Center | W 15–13 | | 17,240 | 4–0 |
| 5 | January 18, 2025 | Philadelphia Wings | KeyBank Center | W 19–14 | | 17,561 | 5–0 |
| 6 | February 1, 2025 | Albany FireWolves | KeyBank Center | W 16–10 | | 18,459 | 6–0 |
| 7 | February 14, 2025 | @ Toronto Rock | Paramount Fine Foods Centre | W 13–12 | | 5,167 | 7–0 |
| 8 | February 15, 2025 | San Diego Seals | KeyBank Center | L 13–14 | OT | 18,224 | 7–1 |
| 9 | February 22, 2025 | @ San Diego Seals | Pechanga Arena | W 13–12 | | 6,280 | 8–1 |
| 10 | March 1, 2025 | @ Saskatchewan Rush | SaskTel Centre | W 9–7 | | 7,029 | 9–1 |
| 11 | March 8, 2025 | Calgary Roughnecks | KeyBank Center | L 11–17 | | 19,070 | 9–2 |
| 12 | March 15, 2025 | @ Calgary Roughnecks | Scotiabank Saddledome | W 11–6 | | 16,443 | 10–2 |
| 13 | March 21, 2025 | Las Vegas Desert Dogs | KeyBank Center | | | | |
| 14 | March 22, 2025 | @ Albany FireWolves | MVP Arena | | | | |
| 15 | March 29, 2025 | Vancouver Warriors | KeyBank Center | | | | |
| 16 | April 5, 2025 | @ Colorado Mammoth | Ball Arena | | | | |
| 17 | April 12, 2025 | Halifax Thunderbirds | KeyBank Center | | | | |
| 18 | April 19, 2025 | @ Georgia Swarm | Gas South Arena | | | | |

## Roster
### Dispersal Draft

On August 30, 2024, the NLL announced that the Panther City Lacrosse Club would cease operations. The league held a dispersal draft on September 2.
| Round | Overall | Player |
| 1 | 14 | Traded to Philadelphia |
Notes
* ↑ The Bandits traded the 14th overall selection in the 2024 Dispersal Draft to the Philadelphia Wings in exchange for Philadelphia’s 2nd round selection in the 2025 Entry Draft.

### Entry Draft

The 2024 NLL Entry Draft was held virtually on September 15. The Bandits' selections are listed below.
| Round | Overall | Player | College/Club | Notes |
| 1 | 7 | Lukas Nielsen | New Westminster Salmonbellies (WLA) | from Ottawa |
| 1 | 8 | Luca Antongiovanni | University of North Carolina (ACC) | from Rochester |
| 1 | 15 | Taylor Dooley | Ennismore James Gang (Ontario Series Lacrosse) | |
| 2 | 19 | Trent Robertson | Brampton Express (Arena Lacrosse League) | from Vancouver |
| 3 | 35 | Marquez White | Princeton Tigers (Ivy League) | from Ottawa via Colorado |
| 4 | 57 | Angus McDonnell | Mimico Mountaineers (OLA Junior A Lacrosse League) | |
| 5 | 65 | Bryce Cordingley | Mimico Mountaineers (OLA Junior A Lacrosse League) | from Rochester |
| 6 | 86 | Vance Adams | Akwesasne Thunder (OLA Junior B Lacrosse League) | |