The Buffalo Bandits today announced the team has signed forward Travis Longboat and transition player Thomas Whitty to one-year contracts. Additionally, the team has signed defenseman Jimmy Freehill and forward Owen Rice to three-year contracts. All four contracts are pending league approval.

Whitty (6’1”, 185 lbs., 1/23/1999) has registered 23 points (1+22) and 336 loose-ball recoveries in 75 career NLL games. He has played in two seasons with the Bandits, recording 10 points (0+10) and 119 loose-ball recoveries in 31 games played. He ranks 10th in blocked shots (21) in Bandits franchise history. The St. Catherines, Ontario native has recorded one assist and 29 loose-ball recoveries in eight playoff games over three postseasons and was a member of the Bandits’ championship team in 2025.

Longboat (5’9”, 155 lbs., 5/4/1998) joins the Bandits with 49 games of NLL experience for the New York Riptide, Georgia Swarm, Albany FireWolves, Ottawa Black Bears and Philadelphia Wings. He has compiled 129 career points (47+82) and 169 career loose-ball recoveries.

Buffalo’s second-round pick (21st overall) in the 2026 NLL Entry Draft, Rice (6’0”, 155 lbs., 7/19/2006) turns pro after playing junior lacrosse in Ontario for the last five seasons. In 2026, he finished with 95 points (45+50) in 19 games for the Kahnawake Hunters of the OJBLL.

Freehill (6’0”, 190 lbs., 8/22/2001) spent the last two seasons playing for the Philadelphia Waterdogs in the PLL, where he combined to record 11 points and 28 groundballs in 25 career games. He was selected by the Bandits in the second round (32nd overall) of the 2025 NLL Entry Draft.