There’s no sugarcoating it—the California Redwoods hit rock bottom in 2024. A 3-7 record paired with the league’s worst defense and second-worst offense tells you just about everything you need to know. The team lacked identity, lacked urgency, and at times, just looked flat out overmatched. A 13.6 goals against average and a brutal 23.3 percent shooting clip made every game a grind. Add in last-place finishes on man-up and goaltending, and you’re looking at a team that needed to hit the reset button.
To their credit, they did. It wasn’t a half-measured retool. It was a full-blown overhaul. New coach. New players. New expectations—or maybe more accurately, a lack of expectations. The Redwoods don’t have the pressure of being a top-tier team this summer. They have the freedom to build, to experiment, and to try and lay the foundation for something new. Whether or not it clicks right away is another story.
Offense: Talent In, Pressure On
The California Redwoods made it clear this offseason that their offensive struggles wouldn’t carry into 2025 without a fight. They loaded up through the draft, selecting Andrew McAdorey and Sam English back-to-back early in the first round, followed by Chris Kavanagh in the second. That’s three high-level playmakers being added to a unit that desperately needed new energy. McAdorey and English will be given major responsibilities right away, and Kavanagh has the tools to be a spark if given space to operate.
Griffin Schutz is also an intriguing name, and while he enters the year on the holdout list, he has the upside to carve out a role when available. Dylan Molloy joins via free agency and will be an instant starter. The California Redwoods need a physical dodger, and Molloy gives them that. Nichtern, acquired from the Outlaws, could be the X-factor. He hasn’t played consistently since his rookie year, but if he’s healthy and back to form, he completely changes the dynamic of this offense.
It’s not just about who they brought in, though. The guys returning have to step up. Ryder Garnsey finished with 26 points last year but still disappears in stretches. That can’t happen anymore. He’s one of the few vets left with high-end talent, and this team needs him to be sharp every week. Charlie Bertrand and Romar Dennis are both solid midfielders who have shown flashes, but now they’ll need to be consistent options—not secondary pieces.
Back End Needs to Prove It
The defense was a mess in 2024, plain and simple. No other team gave up more goals, and the effort level often didn’t match the moment. It wasn’t just missed assignments—it was a lack of cohesion. Goaltending didn’t help either, as the Woods finished last in save percentage. With Sean Sconone gone and fresh faces coming in, the team is hoping Matt Knote can stabilize things. The former Outlaw has plenty of potential and steps into a starting role with little competition.
The poles in front of him will need to be better. Arden Cohen has been solid but not elite. Jared Conners continues to be a bright spot at LSM, with 33 ground balls and his usual active presence between the arcs. But this group didn’t do enough last year to dictate tempo or tilt the field. The hope is that better goalie play will simplify their jobs and help them get back to doing what they do best—pushing transition and creating chaos.
A Roster Overhaul That Needed to Happen
There were some losses this offseason that hurt. Ryan Tierney and Chris Gray both retiring takes away high-upside talent that never quite got to develop the way fans hoped. Letting Owen Grant walk in a trade to the Cannons and moving on from Garrett Degnon were also decisions that raised eyebrows. But to be fair, this wasn’t a team that could afford to keep patching holes. The front office clearly decided to clear the slate and bet on young talent and culture change over continuity.
It’s not without risk. You’re asking a lot from a rookie class. You’re relying on a handful of new faces to form chemistry with minimal time. You’re banking on a goalie who hasn’t played in the league. But when you finish dead last in multiple categories, there’s not much to lose.
Everything to Prove, Nothing to Lose
That might be the most freeing part of this year for the California Redwoods. No one is picking them to win a title. No one’s expecting a playoff run. But that doesn’t mean this season doesn’t matter. This year is about growth. It’s about laying the groundwork for who this team wants to be. The floor is low. The ceiling might not be much higher. But if McAdorey hits, if Nichtern plays, if Knote settles in, this could quietly become a much better team than people expect.
We’re going to find out quickly if this group is for real. But for the first time in a while, it finally feels like the Redwoods are ready to move forward.
