Playoff scenarios, Championship Series possibilities, and draft position movement on the line on the PLL's final 2025 Saturday.

Two games remain in the PLL regular season. Four teams are in action, but there are stakes and moving parts for all eight teams. Here’s what can happen on the final saturday of the 2025 PLL regular season.

UTAH ARCHERS

The Archers have been eliminated from playoff contention. They came into the weekend with an outside shot, but the Redwoods win on Friday night mathematically eliminated them. That said, there are stakes today when it comes to draft position.

The Archers will pick either first or second in the upcoming draft. If Maryland wins, the Whips make the playoffs and Utah. If Maryland loses, the Whips join Utah outside the playoff picture. With a loss, Maryland will pick first overall, and Utah will pick second. Stars of the upcoming draft include Joey Spallina, Bobby Van Buren, Aidan Maguire, and Mikey Weisshaar. 

NEW YORK ATLAS

The Atlas are one of the teams in action today, taking the field at 1pm against the Philadelphia Waterdogs. The Atlas enter the day with a 6-3 record, and have officially clinched the top seed in the east and a bye into the semifinals. Their postseason position cannot change regardless of result. However, the outcomes of their game will be watched closely by some other teams with higher stakes. More on this in the sections on the Cannons and Waterdogs. New York has also secured a top two finish in the regular season standings, meaning they have clinched a spot in the PLL Championship Series.

BOSTON CANNONS

Boston plays two games as it is their homecoming weekend. Friday night, they lost an 18-17 heartbreaker/shootout (in that order) to the California Redwoods. They get their second chance to clinch on Saturday night against the Maryland Whipsnakes.

Boston is in the playoffs with a win. They can be either the two or three seed in the east with a win, the deciding factor will be who has the better score differential between Boston and Philly. Boston enters the day at at -4, Philly at -2. The margins in the games between New York/Philly and Boston/Maryland will determine who is the two seed and who is the three seed.

Boston can lose and still make the playoffs. If Boston loses, they drop to 4-6. In this scenario they need Philly to also lose, AND they need Philly to lose by a wide enough margin that the Cannons get in on score differential. As noted above, right now the Philly is two goals better in the SD column.

CAROLINA CHAOS

The Chaos punched their ticket to the playoffs last week. They finish the season 5-5, and are the three seed in the Western Conference. No results today can change their playoff position. 

Championship Series is still on the table. To finish top four, the Chaos need both Philly and Boston to lose. Carolina is -15 in score differential, so anyone tying them at 5-5 would drop Carolina down the standings. Should Philly and Boston lose, the Chaos would qualify for the February Sixes event. 

CALIFORNIA REDWOODS

The Redwoods punched their playoff ticket with a Fright night barn burner win over the hometown Cannons. They finish 5-5, and are the two seed in the west based on score differential. Their playoff position cannot change based on Saturday results.

A Championship Series spot is still in reach for the Redwoods. If Philly and Boston both lose, California qualifies for the Championship Series. If either Philly or Boston win, and the other loses, California qualifies for the Championship Series. If both Philly AND Boston win, California will finish 5th in the overall standings and miss the Championship Series. 

DENVER OUTLAWS

Denver has secured the top seed in the west with a 7-3 finish. They are on a bye in Boston, the league is idle next week, then they are on a bye for the Quarterfinals, then they’ll take the field in Philadelphia for the semifinals. It’s a long break that the Outlaws will deal with. 

Denver’s playoff position can’t change, and they are a lock for the Championship Series. They can’t impact anyone else because they don’t play this weekend. The only thing at stake is finishing #1 overall in the standings. If New York wins by 3+ goals, the Atlas will finish 7-3 with a better score differential than Denver, and be the number one overall team. 

PHILADELPHIA WATERDOGS

The Dogs enter the weekend at 4-5 with a score differential of -2. They are in solid position SD wise should things come to tiebreakers. They can get a playoff spot with a win against New York at 1pm on Saturday, watchable on ABC. 

Philly is in with a win. They are also in if Boston beats Maryland in Saturday Night Lacrosse. Boston losing on Friday opened up one more path for them to get in. Philly can lose to New York and still get in if Boston loses to Maryland tonight and loses by a wide enough margin for Philly to stay ahead in score differential. Right now, Philly has a two goal cushion. If things don’t go their way on Saturday afternoon, it’s critical that they don’t get blown out and they keep the SD number small. 

Philly qualifies for the Championship Series with a win. They’ll finish 5-5 with a better SD than both California and Carolina. With a loss they drop to 4-6 and will miss Championship Series play. 

MARYLAND WHIPSNAKES

The Maryland Whipsnakes are the team that can swing arguably more than anyone else. They enter the weekend at 3-6, but have a score differential of +4 which keeps them firmly in the playoff conversation.

The Whips are in with a win. Because Boston lost on Friday, the Saturday night contest between Maryland and Boston becomes a de facto playoff game. Winner goes to the postseason. The Whips are also in with a win and a Philly loss in the afternoon. There is no scenario where the Whips can lose and still make the playoffs. The Whips also cannot make the Championship Series, as their best possible record is 4-6. 

Should the Whips lose, they will secure the first overall pick in the draft. If they win, depending on margin in the afternoon game, they could be as high as the two seed in the East.  That’s the swing that’s possible in the last game of the year. Maryland can finish 2nd in the East with a win, they will get the first overall pick if they lose.