History Within Reach: Five NLL Milestones Chase to Watch in 2026-2027

Photo: Saskatchewan Rush / NLL

November 13, 20264 min read

The next NLL season will bring more than a race for playoff spots. Several established stars are approaching career landmarks, with some close enough to reach them during the opening weeks.

Robert Church is nearing four figures in points. Curtis Dickson has another scoring milestone almost within touching distance. And Dhane Smith has an opportunity to turn a personal achievement into a much bigger place in league history.

Here are five milestone chases worth following during the 2026-27 season.

All statistics in this article refer to NLL regular-season play through the end of 2025-26. Playoff and preseason statistics are excluded.

Player	Team	Current total	Milestone	Needed
Robert Church	Saskatchewan Rush	977 points	1,000 points	23
Curtis Dickson	Vancouver Warriors	1,192 points	1,200 points	8
Dhane Smith	Buffalo Bandits	886 assists	900 assists	14
Dillon Ward	Colorado Mammoth	92 wins	100 wins	8
Jake Withers	Halifax Thunderbirds	2,437 faceoff wins	2,500 faceoff wins	63

Robert Church is closing in on 1,000

Church needs 23 points to reach 1,000, putting one of the most recognizable milestones in the sport comfortably within range.

His official NLL statistics list 421 goals and 556 assists across 201 regular-season appearances. He added 84 points in 18 games last season, meaning the remaining distance represents considerably less than a typical full campaign for the Saskatchewan forward.

What makes this chase particularly meaningful for Rush supporters is the continuity. Church’s entire NLL regular-season scoring record has been built with the franchise, beginning in Edmonton and continuing in Saskatchewan.

Reaching 1,000 would provide a fitting moment to recognize that contribution. It would also give fans who primarily remember his recent seasons a reason to look back at how long he has been producing.

Health and opportunity will determine when it happens, but Church should enter the season with this milestone firmly on the radar.

Curtis Dickson could reach 1,200 in a hurry

Dickson has the shortest scoring chase on this list.

Vancouver’s September contract announcement credited him with 1,192 career regular-season points, consisting of 619 goals and 573 assists across 244 games. He needs just eight points to reach 1,200.

He remains productive enough that this is far more than a ceremonial target for a player winding down. Dickson recorded 42 goals and 75 points in 18 games for the Warriors last season.

There is another compelling number to follow beyond the points milestone. Gary Gait sits third on the NLL’s regular-season career goals list with 635. Dickson needs 16 goals to tie that total and 17 to move ahead.

That gives Vancouver fans two reasons to watch the career leaderboard. The 1,200-point mark could arrive early, while passing Gait would represent a significant move among the league’s greatest goal scorers.

Dhane Smith has a bigger target beyond 900 assists

Smith needs 14 assists to reach 900, but the more intriguing chase extends beyond that round number.

The Buffalo star finished last season with 886 career regular-season assists. His latest campaign produced 79 assists and 118 points, leaving him well positioned to add substantially to those totals.

The NLL’s career leaderboard places Josh Sanderson at 908 assists, John Tavares at 934 and Dan Dawson at a league-leading 954. From Smith’s starting point, he needs 23 assists to pass Sanderson, 49 to pass Tavares and 69 to establish a new record outright.

Those are separate achievements, and none should be treated as guaranteed. Still, Smith’s production last season demonstrates why the all-time record belongs in the conversation.

Nine hundred would be an important career landmark. Becoming the league’s regular-season assists leader would be one of the defining individual stories of the season.

Dillon Ward is eight wins from the century mark

Ward enters the season with 92 regular-season victories, leaving him eight short of 100.

His official NLL statistics show that he won 11 games for Colorado in 2025-26, posting a 10.04 goals-against average and an .810 save percentage. He has accumulated those 92 victories entirely with the Mammoth.

A goaltending milestone carries a different kind of uncertainty from a scoring chase. Ward can play well and still leave without a win. His progress depends on the team’s results as well as his own performance and workload.

That makes the pursuit especially relevant to Colorado’s season. An eight-win contribution would move Ward into triple digits while also helping the Mammoth’s position in the standings.

For supporters who have watched him through different versions of the roster, 100 would offer a chance to recognize his sustained importance to the franchise.

Jake Withers is approaching 2,500 faceoff wins

Withers gives this list a milestone built around possession rather than scoring.

The Halifax transition player has 2,437 regular-season faceoff victories, putting him 63 away from 2,500. He won 303 draws in 18 appearances last season, according to his official NLL player statistics. His career total includes his time with the original Rochester Knighthawks before the franchise relocated to Halifax.

At that recent rate, this is another milestone that could arrive relatively early, although individual matchups and opportunities will determine the timing.

Faceoff achievements can pass with less attention than goals and points, but they deserve recognition. Every successful draw gives a team the opportunity to dictate the next possession, settle the game or answer an opponent’s scoring run.

When Withers reaches 2,500, it will be a substantial marker of how consistently he has supplied those opportunities.