Five unsigned players with Championship Series experience

For the first time, the PLL player movement period will open before the Championship Series. An earlier player movement period means earlier decisions for coaches and general managers.

Whereas players previously had to wait after the Championship Series to ink deals with clubs, players who sign with one of the four participating teams this year will also be eligible to play in the Championship Series.

When you consider the talented crop of available players and the accelerated timeline, attention for these unsigned players is sure to reach new levels. Take Rob Pannell, for example, who signed a week after the 2025 Championship Series with the Maryland Whipsnakes, who failed to win a game in the tournament. Wouldn’t it have been nice for the Whips to have a future Hall of Famer on the field at The St. James, building chemistry with future teammates?

The last wrinkle? Like before, players can sign Championship Series-only contracts. While I expect the big-ticket players to sign longer-term deals, these contracts give guys who perhaps were overlooked in 2025 a chance to bet on themselves and show off their talent in the Championship Series.

OK, let’s get to the good stuff. Here are five available players with Championship Series experience who can help the New York Atlas, Denver Outlaws, California Redwoods or Carolina Chaos in February.

Dylan Molloy, Attack

The 6-foot, 215-pound attackman is the cream of the crop in this player movement cycle.

The 2025 Comeback Player of the Year was ninth in the league in points in 2025 with 32 (26G, 1T, 5A), and you felt every single one of his goals. Molloy entered PLL wasteland after a 25-point season with the Chrome in 2022, so when he finally got another starting opportunity this season, he not only made defenders feel his anger in his bull dodges to the net, but also made all of the teams that didn’t give him an opportunity have second thoughts.

For a team itching for a physical righty attacker who is also an apt shooter, Molloy is the top candidate. But when you also consider his Championship Series prowess, it’s even more incentive to ink Molloy to a deal to have him on the field in February, as well.

In both the 2023 Championship Series with Chrome and the 2025 Championship Series with the Atlas, Molloy ranked in the top 10 in points. His dodging style and tough inside finishing ability are a seamless fit in both formats.

While Molloy will no doubt get calls from teams around the league, I expect him to want to stay with California and general manager Joe Spallina, who was the only one to take a chance on him last season – a decision that paid off in spades.

Christian Scarpello, SSDM

With his wavy locks bouncing up and down as he roams the field, Scarpello not only would bring veteran defensive midfield presence to a team, but he also has the offensive chops to help a team to a Championship Series title.

Scarpello was tied for second in the 2024 Championship Series with four caused turnovers, impressive considering the Waterdogs’ strategy of putting their defenders on an island to limit the two-point threat. But it’s his offensive skill set that’s enticing. Scarpello scored five points (2G, 3A) in the 2024 Championship Series, and at the 2023 World Lacrosse Championship, he racked up seven goals as a starting attackman, including this overtime winner against Puerto Rico:

Cole Williams, Midfield

Williams’ lone goal of the 2025 season was an important one, coming in the quarterfinals against California.

Could Williams be the Molloy of 2026? While he didn’t see the field a ton in 2025, his size, athleticism and two-handedness create matchup problems every time he touches the ball.

Better yet, Williams is a seasoned Championship Series player, playing in every tournament (two with the Archers, one with Chrome) and racking up a combined 38 points (29G, 1T, 8A).

He’s a guy whose tryout for the regular season could very well be with one of these teams in the upcoming Championship Series.

Dox Aitken, Midfield

A team is going to hit a home run with Aitken.

The 2024 second-team All-Pro burst onto the scene with New York with 16 points (15G, 1A) before leaving to play football. Upon his return this season, he failed to crack the rotation in 2025. It’s not for lack of skill; Aitken is a 6-foot-2, 215-pound midfielder who can run like the wind, but he couldn’t carve out a role at the end of the season with all the talent in the Atlas midfield.

His size and speed make him the optimal midfielder in the modern game with the ability to generate chances off the wings and in the middle of the field, and he’s already proven his worth in the Championship Series with 16 points (13G, 3A) for the Atlas in 2023.

Brendan Krebs, Goalie

Krebs is like a former starting quarterback who was relegated to a backup role in favor of a rookie, but could still be the top option for another team. He’s proven he’s capable at the highest level, as Krebs was a starter (and a pretty good one at that) with the Whipsnakes in 2024 and 2025 before losing his spot to rookie Emmet Carroll.

Not a lot of teams need a starting goaltender, but the Redwoods seem like a team that could take a long, hard look at Krebs to bring some competition in for Chayse Ierlan.

Even if Krebs doesn’t land a starting gig, there’s no debating the importance of a second goalie. Don’t be surprised if Krebs, who has already played in two Championship Series, gets scooped up by one of these four teams for help in February. He could parlay that into a competition for a starting role with a strong performance.