February 14, 2024
By Adam Ruffner
Jump to each team section.
Boston Glory
2023 regular season record: 7-5, Finished 3rd in the East Division | 2024 schedule
Glory firmly established themselves as the third best team in the division last year, going 7-0 against non-New York, non-DC opponents and showcasing a lot of playmaking on both sides of the disc. Boston is one of the younger teams in the division, and ended the 2023 season averaging just under 11 turnovers per game in their last five contests—Glory could be even sharper in 2024.
One Big Like: Size and speed
In 2023 Boston was a chunk yardage team who favored their one-on-one matchups downfield. As a result, they averaged the fewest team completions per game last season, throwing 24 fewer per game than the second closest team (Dallas) and 35 fewer than the closest playoff team (Austin, who loves to chuck it.)
How was Boston able to make their first postseason appearance while employing such a risky strategy? They had the athletes to make plays. Twin jets Simon Carapella and Ray Tetreault could put immediate pressure on defenses with their first step speed, while Orion Cable has become one of the top three receivers in the air with his gigantic frame and perfect timing. Glory’s D-line, too, is stocked with ready-to-run defenders with size and physicality; Tyler Chan and Rocco Linehan were great in single coverage in their first season with the team last year, while Phillip Joyce, Chris Bartoli, and Gustav Haflin remain underrated as big defenders who can shut down deep looks.
One Big Question: Will Boston’s lineup consistency continue?
Glory flashed talent but never enough for continued success in their first two seasons of play, but finally got roster-wide buy-in last season that, unsurprisingly, resulted in a playoff berth. Boston still has yet to get a win against either New York or DC, but they’ve proven themselves formidable against the rest of the East Division gauntlet. There’s a clear foundation for a contender, and another season of full strength lineup availability could make Boston a true challenger.
One Big Home Matchup: June 8 vs Philadelphia
In each of the past two seasons, the winner of the Boston-Philly series has gone on to make the postseason. Glory swept the season series 2-0 in 2023, with Carapella scoring seven goals and putting up 337 receiving yards in their last meeting. The D-line was a big factor in both victories, as Glory averaged eight breaks per game against the Phoenix.
One Big Stat: Boston was 4-0 last season when they scored at least 20 goals in a game.
One Big Play: Jac Carreiro’s toe tap goal in double coverage to secure the fourth quarter break score in Boston’s late season showdown in Philly.
DC Breeze
2023 regular season record: 9-3, Finished 2nd in East Division | 2024 schedule
Last year, the Breeze signed a group of star-level additions to their offensive and defensive rotations, those newcomers made immediate and impactful contributions to an already excellent rotation of players, and the team went into the playoffs with a full head of steam. All of that to say that DC still had their championship hopes dashed at Fosina Field last August, vanquished by the undefeated Empire for the second year in a row. The Breeze are undoubtedly among the league’s true elite, and they will get a real interdivisional test with their Week 1 matchup in Salt Lake with the Shred.
One Big Like: Deepest lineup of throwers in the league
There’s the statistical evidence: The Breeze were one of just two teams last season to have at least seven players throw a minimum of 20 assists. They had the highest team completion percentage (95.47 percent*) in the league while also completing the most passes per game (291). Only team in the league to roster eight players who completed a minimum of 20 passes per game.
Then there’s the game film: Andrew Roy and Jonny Malks are a perfect mesh of styles in the backfield, and have the tools to initiate drives from any position on the field. Christian Boxley and Tyler Monroe are a top three cutting pair in the league, and their ability to solve midfield coverages and find spacing makes them borderline unstoppable. Benjamin Oort and Cole Jurek added a much-needed vertical dimension to the attack with their deep throws, while Thomas Edmonds, Jacques Nissen, and Jeff Wodatch all showcased the kinds of poise and versatility as throwers that would make them feature pieces on any other team. Haven’t even gotten to Rowan McDonnell, who appears in the dictionary next to the word “bag”.
* Second highest single-season mark in league history. The high mark of 95.54 percent was set in 2021, also by the Breeze.
One Big Question: Are the Empire the only thing standing between DC and a title?
It’s a bit too reductionist to define each Breeze season in terms of their battles with the Empire—new Head Coach Lauren Boyle was correct to say as much in her team introduction—but New York’s divisional presence and burgeoning dynasty has directly interfered with DC’s own ascendance. The playoff bottleneck—the championship before the championship—that is the East Division title game is beginning to resemble the NFL rivalry between the Chiefs and the Bills, right down to the excitement for the latter (Bills:Breeze), and the inevitability of the former (Chiefs:New York.)
One Big Home Matchup: June 28 vs Carolina
One of the best interdivisional rivalries the past several seasons, the Breeze will be looking for payback after Carolina got the W in DC last summer. And given where the game is situated on the calendar—final Breeze home game, three weeks before their final regular season game in New York—it could be a must-win for DC to have a home playoff game.
