The 2022 Premier Lacrosse League champions had a 2024 season that was reminiscent of their inaugural season back in 2020: dysfunctional. 

Faceoff struggles, stagnant offense and inconsistent goaltending were the three main headlines of the Philadelphia Waterdogs’ 2-8 campaign.

After a Cash App Championship appearance in 2023, finishing dead last in the league standings was definitely not what first-year head coach Bill Tierney had in mind. 

Just like with any other PLL team, the Waterdogs’ talent is abundant, but being able to use your players in the right manner is what takes a team from finishing below .500 to earning a playoff berth once August rolls around. 

Philadelphia has a number of questions to answer this offseason. Several of its key players are now pending free agents, and decisions on how Tierney wants his team to look moving forward must be solved sooner rather than later. 

Notable Pending Free Agents

Matt DeLuca, Goalie

Matt Whitcher, SSDM

Jake Richard, SSDM

Connor Kelly, Midfield

Kieran McArdle, Attack

Alec Stathakis, Faceoff

Areas that need addressing

Changeup at faceoffs

After experimenting with not dressing a faceoff specialist in its first three games, Philadelphia signed Stathakis to help give the 0-3 team a boost at the stripe. While the Waterdogs were winning more possessions, it still did not help to solve their problems. Stathakis, an undrafted rookie who was with the team in training camp, finished 44.4% on the season and did not record a single point.

With Stathakis’ contract expiring, I believe the Dogs could go after a specialist with more game experience. One name that comes to mind is Maryland’s Petey LaSalla, who was stuck behind a healthy Joe Nardella on the Whipsnakes’ depth chart and appeared in just one game this season. 

A solidified starting goaltender

In an attempt to find consistency, Philadelphia bounced between multiple goaltenders in 2024, giving backup DeLuca several opportunities to play. 

What makes DeLuca, who saw action in seven games, stand out over veteran Dillon Ward was his performance in the regular-season finale, in which Philadelphia upset the top-ranked New York Atlas. DeLuca finished that game with 12 saves and a 57% save rate.

With DeLuca a free agent, he could be a target for the California Redwoods or Denver Outlaws, who ranked last and second-to-last in save percentage this season. Signing with one of those teams could give DeLuca a chance to go into the 2025 season as a solidified starter. 

If DeLuca leaves, Ward likely would reclaim his starting spot. But as talented as Ward is, the 33-year-old veteran might not be the long-term solution for the team. He ranked near the bottom of the league in scores against average (eighth) and save percentage (ninth) this season.

A rebuild of the midfield

Coming into the 2024 season, Philadelphia's midfield was viewed as the deepest and most talented in the league. Now looking into 2025, it might be the area of most concern. 

With Jake Carraway retiring, the team loses a player who can stretch the field from beyond the arc when a two-point goal is crucial. 

Kelly will be a free agent after recording the fewest points in a single season in his entire professional career (excluding the 2020 bubble series).

This leaves the team with just Zach Currier, Mikie Schlosser and Jack Hannah signed for next season. Being able to re-sign Kelly and/or another ambidextrous initiator to complement Currier and Hannah would help grow this offense immensely. 

I believe Kelly's 2024 season was just a short-term slump. The 29-year-old still has a tremendous upside for his ability to create offense by himself.

On the horizon

Even after an abysmal season, and with major questions looming in free agency, there is still hope for a bright future in Philadelphia. The team holds the No. 1 pick in the 2025 College Draft, which it can use help bolster its offense or solidify its defense. 

Michael Sowers is heading into his fifth year as a pro and is undoubtedly one of the best players on the planet. Being able to build an offense around a player like him is every coach’s dream.

If the pieces are put in the correct order, the Waterdogs should be able to have a bounce-back season in 2025.