2025 Carolina Chaos Season Preview

2024 Record: 4-6, lost in Semifinals

Notable Departures: Will Bowen (reportedly), Josh Byrne (Holdout List), CJ Costabile (free agency), Zach Geddes (free agency), Kyle Jackson (free agency), Tye Kurtz (released) Ian MacKay (Holdout List), Brian Minicus (retired), 

Notable Additions: Garrett Degnon (trade), Josh Zawada (trade), JJ Sillstrop (free agency), Chris Aslanian (trade), Carter Parlette (trade), Justin Inacio (free agency)

Draft Picks: Owen Hiltz, Levi Verch, Jack McDonald

It wouldn’t be a stretch to suggest the Chaos had the most tumultuous offseason in PLL history. Back in December, Andy Towers and his entire staff resigned en masse after they were pressured by the league to make a coaching change. That pressure came from multiple places, including player feedback. The Chaos had the league’s worst offense last year, with only 100 scores over the course of the year and the league’s lowest number of two pointers hit. It culminated in a semifinal elimination in which they managed just one goal against the Archers that came in the game’s closing minutes. They had the league’s best defense and goaltending.  The coaching change kicked off a series of moves that totally reshaped the Chaos roster. Here’s a rough timeline:

12/5 - Towers and staff resigning news breaks

1/30 - Spencer Ford officially named GM, Roy Colsey named Head Coach

3/3 - Free Agency opens

3/3 - Zach Geddes to Denver news breaks

3/3 - Kyle Jackson to New York news breaks 

3/12 - Tye Kurtz leaves, expected to play summer box

3/14 - Brian Minicus retires  

4/1 - Ian MacKay leaves, expected to play summer box

4/4 - CJ Costabile to New York announced

4/22 - Josh Byrne leaves, expected to play summer box

5/9 - News that Will Bowen will not play this summer breaks

That’s a whole lot of departures. The draft, thought to be the spot where the Chaos would make upgrades to the offense, saw them draft Owen Hiltz as a new lefty attackman, and then take two poles. There’s a caveat with Hiltz in that as a Canadian rookie, the Chaos run the risk of him not being available early in the year while his visa is secured. There are important retentions mixed in there as well. Jules Heningburg and Sergio Perkovic got new deals on the offense to help with continuity. Jarrod Neumann and Austin Kaut got new deals on the defensive end, keeping one of the best units in the league together.

The offense needed a reset, and it’s getting one. The question is how long it takes. Josh Byrne, Brian Minicus, and Kyle Jackson were top dodging options for the Chaos, all gone. Heningburg, Shane Knobloch, and Ross Scott are favorites to become the primary dodging threats, while Garrett Degnon and Chris Aslanian join Perkovic and Eric Dobson as stretch shooters. But this is the first time the Chaos will enter a season without a clear and obvious alpha of the offense. In 2019 it was Connor Fields, and since 2020 it’s been Josh Byrne. 

The defense likely remains stout. Jack Rowlett, Jarrod Neumann, and Troy Reh all return, as does the best goalie in the sport, Blaze Riorden. The addition of Verch can help fill the Bowen sized gap, and Jack Posey played well last summer to way less fanfare than deserved. Defensive questions may arise in the midfield. As of now, the Chaos SSDMs are Mark Glicini, who played sparingly last year and is 32, Pat Resch, who is 33, and Carter Parlette, who has yet to play meaningful regular season minutes but competed with Boston at the Championship Series.

Best Case Scenario

Roy Colsey’s offensive scheme takes hold immediately, and ball movement driven sets lead to dodging opportunities against unsettled defenses for Scott, Knobloch, Heningburg and others. Two man concepts remain part of the identity, and the “just be hard as hell to prepare for” philosophy of Andy Towers remains impactful, as the team speed and indoor skill sets are hard to duplicate. Colsey’s changes use some of those concepts at a basic level, but elevate the entire offensive unit with tweaks to the design for a better flow that lead to several more good scoring chances per game. 

The defense maintains the crown of best in the world. Levi Verch hits the ground running, playing both down low with Rowlett and Neumann, taking wings, and even mixing in some shorty. Carter Parlette takes lessons from sixes and brings them outdoors to become a quality cover defender at SSDM who can run transition, stepping into the Geddes roll comfortably. On the back of a Rowlett DPOY season, another outstanding year from Riorden, and a rebuilt confident offense, the Chaos win the division. 

Worst Case Scenario

The offense doesn’t make any meaningful strides; there was just too much turnover. Without a clear leader and go to player, they struggle to create consistently and falter in high leverage situations. The parts show flashes of their individual ability, but the whole struggles to gel into a cohesive unit that plays quality team offense. 

The defense remains excellent, but loses its “best in the league” status as their SSDM group starts to show some age and they lack depth at the position. Riorden covers up plenty of mistakes and the close defense limits opposing attack units, but the Chaos struggle to defend teams with deep midfields. Compounding the issue, inconsistent play at the faceoff spot puts the Chaos at a possession deficit, amplifying their struggles on offense due to limited opportunities. 

There is light at the end of the tunnel, but Carolina doesn’t reach it in 2025, and they miss the playoffs.