One Big Stat: Among the 40 players who registered a minimum of 50 scores last season, Christian Boxley ranked fifth in pass completion rate (96.07 percent).
One Big Play: Months later I will bolt up in the middle of the night, Alexandre Fall’s teleportation block flashing across my mind. I still do not understand the combination of play reading and fast-twitch explosiveness to go from mark to weak side defender.
Montreal Royal
2023 regular season record: 0-12, Finished 6th in East Division | 2024 schedule
Montreal became the first non-Detroit franchise to have a winless season since the 2017 Nashville Nightwatch, with lineup absences, inconsistent play, and an intimidating East Division schedule all converging against the inexperienced 2023 Royal. But it’s a new season and a fresh slate, and Montreal ended last regular season giving one of their best performances—Royal trailed by just one with five minutes remaining in the third quarter against the Empire in New York, staying tight thanks to fast offensive play and timely deep shots.
One Big Like: Kevin Quinlan’s creativity as a thrower
The team leader in assists in four of the past five seasons, Quinlan can deliver the disc from almost any angle and range. His weapons of choice have been his quick-release flick huck from the hip, and a hammer throw that has been among the league's best for over a decade—both throws he loves to take from around the midfield stripe.
Quinlan is a volume shooter from distance who still completes hucks at an elite clip. He is tied for the 11th most huck completions (55) in the league since the start of the 2021 season, and is sixth in completion percentage on deep attempts (67 percent) among the top 15 players in huck completions over the same span.
One Big Question: Can the Royal regain their confidence?
On May 13, 2022, the Royal were 3-0 in the division, having just bested the Phoenix in Philly on a Christophe Tremblay-Joncas walk-off sky goal in a pack of players at the end of regulation. Montreal has gone 1-20 since that win, with their lone victory coming over the now-defunct Ottawa Outlaws. The Royal looked ready to claim the title of “Canada’s Best” following their 2021 Canada Cup win, but it’s been a long developmental curve the past two seasons.
One Big Home Matchup: June 8 vs Toronto
Montreal’s lone 20-goal performance of last season came against Toronto in their first game of the season. The Royal would go on to tie a league record for lowest scoring average. The Royal were able to stretch the field with eight completed hucks in their first matchup with the Rush in 2023, and will need to stay loose and active with their deep looks again against a vulnerable Toronto deep defense.
One Big Stat: The Royal ranked second to last in red zone conversion rate in 2023 for the full season, but finished their schedule with an 85 percent conversion clip in their last five games.
One Big Play: Well, it’s more of a reel than a single play, and it highlights Quinlan’s vision, velocity, and accuracy as a thrower.
New York Empire
2023 regular season record: 12-0, Finished 1st in East Division | 2024 schedule
The Empire enter the 2024 season with a 30-game winning streak, the reigning MVP Jeff Babbitt, and the most formidable lineup in league history. It’s been hard to identify a single weak spot in either their offensive or defensive rotations, and they’ve run the competition off the stage in each of the past two Championship Weekend events. There’s never been a three-peat champion before in league history, and the Empire seem dead set on adding another trophy to their growing and dynastic collection.
One Big Like: Total team focus
There’s absolutely no denying the Empire’s level of talent—I know I won’t shut up about it, but they took a two-time MVP in Ben Jagt, switched him to defense a season and a half ago, and got better and more efficient on offense. But New York’s lineup adaptability and overall team successes goes far beyond just the stars that headline the box scores. Every single player on the roster knows what their role is on any given point, in any given situation, which makes the entire machine hum with brutal efficiency; it’s how they won the first quarter by a combined score of 15-5 in their final two wins of 2023.
Even Babbitt’s MVP stat line is a testament to the team’s unmistakable identity, and the effectiveness of their playstyle. Yes, he led the league in goals. But the man had two assists! TWO! The stats on paper make Babbitt appear like a single dimensional player. But there was no doubt about his deservedness in receiving the reward, as Babbitt’s battering ram ruthlessness inside the red zone so quintessentially defined the Empire’s offensive success. Throwing didn’t need to be a part of a formula as elegant as: Babbitt, isolation, front cone score.
One Big Question: How long will New York’s reign last?
The only other UFA team to win back-to-back titles—the 2014-15 Oakland Spiders—watched their championship roster dissolve after the second trophy ceremony, so the Empire are in truly rarefied air going for a third. New York deservedly has one of the toughest regular season schedules again this season, but hard battles seem to only strengthen this team more with each new matchup.
There is another undefeated opponent for the Empire to face, and that is Father Time. New York, owing to their veteran core and the longevity of their primes, roster one of the older lineups in the UFA. And with no real rookie development the past two seasons, beyond the current window, it’s tough to say where the Empire will stand in, say, five years.
