April 30, 2026
By Sam Weiger
Week 2 is here, and we get to see a first look at several elite UFA teams. Fans will also get their first look at big names on new teams, some of the league's most anticipated rookies, and two blockbuster rivalry games including a West Division showdown with massive playoff implications.
Toronto Rush at New York Empire | Friday Night Frisbee
Friday, May 1 - 7:00 PM/ET - Watch link
The entire world is about to see the start of New York’s quest to reclaim their place atop the UFA hierarchy via the league’s free YouTube showcase event of the week.
After their historic run of dominance cooled off following their 2023 title, the Empire slipped from their perch at the top of the UFA. However, following a loud offseason, On paper, the Empire on paper now appear well-equipped to re-enter the title conversation and prove they belong among the league's elite once again.
But New York will be without their blockbuster signing, Daan De Marrée. De Marrée delivered one of the most statistically dominant regular seasons in UFA history last year (led the league in plus/minus at +79).
With De Marrée inactive, New York’s other splash signing, versatile 6’4” playmaker Alex Atkins, will surely command the spotlight this Friday. Alongside Quinn Finer, Atkins was a centerpiece of the Colorado franchise from 2023 until a mid-season injury cut his 2025 campaign short. Having proven himself as a true two-way game-changer on both the O-line and D-line, Atkins arrives in New York with high expectations. Fans are eager to see how the Empire utilize him and whether he’ll bring the signature high-energy antics that have made him one of the league's most recognizable icons.
Another well-known name in the UFA to keep an eye on is Alex Davis, a somewhat overlooked offseason addition for the Empire. After battling injuries for the past three seasons, the speedy receiver is looking for his first healthy run since his monster 2022 campaign, where he led the Carolina Flyers with 75 total scores, 57 goals, and a +66 plus/minus. While Davis admitted he may have some early-season rust to shake off, I wouldn’t be surprised if the speedy receiver makes an immediate impact against the Toronto Rush.
The rebuilt Empire will face a Toronto squad that has undergone its own massive transformation. After last year's “Rush Reboot”, an ambitious strategy centered on international stars, failed to yield the expected results, the organization pivoted this offseason. They moved away from the experimental roster and instead prioritized signing players with proven track records in the league for 2026.
Their most compelling addition is undoubtedly Gagan Chatha, a former standout for the Vancouver Riptide. Although Chatha has been away from the UFA since 2017, he has remained a noticeable force on the international stage with the Canadian National Team, where his execution of difficult throws has been his calling card. The primary storyline for Toronto this Friday, regardless of how close the game is, will be whether Chatha’s passing ability can be impactful on the UFA field again.
Toronto’s influx continued with another big signing: Akifumi Muraoka. Muraoka was the engine of the Rush offense in 2024, leading the team in assists, total yards, hockey assists, and hucks per game.
One Big Number:
1 - Having spent their entire UFA careers with one franchise, Atkins and Davis are now set to see how their trajectories evolve as they join the most successful organization in league history.
8 - Over the offseason, the Toronto Rush lost eight of their top 12 scorers from last year.
Colorado Apex at Seattle Cascades
Saturday, May 2 - 3:00 PM/ET - Watch link
The Colorado Apex and Seattle Cascades enter 2026 as two of the league's mysteries, with fans and analysts alike unsure of what to expect from either squad this season.
Colorado, in particular, faces a massive uphill battle after their roster was gutted during the offseason. The departures of cornerstone playmakers Atkins, Noah Coolman, and Tobias Brooks have left the Apex looking for a new identity and questioning who will step up to fill that massive production void.
Looking at the 2026 roster, it’s clear that bridging the talent gap could require a strength in numbers approach, similar to the blueprint used by DC.
The Apex O-line will be shorthanded, as Finer is expected to miss the season opener. Conor Tabor, who averaged 276.75 throwing yards per game in 2024, trailing only Atkins and Jonathan Nethercutt, is also listed as out. So the D-line must step up, and Hunter May is my top pick to be a breakout star for Colorado; he ranked second among regular Apex players with 1.1 blocks per game last season and led all full-time D-liners in scoring with 12 goals.
Seattle, on the other hand, did lose a couple of core players in Lukas Ambrose and Tony Goss, but the upside is looking higher for them thanks to the return of Spencer Lofink.
Lofink is expected to be back at full strength after an injury-plagued 2025. He was a high-impact player during Seattle’s 2024 Championship Weekend run, leading the Cascades in completions (468) while finishing second in both total scores (62) and total yardage (4,992). Lofink has consistently raised his level against elite opponents; in 2024, his two most productive yardage games came against Salt Lake and Colorado. His standout performance remains the West Division title game, where he shredded the Shred for seven assists, two goals, and nearly 500 total yards.
This matchup is critical: with only two head-to-head meetings, this series likely decides the West Division’s final playoff seed. Salt Lake and Oakland will likely own the top spots and Oregon looked subpar last week, so Colorado and Seattle appear locked in a two-team race for third. Because a season split would trigger a point-differential tiebreaker, every goal is magnified.
