April 1, 2026
By Sam Weiger
Much like 2025, the race for the UFA title remains wide open. Every division features multiple heavy hitters capable of challenging any opponent in the league. With the field this level, what is the defining reason—be it a star player, a leadership change, or a tactical edge—that gives these contenders a legitimate shot at the crown?
EAST DIVISION
Boston Glory: Tobe Decraene
The loss of several D-liners, including Defensive Player of the Year Tannor Johnson-Go, leaves a massive hole in Boston’s lineup. So the Glory will need to lean on their elite offense more this year, especially Tobe Decraene. With his world-class throws, receptions, and relentless playing style, the reigning 2025 UFA and Finals MVP gives Boston a chance to stay competitive against a rapidly improving field.
Even the stingiest defenses struggled to stop Decraene from orchestrating a dominant offensive system last year. Decraene carved up the Wind Chill (seven assists) in the Championship Game and Breeze in the regular season (five goals and 333 yards).
Decraene’s postseason passing was so masterful that it actually overshadowed his impact as a receiver. While his playoff goal and yardage totals weren’t flashy, the 2025 overall leader in receiving yards (4,272) proved his worth with clutch layout grabs against Minnesota, Salt Lake, and DC in the postseason.
At just 22 years old and with only two UFA seasons under his belt, Decraene’s ceiling is terrifyingly high, which is music to Boston’s ears as they attempt to defend their title.
New York Empire: Daan de Marrée
Believe it or not, yet another Belgian standout has emerged as the big reason his team can win it all.
Daan De Marrée offers a "Decraene-level impact", a missing ingredient for the Empire ever since the departures of former MVPs Ryan Osgar and Jeff Babbitt.
Last year, De Marrée single-handedly transformed Chicago’s O-line, proving to be a rare two-way force who dominated as both a scorer and a defender. The expectation is that his full field impact will have the same effect on New York’s O-line.
Despite everything that Empire icons Ben Jagt (33) and Jack Williams (31) have done for their franchise, it’s virtually a guarantee that they’ll be giving the keys to the offense to De Marrée, given the improbable season he just had.
To put his statistical dominance into perspective, he was one of only two players last year to record at least 48 total scores and 15 blocks. While Noah Coolman, the only other player to hit that threshold, finished with 48 scores and 24 blocks, De Marrée’s numbers were on another level; he dwarfed that production with a staggering 78 scores and 19 blocks.
De Marrée’s impact goes beyond lightening the load on Jagt and Williams on the O-line; his heavy offensive role will allow players like John Randolph to steer a D-line that looked lost last year.
These roster shifts represent a massive turning point for the Empire. It’s not a hot take to say that no individual represents a "bigger reason" for a team’s title hopes in 2026 than De Marrée.
CENTRAL DIVISION
Minnesota Wind Chill: Defensive Depth
The Minnesota Wind Chill head into the 2026 season with arguably the deepest defense the UFA has ever seen.
Last year, Minnesota’s defense was the engine behind their run to the Championship Game, finishing the 2025 season in the top three for break percentage, scores allowed per game, and blocks per game. Game-breaking blocks from players like Noah Hanson and Paul Krenik propelled the Wind Chill in some of their biggest moments.
The Wind Chill’s disruptive defensive identity was fully validated by the numbers last season. In the Championship Game, they limited the Glory to a 53 percent hold rate, Boston’s third-lowest mark of the year. Only Minnesota and DC managed to suppress Boston's offense to that degree all season. The Wind Chill also proved to be a thorn in Atlanta’s side, forcing 18 turnovers during Championship Weekend and 19 in the regular season. These numbers are especially striking given that the disciplined Hustle averaged a mere 12 turnovers per game last season.
The stingy Wind Chill did lose defensive stalwart James Pollard, but they successfully brought back all other core defensive playmakers from last season: Hanson, Justin Burnett, Dylan DeClerck, Blake Krapfl, and Max Hanscom.
Burnett, Hanson, and DeClerck have all earned First Team All-Defense honors. That prestigious list of Minnesota defenders grew even larger over the offseason.
The Wind Chill added elite defensive playmakers Lukas Ambrose, the 2024 Defensive Player of the Year, and Noah Coolman, the league’s 2025 blocks leader. These two First Team All-Defense selections turn Minnesota’s D-line into an absolute nightmare.
Indianapolis AlleyCats: Systemic Overhaul
Following two seasons that fell short of expectations, the Indianapolis AlleyCats realized that they needed an overhaul to return them to championship form.
The transformation of the AlleyCats began at the top with the hiring of Nathan Bussberg. Operating as both Head Coach and General Manager, Bussberg has served as the catalyst for a total organizational shift, replacing a passive culture with a proactive philosophy that has fundamentally reshaped the roster.
Bussberg engineered the most talented defensive rotation in franchise history. This “win-now” strategy was designed specifically to go toe-to-toe with the Central Division’s defensive titans: Minnesota, Chicago, and Madison.
Nathan Bussberg’s aggressive recruitment strategy completely redefined the Cats' defensive identity. Bussberg shattered the traditional mold of local-only recruitment, securing elite playmakers James Pollard and Nate Little—a move that mirrors Minnesota’s high-impact signings of Pollard and Burnett in 2025.
By pairing these external stars with returning All-Defense selections Xavier Payne and William Wettengel, Indy has elevated its defensive ceiling to the elite Central Division standard.
Bussberg didn't stop at the roster; he completely redesigned the support staff to ensure these players have the tactical backing to succeed. He brought in Hannah Hainje (New Assistant GM and Coach), Jalyn Baumgartner (New Assistant Coach), and Charlie Hoppes (Coaching Consultant with championship pedigree from the New York Empire).
