Buffalo, N.Y. (WGR Sports Radio 550) - A pair of Buffalo Bandits players have earned National Lacrosse League honors for the 2024-25 regular season.
Bandits forward Dhane Smith has been named the NLL Offensive Player of the Year, becoming the second Bandits player to win the award since it was introduced last year and won by forward Josh Byrne.
This season saw Smith broke his own NLL single-season assists record with 102, one higher than his total from last season. Meanwhile, his 134 points finished tied for the NLL lead with Byrne.
So far through three playoff games in 2025, the 32-year-old has 11 points (5+6), tied for second on the team behind transition player Ian MacKay.
Smith earns Offensive Player of the Year honors over Rochester Knighthawks forward Connor Fields and Ottawa Black Bears forward Jeff Teat.
In addition, Smith has been named as a First-Team NLL member this season at forward, while Byrne earned Second-Team NLL honors for Buffalo.
Smith was also up for NLL MVP honors this season, but that designation went to Fields, an East Amherst native who earns his first-career MVP award.
Meanwhile, veteran forward Kyle Buchanan has been named the recipient of the NLL's Sportsmanship Award for the second time in his career. The award celebrates a player who embodies exemplary sportsmanship values on and off the lacrosse field.
Buchanan finished third on the team this season in goals (34) and points (55), and spent just four minutes total in the penalty box this season. He's been penalty-free this season since the Feb. 14 game against the Toronto Rock.
Over his Bandits career, Buchanan has registered just eight penalty minutes.
Buchanan last earned the Sportsmanship Award back in 2015 as a member of the New England Black Wolves.
Also up for the NLL's Sportsmanship Award this season were Vancouver Warriors forward Keegan Bal and Georgia Swarm forward Lyle Thompson.
42-year-old netminder Matt Vinc was nominated for NLL's Goaltender of the Year honor for the 10th time in his career, but lost out to Saskatchewan Rush goalie Frank Scrigliano.
Vinc did earn Second-Team NLL honors, though, at the goaltender position.
In addition, longtime Bandits play-by-play man John Gurtler was honored as the 2025 Tom Borrelli Media Person of the Year in the NLL.
The Bandits will face the Rush in the 2025 NLL Finals, with Game 1 set for Friday with a 7:30 p.m. faceoff at KeyBank Center. Game 2 of the series is slated for 8 p.m. at the SaskTel Centre in Saskatoon, while Game 3 (if necessary) will take place back in Buffalo on Saturday, May 24 with at 4:30 p.m. faceoff.