In helping lead the Buffalo Bandits to their first championship since 2008, forward Dhane Smith has been named the MVP of the 2023 NLL Finals.
He recorded five goals, an assist and a team-high 17 shots in Game 1 of the Finals, and then added eight points (2+6) in Game 2. In the deciding Game 3 on Saturday at KeyBank Center, he put up a game-high nine points (2+7) for a total of 23 points in the series.
Buffalo claimed its fifth title in franchise history with a 13-4 victory over the Colorado Mammoth.
Smith finished with 49 points through six playoff games, setting the NLL record for most points in a postseason. The record was previously held by Eli McLaughlin (41). Smith also became the fourth player in NLL history to record at least 150 career playoff points (154).
The 30-year-old native of Kitchener, Ontario is third in NLL history in playoff assists and fourth in points.
Smith was a finalist for the NLL MVP award at the conclusion of the regular season after totaling 36 goals and an NLL-record 96 assists, breaking his own record of 94, which he set last year. He finished second in the league with 132 points.
He was previously named the league MVP following the 2016 and 2021-22 seasons.