Phil Shore, our resident Major League Lacrosse writer, previews all nine MLL teams, in reverse order of projected finish, leading up to opening day Saturday.

Check uslaxmagazine.com/mll before and throughout the season for more analysis and stories from the premier professional outdoor lacrosse league.

Charlotte Hounds

Projected finish: 7th
2016 record: 8-6
MLL playoff finish: Lost in semifinals
Coach: Jim Stagnitta, 2nd season

Power Rankings (Scale of 1-5)

Offense: 3
Defense: 2
Faceoffs: 4
Goalie: 2

Key Losses: Kevin Cunningham, A; Dylan Donahue, A; Ryan Flanagan, D

Top Returners: Joey Sankey, A; Mike Chanenchuk, M; John Haus, M

New Arrivals: Casey Eidenshink, D; Casey Ikeda, D; Deemer Class, M

MVP Watch

Joey Sankey, A

In his sophomore season, Sankey set a Hounds single-season record with 54 points. Sankey earned his second consecutive all-star selection and has scored at least one point in all 23 games he’s ever played in.

Under-the-Radar Star

Nick Doktor, A

Nine players scored at least 10 points for the Hounds last season, five of which were attack. Only two (Sankey and Ryan Brown) remain on the roster, so there will be opportunities for a third attackman. Doktor didn’t play as a rookie because he was injured, but he played for Stagnitta at Penn and totaled 163 points in 56 games.

Scouting Report

Three things you need to know about the Hounds:

1. They’ll be young.

The top five scorers from Charlotte’s 2016 team return in 2017, and of those five, only two (John Haus and Kevin Crowley) have played more than three seasons in Major League Lacrosse. Their biggest acquisition, midfielder Deemer Class, was a rookie in 2016. Faceoff specialist Brendan Fowler has only played three seasons. Of the top poles (Brett Schmidt, Michael Erhardt, Bobby Duvjnak, Casey Ikeda), only Schmidt has logged more than three seasons. “We’re looking for experienced guys to come in and stabilize us,” Stagnitta said. “We have Brett Schmidt. Charlie Cipriano helped stabilize us. When Kevin  Crowley gets back in the lineup, that gives us experience of guys that have been there and done it before.”

2. They’ll play with confidence.

The Hounds front office often talks about having a multi-year plan in place. Stagnitta said making the playoffs last season put the Hounds ahead of schedule, and it gives the team invaluable experience moving forward. “They gained a lot of confidence,” Stagnitta said. “There’s not going to be that unknown. It won’t be my first year with them or their first year with me. If we can stay healthy and get a potent enough roster, we’ll continue to move forward.”

3. Mike Chanenchuk has proved his value.

In 2014, the Hounds selected Chanenchuk with the 11th overall pick. The front office talked about how much potential he had, and while he was productive, he hadn’t shown everything. He played nine games in his rookie season, putting up 14 points, and in 2015 he missed the first four games of the season with an injury and finished with 22 points. It took some time, but he had a breakout season in 2016. He led the team in goals (34) and two-point goals (2), while finishing second in points (53), only one point behind team leader Joey Sankey. With Chanenchuk, Haus, Crowley and Class, the Hounds are building a strong midfield.

Biggest Question Mark

How deep is the defense?

The team lost its top defender, Ryan Flanagan, to an injury last season, and he was picked up by the New York Lizards in the supplemental draft. Brett Schmidt and all-star Michael Erhardt return. Stagnitta also liked what he saw from Bobby Duvnjak in his rookie season. There still was enough concern at the position, however, that Charlotte used its first two supplemental draft selections and three of its first five on defenders.

Enemy Lines

What the opposition has to say about Charlotte:

“I don’t know what their situation is in the goal or defensively if they can tighten that up, but they were young and they have nice young talented players. … Coach Stags is a great coach. … They’ve done stuff I’m not intrigued by, but I’m not coaching their team. They have a different method to their madness. … They have a strong 1-2 punch with Haus and Chanenchuk. One-two midfielders are hard to match up with.”

Number of Significance

493

The Hounds finished fifth in the league in faceoff winning percentage, but they finished in a tie for last with Florida with 493 ground ball pickups.

Bottom Line

“We were young last year and playing with house money,” Stagnitta said. “There were no expectations. There was no pressure, even down the stretch.” The Hounds won’t be flying under the radar like they did last year. Some players (Sankey, Chanenchuk) took big steps forward in 2016. Will others, especially on defense, follow that lead in 2017?