As the PLL’s player movement window approaches, the Philadelphia Waterdogs have several key roster decisions to make.
After a season defined by growth in head coach Bill Tierney’s second year and the emergence of new contributors from a loaded draft class, the club now must determine which familiar faces should return in 2026.
Tierney and newly hired general manager Dave Cottle have a handful of decisions on their plate that could influence future acquisitions deeper into the offseason.
Priority No. 1: Keep Alec Stathakis in purple
The most significant internal question centers on faceoff specialist Alec Stathakis, who is poised to become available for the first time since the Waterdogs picked him up as an undrafted player in 2024.
Few players in the league improved as dramatically from 2024 to 2025.
After winning just 44% of his draws across seven games as a rookie, Stathakis jumped to 52.8% in 10 appearances this season while adding two goals. His impact, however, went beyond raw faceoff numbers.
Philadelphia’s 32-second offense leapt from 18.5% efficiency in 2024 to 27.1% in 2025, a reflection of cleaner early offense at times, more stability off the ground and better two-man game execution — areas Stathakis influenced.
At just 25 and with a long-standing relationship with Tierney dating back to the University of Denver, Stathakis is a foundational piece the Waterdogs cannot afford to lose. His trajectory suggests he is entering the early stages of his prime and could be a more viable option than those set to become available.
High priority: Stabilize SSDM corps with Matt Whitcher
Next on the list is short-stick defensive midfielder Matt Whitcher, still one of the most valuable at one of the PLL’s hardest roles.
Though his 2025 was less dominant — owing partly to the spotlight being on standout rookie Dylan Hess — Whitcher’s versatility, communication and on-ball strength remain critical.
With fellow SSDM Christian Scarpello coming off an injury and set to hit the open market, pairing Hess with a proven veteran is essential.
Losing Whitcher would leave Hess without a reliable counterpart and force Cottle to add an unknown entity to a young defense looking for chemistry and experience.
Medium priority: Can they make Thomas McConvey fit?
Midfielder Thomas McConvey enters a familiar offseason crossroads. A year ago, he faced a similar scenario following a disappointing second season and ultimately told Tierney, “Coach, I want to be a Waterdog.”
His first half of 2025 validated that commitment — 10 goals before the All-Star break — but his role shrank following the debut of No. 1 overall pick CJ Kirst, resulting in just three goals for McConvey over the final seven games.
The challenge is structural: The Waterdogs have an abundance of lefties.
But if Tierney and assistant coach Dylan Sheridan can engineer a system that harmonizes Kirst, Kieran McArdle, Zach Currier and McConvey, Philadelphia would add a whole other level of unpredictability to its six-on-six offense.
Re-signing him is worthwhile — as long as there’s a plan for his usage.
Veteran decisions: Walking the line between experience and opportunity
The toughest choices involve veterans Scarpello, Eli Gobrecht, Mikie Schlosser and Liam Byrnes.
Each brings something uniquely valuable — Gobrecht’s ability to shift between long-stick and short-stick roles, for example, gives the Waterdogs much-needed versatility.
At the same time, Philadelphia has to consider how age, health and roster construction fit into its broader plans.
Scarpello, the youngest of the group at 29, missed the second half of the season while recovering from injury. Byrnes has been working his way back toward game action since mid-2024, and Schlosser has appeared in six contests over the last three seasons.
With the fifth pick in each of the four rounds of the 2026 College Draft and the player movement period set to begin on Dec. 10, it could be more viable for the Waterdogs to keep slots on the roster open.
Possible future acquisitions
Looking ahead, the Waterdogs’ most immediate roster needs center on adding a dependable voice on defense and securing a high-end midfielder who can tilt matchups without needing heavy touches.
Those two pieces — stability on the back end for a young defense and another dynamic option through the middle of the field, similar to Currier — would give the roster the balance it lacked at times in 2025.