One Big Home Matchup: June 29 vs Salt Lake
A title game rematch from 2023, the Empire haven’t lost at home since 2018. New York’s defense held Salt Lake’s high powered offense to just 31 total goals in their two meetings last season; Empire haven’t allowed an opponent to score 20 goals in each of their last 11 games at Fosina Field.
One Big Stat: Opponents of the Empire are averaging just 16.6 goals per game in New York’s last eight matchups at Championship Weekend (7-1 record, league-record three UFA titles).
One Big Play: I’m a big fan of Ben Katz generally, and he still finds ways to surprise me with his defensive playmaking.
Philadelphia Phoenix
2023 regular season record: 6-6, Finished 4th in East Division | 2024 schedule
The Phoenix have a playmaking offense complemented by a hard-nosed defense, but they can’t quite fully establish themselves in the topmost part of the divisional standings. James Pollard and Sean Mott combined for over 100 scores and 10,000 total yards last season, and the defense averaged the eighth most break scores per game a season ago. But Philly’s dreams of another postseason in 2024 will have to go through the second toughest strength of schedule in the East Division.
One Big Like: Defensive pressure and depth
Paul Owens has been the face of the defense the past two seasons, setting the table with his pulls, leading the team in takeaways, and finishing the past two seasons with All UFA Defense Team honors. But Philly’s D-line goes much deeper, with players like Max Trifillis, Eric Witmer, and Matt Hanna all making major contributions in coverage and on the counterattack.
Philly held New York to their lowest four-quarter point total of last season with just 15 goals in their Week 4 matchup, and Philly’s defense as a whole converted on 60 percent or better of their break opportunities in a full half of their games in 2023. The Phoenix defense doesn’t just generate turnovers from multiple matchups—they can score in transition like a championship-level unit.
One Big Question: Can the Phoenix avoid another slow start to the season?
The Phoenix have just a 3-7 record combined before the calendar flips to June over the past two seasons. Margins are tight to begin with in the East Division playoff race, and Philly has done themselves no favors by starting in such unfavorable positions, often putting undue stress on late-season matchups. Unfortunately for them, the Phoenix have another arduous road ahead and are scheduled for four games this May, all against last season’s divisional playoff qualifiers from Boston, DC (twice), and New York. If Philly can pick up at least one win, they will stay afloat for a late season push; two victories, and we can start entertaining those Championship Weekend dreams.
One Big Home Matchup: May 5 vs DC
Home opener. First game of the season. The Breeze are 5-0 against the Phoenix over the past two seasons, but three of those DC wins have come by a single goal. Philly has won just one home opener in franchise history, back in 2021. A win against the rival Breeze—and potentially putting DC in an 0-2 hole to start the season—would be Philly’s biggest win to date.
One Big Stat: Philly’s defense had the fifth highest break rate (33.5 percent) in the league last season, better than playoff teams like Atlanta, Salt Lake, and DC.
One Big Play: Greg Martin layout Callahan. Enough said.
Toronto Rush
2023 regular season record: 5-7, Finished 5th in East Division | 2024 schedule
Four of Toronto’s five victories last season came against the two winless franchises from Detroit and Montreal, with their other win coming by one goal at home against the Thunderbirds. There’s a lot of young talent, but relatively few players have found established roles on either offense or defense, giving Toronto’s performances a wide level of variation. Toronto had almost as many games scoring 21 or more goals (6 times) as they did scoring 17 or fewer (5 times).
One Big Like: The return of Phil Turner on defense
The former all-star produced 20 or more blocks for three straight seasons for the Rush before a 2023 injury sideline him for the season after just six games. At 6’3”, Turner has the physical tools to guard the Babbitts, Cables, and Pollards of the division in one-on-one coverage, and his high motor and field IQ give him the range to be an excellent help defender. Toronto was a sieve last season on defense, and Turner taking top matchups could help other pieces fall into place.
One Big Question: Can the Rush transition from upstart to playoff contender?
Similar to Madison, Toronto’s rebuild is colored (and possibly made more tense) by a once great franchise past separated from the present by a four-year absence from the postseason. The Rush looked almost overloaded on offense given their struggles with depth on D-line—Ty Barbieri, James Lewis, Griffin McKee, Mike Mackenzie, and Keith McRae all had games leading the team in receiving, but there was never a clear first option when matches got close. The East might feature the most difficult set of teams, but Toronto does benefit from the easiest schedule in the division in 2024.
One Big Home Matchup: May 25 vs Pittsburgh
Both Toronto and Pittsburgh can’t afford to lose out of division games given their positions in the East and Central standings, respectively. Toronto had their best red zone performance of the season in their matchup with the Thunderbirds last June, with the rookie McKee filling up the stat sheet with six total scores, a block, and nearly 300 total yards of offense.
One Big Stat: James Lewis and Ty Barbieri were one of just two sets of teammates in the league last season to each average over 300 receiving yards per game.
One Big Play: Barbieri coming back across his body to make the layout catch and then firing the game-clinching assist with no hesitation versus Montreal.
