June 18, 2026
By Ryan Baker
As we enter Week 9, one team has already clinched a postseason berth, which means more playoff spots are on the horizon. Plenty of games will shape those paths, and this weekend’s slate will be packed with highlights and close games. Between the first-ever UFA game on a Thursday night and four other interdivisional games, here are seven players to keep an eye on:
Will Brandt, Minnesota Wind Chill
Last week, Will Brandt showed up in a big way when his Minnesota Wind Chill gave the Oakland Spiders their first loss of the season. He put up four assists, four goals, a block, and nearly 500 total yards, with two of those goals grabbed over a sea of bodies at the end of two different quarters. The next night against Vegas, Brandt added three more goals and assists, along with two blocks, giving him a new career high in goals in a season. There’s no reason to suggest that this changes this weekend against a Salt Lake Shred defense that has seen better days. Brandt’s hybrid role is a big reason the Wind Chill’s offense is putting up top-five production this year. He has been able to play more in the cutter and deep space, and he is on pace to set new career highs across the board.
Kyle Henke, Austin Sol
Kyle Henke is the highest-producing player on one of the two undefeated teams left in the league, and that shouldn’t change this weekend with a big interdivisional matchup with the San Diego Growlers. San Diego is fighting to stay in the hunt in the South, and Austin wants to keep their loss column clean and maintain their lead on Carolina. Both teams are going to jump at the bit to get an early lead. Henke’s usual hybrid role between pinpointing clutch throws and commanding deep space with authority has given him the seventh-most scores in the league, despite playing one or two fewer games than everyone above him. In the overtime thriller between the two teams a few weeks ago, Henke had four assists and 454 total yards. If this game is close toward the end, there are few people better at ending games than Henke.
Jordan Kerr, Salt Lake Shred (Pictured)
After dropping games to two division opponents over the past two weekends, the Shred find themselves in a peculiar place. They have some comfort in the third seed, but they need to turn up the dial if they want to get back to Championship Weekend again. If that switch happens, it’ll be Jordan Kerr at the forefront. It needs to start this weekend with two interdivisional games against Madison and Minnesota. Kerr is still putting up a season on pace to closely match his numbers from the last two seasons, but he will need to get a bit more involved to give his team the necessary boost. Against a rather lackluster Madison defense, Kerr will be able to take advantage with his creative throws in a somewhat familiar environment. The last time Kerr played at Breese Stevens Field, he had three goals and three assists in the 2025 semifinal loss. Having a successful game against the Radicals will be crucial, as the Shred will have to face one of the league's best defenses the next night against the Minnesota Wind Chill.
Jonathan Lyle, San Diego Growlers
This weekend, Jonathan Lyle will look to make a much bigger impact in his second game of the season against the Austin Sol. Lyle played in last week’s win over the Apex and recorded two assists, three goals, and 248 total yards. Lyle touched the disc fewer than 20 times, and, for someone who was the motor of Los Angeles’ offense last year, he will surely be more comfortable and gain a rhythm this weekend. His 42 assists and 25 goals with Los Angeles earned him First-Team All-Rookie honors and would open up a dimension for San Diego’s offense. Considering the Growlers have struggled with their backfield depth and overall consistency, and are without Khalif El-Salaam this weekend, Lyle’s talent will be on display all over the field. His influence will directly impact a game that would keep San Diego in the thick of the playoff race.
Garret Martin, Seattle Cascades
Garrett Martin is one of, if not the, biggest reasons why the Seattle Cascades are the second seed in the West at 4-2. The Cascades have a chance to start 5-2 for the second time in franchise history this weekend against the Toronto Rush. Martin has at least five scores in four of the five games he’s played this season and has just two turnovers. If he maintains his pace of 28 scores this season, he will finish with the eighth-best all-time scores-to-turnover rate among players with at least 40 scores in a season. Martin has been a focal point of the offense, which has one of the highest huck completion percentages in the league at nearly 80 percent and is scoring over 20 goals per game. The pieces around him have enabled him to step away from hero ball and make a greater impact with fewer touches. Even though Martin isn’t as involved on a throw-to-throw basis, he is being more effective with his opportunities.
Max Pettenuzzo, Toronto Rush
On the other side of the interdivisional battle against Martin is Toronto’s Max Pettenuzzo, a rookie who carries much of the Rush’s offense when he plays. In just four games this season, Pettenuzzo has 16 assists, six goals, and at least 45 completions in three of them. With the Rush being 4-3, two wins this weekend against the Oregon Steel and Seattle Cascades are required for them to stay within reach in the East. Pettenuzzo adds a layer of unpredictability and comfort to Toronto’s offense. He has his youthful mistakes that will be ironed out as he gains experience, but he also acts as a security blanket who can pull the trigger at any time. He’s also developing chemistry with Martin Gallant, which would make them among the fastest duos in the league. That added consistency could help him ignite both himself and his team at the perfect time in the season.
Nico Ranabhat, Madison Radicals
Last year, Nico Ranabhat quietly caught 23 goals. But this year, he’s been one of the main handlers in Madison’s new offensive set. He’s already surpassed season highs in assists, completions, passing yards, and hockey assists, through just five games. He will also set career highs in receiving yards and points played. Ranabhat’s responsibility has exponentially increased this season, but his consistency hasn’t taken a hit. Out of the 40 players with the most completions, he has the fourth-highest completion percentage at 97.91 percent. Salt Lake’s defense hasn’t been getting blocks, so Ranabhat could be in a comfortable spot to direct traffic all night long. He will be a big reason if the Radicals can take down the Shred this weekend on the UFA’s first-ever Thursday night game and exact some revenge on Chicago three nights later.
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