Carolina Chaos: 2024 PLL Playoff Preview
Finishing the regular season with a record of 4-6, the Carolina Chaos find themselves only one game off the bottom in their conference. A position nobody foresaw the Chaos being in at this juncture, especially with this franchise’s level of success in its history during playoff time. Six losses to teams of the like of Atlas, Archers, Waterdogs, Redwoods, Outlaws, and Cannons point to the Chaos having a really tough time staying consistent. As playoffs beckon, the team will look to regroup in quick fashion after a loss to the Cannons that was bitter and could dent their momentum.
There were struggles on the offensive side of the ball throughout the 2024 regular season for Chaos. Missing an identity, the team labored mightily without Dhane Smith. In his stead, the Chaos scored just 100 goals for the year—last in both goals and assists. They had a shooting percentage of 25.1 percent, near the bottom of the league, and a little over 32 percent on power plays where they did a bit better, as the offense never really clicked. The Chaos did win four times, in spite of offensive struggles, is shocking; it’s actually a reflection of how good their defensive unit is.
On defense, though, the Carolina Chaos were a different lottery ticket. They led the league in scores against average at 11 goals per game. Although they didn’t rely on forcing turnovers—second to last in that category—they were solid playing one-on-one defense and making timely slides. Their goalie play was stellar, too; the Chaos sat first in the league in save percentage at 57.3 percent. Blaze Riorden was big for them in net and helped keep them competitive despite their offensive deficiencies.
Star player Josh Byrne shouldered most of the offensive duties and ended the season with 29 points from 11 goals and 18 assists to place him 11th in the league. But without Dhane Smith to share some of that offensive burden, Byrne found himself as the primary target for most opposing defenses, which hurt his efficiency and saw him end the season with a tragically low shooting percentage of 22%. Ross Scott, the second top scorer on the team, is ranked 30th in the league with this 16 points—hardly a dynamic duos compared to other teams in the league. Defensively, all eyes will be on Blaze Riorden and entering a playoffs league-leading 59.4% save percentage. The question is how healthy he’ll be—and how effective—in their rematch against the Cannons.
The hard road to the championship now awaits Chaos, with a quarterfinal date with the Cannons looming. This time, only days removed from that defeat, Chaos will go at it with hunger in their eyes. However, playing against the same defense twice within such a span can be quite difficult—moreover, as the Cannons will have time to adjust from their earlier match. Even if they get past the Cannons, waiting for them in the semifinals will be the Archers. The Chaos have won against them in the playoffs historically, but this year’s team is an altogether different Chaos team compared to those who pulled off such wins in the past.
As things come to a head and get close to the playoffs, the Carolina Chaos will need their defense to keep them in games while hoping for the best manners from their offense to maximize any small light. This road ahead is steep; however, the history this team has enjoyed during previous playoff successes will require deep digging. One thing is definite: Chaos will not go without putting up a good fight.
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