2023-24 NLL Preview: Can Donville and Co. Take the Next Step?

With the 2023-24 National Lacrosse League season set to begin Dec. 1-2, USA Lacrosse Magazine is going team by team in the days leading up to the opener. Today, we take a deep dive on Panther City Lacrosse Club.

PANTHER CITY LACROSSE CLUB

2022-23 Record: 10-8
Head Coach: Tracey Kelusky, second season
Assistants: Steve Toll, Kyle Goundrey

Additions: Tyler Digby, F (New York); Brandon Goodwin, T (Vancouver); Jason Knox, F (draft); Ryan Sheridan, F (draft)
Departures: Patrick Dodds, F (Saskatchewan); Mike Triolo, F (Saskatchewan); Cam Wengrenuik, F (Saskatchewan)

STORYLINES TO WATCH

How will the offensive pecking order be altered by the Patrick Dodds trade?

Panther City’s major offseason trade signaled a changing of the guard in Fort Worth. Bob Hamley sent Patrick Dodds, the team’s leading scorer in its first year of existence, north to Saskatchewan in a trade that brought in the fifth overall pick in the draft.

In doing so, Hamley signaled a commitment to Jonathan Donville, the former No. 1 pick who lived up to the hype as a rookie. Donville finished ninth in the league in assists (67) and second on PCLC in points (90) en route to Rookie of the Year honors.

Donville, of course, is not alone on this offensive unit. The recently re-signed Will Malcom has proven to be the steal of the Panther City expansion draft, sniffing 100 points in his third season in the league.

After a tough start to 2022-23 in New York, Callum Crawford was rejuvenated with PCLC. He’s back after contributing 46 points in 10 games. Jason Knox, the fifth pick in the 2022 draft, is also set to make his debut.

Add in players like Ryan Sheridan, Mathieu Gautier, Josh Medeiros and Nathan Grenon, and on paper, Panther City has a youthful group ready to compete for years to come.

Panther City has built a competitive team. Now, will the fans come?

Entering its third year in Fort Worth, perhaps Panther City’s greatest challenge has come at the gate. After reporting an average of just under 5,000 in the team’s inaugural year, attendance dropped to 2,813 per game in 2022-23.

PCLC and the Dallas Wings — the ownership group’s WNBA team — did sign a 10-year lease extension on the teams’ Arlington headquarters last year, but the lacrosse team’s lease with Dickies Arena is coming to a close. The near brand-new facility is often praised, but its light-colored seats do little to hide a glaring issue for the NLL’s second-youngest franchise.

It's not easy to sell box lacrosse in a football and basketball-crazed town. As PCLC continues to build a positive identity on the floor while the ownership group’s wallets and patience are tested, we could be nearing make or break time for Fort Worth as a viable market.

Can Panther City’s grassroots efforts and talented roster help establish a foothold in a largely non-traditional lacrosse market?