In their first move since the team was acquired by the Seneca Nation, the Rochester Knighthawks have acquired Zed Williams from the Colorado Mammoth.
The Knighthawks announced the move with a press release on Thursday afternoon. In return, the Knighthawks will send Colorado the 10th and 28th picks in the upcoming NLL draft.
In a press release from the Knighthawks, Knighthawks President and General Manager Dan Carey said, “Zed is such a dynamic and physical player, and someone we’ve had our eye on for quite some time. He brings a unique presence to the floor, and we’re excited about the impact he can make with our group.”
Williams had 15 goals and 18 assists in 10 games last season before suffering an achilles injury that kept him out the rest of the season. He spent four seasons with the Mammoth, which included the 2023 championship season. He had an even 102 goals and 102 assists in 60 games for the Mammoth, and is currently 14th on the all-time Mammoth scoring chart, according to nllstats.com.
He added 32 goals and 33 assists in 14 career playoff games for the Mammoth, and is the third all-time leading scorer in Mammoth playoff history.
Williams himself is a member of the Seneca Nation, and will play close to home. According to the press release from the Knighthawks, Williams lives in Williamsville, New York, just 67 miles from the Blue Cross Arena where the Knighthawks play their home games.
In the press release, Williams said, “it’s a blessing. I’ve been traveling in the NLL the past eight years with Georgia and Colorado. Colorado has been the best four years of my lacrosse career, from a team, organization, and player standpoint. But at the same time, I couldn’t be any more excited to finally be home with Seneca Nation and Rochester, which is an hour away from my house.”
Williams now joins a dominant offence which includes 2025 MVP Connor Fields, along with righties Ryan Lanchbury who finished fifth in league points and Ryan Smith who finished second in goals with 49. Williams did not compete this summer while he recovers from his injury. It is not clear when he will return to action.
It was also the first trade across the league since the trade deadline on March 10. Fans can expect a flurry of moves in advance of the NLL draft on September 6th.