Buffalo Bandits


The Buffalo Bandits are a professional box lacrosse team in the North Division of the National Lacrosse League. They play at the KeyBank Center in Buffalo, New York. The Bandits played in the Major Indoor Lacrosse League from 1992 to 1997, then in its successor the NLL since 1998.
The Bandits are owned by Hockey Western New York LLC, a division of Pegula Sports and Entertainment led by Terry Pegula who also owns the Buffalo Sabres and the Buffalo Bills.

History

The Bandits played their first season in 1992. They played home games at Buffalo Memorial Auditorium sharing with the Buffalo Sabres until its closure in 1996.
The Bandits became the first expansion franchise in MILL/NLL history to win a championship in its first season. The Bandits repeated as champions in their second season, lost the Championship game their third season and captured their third Championship in 1996, their fifth season. It was not until 1999, their eighth season, that the Bandits did not make the playoffs.
Since their 1996 Championship-winning season, the Bandits returned to the NLL Championship game on three separate occasions only to lose each time. It wouldn't be until 2008 that the Bandits would win their elusive fourth Championship, a 14-13 triumph over Portland.
As of 2018, Buffalo is the longest tenured team in the NLL, in terms of continuous years in their home city, at 27 seasons.

Awards and honors

YearPlayerAward
1992Derek KeenanRookie of the Year
1992John TavaresChampionship Game MVP
1993John TavaresChampionship Game MVP
1994John TavaresMost Valuable Player
1996Pat O'TooleChampionship Game MVP
2000John TavaresMost Valuable Player
2001John TavaresMost Valuable Player
2003Darris KilgourCoach of the Year
2003Kurt SilcottGM of the Year
2005Steve DietrichGoaltender of the Year
2006Steve DietrichGoaltender of the Year
2006Steve DietrichMost Valuable Player
2007Dave ZygajExecutive of the Year
2008Mark SteenhuisTransition Player of the Year
2008Mark SteenhuisChampion's Cup MVP
2009--
2009Billy Dee SmithDefenesive Player of the Year
2009Ken MontourGoaltender of the Year
2016Steve DietrichGM of the Year
2016Dhane SmithMost Valuable Player

NLL Hall of Fame members

Single-game record holders

* - voted as starter

Current roster

All-time record

All-time team-by-team records

Playoff results

All-time team-by-team playoff records

Head coaching history

Draft history

NLL Entry Draft

First Round Selections
The Bandits have four retired numbers, three of which are represented at the Arena in the rafters with the Championship banners.
Equipment Manager - John Craig, February 2, 2012

Game broadcasts

Buffalo Bandits games can be heard on Buffalo's Entercom stations, either WGR 550 AM or WWKB 1520 AM, with a simulcast on WGWE-FM 105.9, the Seneca nation's radio station in Little Valley. John Gurtler, former play-by-play man for the Buffalo Sabres, handles announcing duties, while former Bandit Randy Mearns handles color commentary. Home games are streamed live on NLL.com.

Footnotes and references