One Big Number:
32.85 - Brooks and Coolman combined for a stellar 32.85 player impact per possession (PI-P) rating while finishing second and third overall in PI-P on the Apex.
55 - Lofink posted a Total Adjusted Expected Contribution (Tot-aEC) score of 55, ranking third on the team for his ability to consistently increase the squad's scoring probability through his on-field actions.
Chicago Union at Minnesota Wind Chill
Saturday, May 2 - 7:00 PM/ET - Watch link
Week 2 delivers one of the league's premier rivalries—a mouthwatering rematch of the 2025 Central Division Championship. I’m most eager to witness the debut of Minnesota’s "super team," a title they’ve rightfully earned after a massive offseason.
Though standouts like Nate De Morgan, Tristan Van de Moortele, and Thomas Shope are sidelined, we'll still see nearly the full strength of this Minnesota juggernaut. The main draw is the Wind Chill debut of Ambrose and Coolman; with 82 combined blocks over the last two seasons, their arrival could turn an already elite defense into the stingiest unit in the league.
Also notable are the returns of Brandon Matis and Jordan Taylor after missing the 2025 season. Matis, an 11-year veteran and 2024 All-Defense selection, led the team in blocks during their title run, while Taylor finished top-four in plus/minus as an efficient receiver. Seeing this duo join a stacked core of returning finalists will be a spectacle. Can a depleted Union roster keep the game competitive?
Chicago’s undefeated 2025 regular season relied on stars like De Marrée, Xavier Payne, and Will Wettengel, all of whom have departed. Compounding this, the Union will be without Ben Preiss, Jack Shanahan, Pawel Janas, and John Lithio this week.
These absences leave a massive void in the D-line backfield, especially with last year’s top throwers Payne and Janas, unavailable. I’ll be watching to see who handles the disc during break chances; veterans Jeff Weis and Andrew Sjogren have the O-line experience to potentially anchor the D-line offense, so they could have vital roles in this game.
One Big Number:
10 - Minnesota’s current roster has combined for 10 All Defense selections since 2023.
5 - The Union will be without all five of their top five plus/minus leaders from the 2025 season against Minnesota on Saturday (De Marrée, Preiss, Janas, Wettengel, Payne).
Salt Lake Shred at Oakland Spiders | Game of the Week
Saturday, May 2 - 9:00 PM/ET - Watch link
While the Salt Lake Shred and Oakland Spiders are slated to meet three times this regular season, this opening clash could be the most intriguing. Several variables are aligning that suggest this could be the most competitive bout of the series.
The primary driver is the potential "surprise factor." While the Shred are too disciplined to take any opponent lightly, they haven't yet faced the 2026 iteration of the Spiders. That lack of familiarity is significant; entering a game without on-field experience with a divisional rival's new looks creates a window for Oakland to catch Salt Lake off guard and turn this into a legitimate dogfight.
The Spiders are poised to be more lethal this season, as their core of young talent returns with a full year of UFA experience and a growing reputation on the national stage. Standouts like Leo Gordon and Adam Rees, who shattered expectations during their breakout campaigns, are players that could reach a new gear and surprise the Shred.
Beyond their returning stars, Oakland is adding two high-profile newcomers into the lineup: Dexter Clyburn and Anton Orme. Clyburn, the 2025 Callahan Award winner, returns to the field after missing last season, while Orme makes his UFA debut. Though new to the league, Orme's pedigree is undeniable; he joined Clyburn as a 2025 D-I First Team All-American. Orme is effective as a handler and receiver, and Clyburn is considered an all-around player who can also operate as a shutdown defender.
The other critical factor to weigh is the home-field advantage. Historically, Oakland has been a much tougher out for Salt Lake when playing in the Bay Area, a trend evidenced by the fact that two of their last three meetings at Foothill College Stadium required overtime to decide. Both of those contests were shootouts, with the Shred narrowly escaping with 25-24 and 27-25 victories.
Last season, a trio of Salt Lake standouts lit up the Spiders in Oakland. MVP candidate Chad Yorgason was unstoppable, totaling six assists, five goals, and nearly 800 yards of offense. Most Improved Player Matt Russnogle tacked on six goals and rising star McKay Yorgason shredded the defense for 578 total yards and seven assists on a flawless 68 completions.
While that core remains the focus, I’ll also be watching Salt Lake’s high-profile acquisition, Carson Armstrong. Following a quiet but statistically impressive rookie campaign in Austin, Armstrong is a prime candidate for a career-defining breakout game in 2026.
Oakland enters this matchup riding the momentum of one of their most commanding performances in years, but a victory here would mean a million times more. The Spiders have dropped all eight of their previous meetings with Salt Lake.
One Big Number:
34 - Oakland’s 34 goals against the Steel last week marked the highest single-game total for the franchise since 2022.
88.33 - The discrepancy in red zone conversion has been a major factor in this matchup. Over their last three meetings, Salt Lake has converted at a stellar 88.33 percent clip, while Oakland has managed just a 68 percent conversion rate.