This comprehensive systemic overhaul has officially positioned the AlleyCats as a legitimate title contender in 2026.
WEST DIVISION
Salt Lake Shred: Team Chemistry
Heading into 2026, the Salt Lake Shred possess a level of coaching and roster stability that is becoming a rare commodity in the UFA. While elite teams like the Breeze and Empire have lost key players year after year, the Shred have managed to keep their core virtually intact since their inception in 2022.
The Shred’s cohesiveness is built on more than just UFA experience. Salt Lake is a masterclass in internal talent development, with many players sharing chemistry that dates back to their college years or earlier. In fact, a handful of Salt Lake’s stars have been building chemistry for their entire lives. Their roster features several sets of siblings who’ve spent a lifetime learning each other's habits: The Yorgasons (Chad, Luke, and McKay), the Hoffmans (Jonny, Jacob, and Ben), and the Pews (Kimball and Sam).
All three Yorgason brothers, alongside a group of Salt Lake stars including Jordan Kerr, Jacob Miller, and Joe Merrill, developed their elite on-field connection under Shred Head Coach Bryce Merrill during their time at Brigham Young University. Because the Shred organization effectively serves as a professional extension of the BYU system, Salt Lake isn't just building chemistry from scratch—they are simply perfecting the chemistry they’ve already mastered.
Oakland Spiders: Battle-Hardened Growth
The Spiders are primed to transition from a dangerous young underdog into a legitimate championship threat. This evolution centers on a core that has matured through last year's postseason heartbreak and is now facing an intentionally grueling 2026 schedule designed to ensure they are battle-ready when the playoffs arrive.
In 2025, Oakland proved they had the potential to reach Championship Weekend, but lacked the ability to finish. The Spiders notably blew a three-goal lead in the fourth quarter of the West Division final.
Their “big five”, led by Walker Frankenberg, Evan Magsig, Jason Vallee, Leo Gordon, and Adam Rees, is entering their second year together. The hope is that this group matures quickly, refining their chemistry and getting a deeper understanding of what it takes to defeat elite teams.
Beyond their internal growth, the Spiders have embraced an intentionally grueling 2026 schedule. Oakland faces a gauntlet that includes powerhouse Minnesota, along with three matchups each against Salt Lake and Colorado (the Spiders have never faced either of these teams three times in one season), and two against San Diego. The Spiders play eight consecutive games against these four playoff contenders leading directly into the postseason.
While juggling chemistry and maturity against the most treacherous schedule this group has ever faced will lead to growing pains, enduring these pains could be the catalyst for a massive championship breakthrough.
SOUTH DIVISION
Atlanta Hustle: Offensive Depth
Atlanta’s O-line causes problems for even the league’s best defenses. They proved their worth at Championship Weekend by scoring 21 goals on Minnesota’s top-tier defense, and dropped 23 in their season opener against a talented Salt Lake squad.
Now, they’re getting even deeper. The Hustle are adding former Shred standout Will Selfridge into a lineup that already features Brett Hulsmeyer, Hayden Austin-Knab, and Alec Wilson Holliday—all anchored by the elite playmaking of Austin Taylor.
As one of the best handlers in the UFA, Taylor is by far the most valuable of Atlanta’s stars. Last year, he proved his elite status by shredding the league’s top teams in the biggest stages: Minnesota at Championship Weekend, San Diego in the South Division title game, and Chicago in the regular season. Taylor went for over 600 total yards in each of these games.
Though Hulsmeyer’s 2025 campaign was quieter, his impact remained massive. Against Minnesota at Championship Weekend, he racked up a game-high 403 receiving yards. He also flashed his throwing prowess in Atlanta’s big season opener against Salt Lake, going a perfect 33-for-33.
Austin-Knab was Atlanta’s breakout star last season, shattering his personal records by doubling his career-highs in assists (35) and throwing yards (3,185). Expect Austin-Knab and Holliday, one of the league’s top goal scorers, to have expanded roles this year.
Selfridge has a history of single-handedly dismantling elite teams, including dominant performances against Atlanta last year and against DC in 2024. If he can tap into that "takeover" mode during a deep playoff run, backed by this superstar supporting cast, it’s hard to imagine any defense in the league keeping pace.
Carolina Flyers: Roster Upside
2025 felt like a down year for the Flyers after the roster was gutted by the departures of big names like Anders Juengst, Henry Fisher, and Tobias Brooks.
The narrative shifts heading into 2026. With Brooks returning to the fold alongside high-impact additions Zeke Thoreson and Jake Reinhardt, Carolina has quietly rebuilt a roster whose upside rivals any of the super-teams formed in free agency.
Will Carolina’s most recent high-upside standout, Allan Laviolette, be able to maintain his elite playmaking, specifically his huck volume and accuracy? His partnership with Brooks could form one of the most lethal duos in the UFA, and their upside is supplemented by the emergence of Grayson Sanner and a group of rising stars like Thoreson and Christian Belus.
The Flyers' D-line is another high-upside unit that declined in 2025, losing Fisher’s presence and seeing Belus sidelined for all but three games. While Fisher remains out of the picture for 2026, the blueprint for a defensive spark is a collective effort.
Whether it’s Matt Tucker regaining his 18-block form from 2024, Drew Swanson finding that vintage gear that saw him rack up 20+ blocks in championship-caliber seasons, or a career year from a high-upside defender like Will Coffin, Carolina has the personnel to bounce back.
Beyond individual potential, Carolina’s true ceiling is defined by their deep-rooted chemistry and postseason pedigree. Their chemistry arguably surpasses even Salt Lake’s, rooted in a veteran core that hoisted the trophy in 2021 and reached the finals in 2024.
