 | |
| Sport | Box lacrosse |
|---|---|
| Founded | 1998 |
| League | National Lacrosse League |
| Team history | Ontario Raiders (1998) |
| Location | Hamilton, Ontario |
| Arena | TD Coliseum |
| Colours | Blue, red, silver, white |
| Owner | Jamie Dawick |
| Head coach | Matt Sawyer[1] |
| General manager | Jamie Dawick |
| League titles | 6 (1999,2000,2002,2003,2005,2011) |
| Division titles | 9 (1999,2000,2001,2002,2003,2005,2010,2011,2015) |
| Local media | TSN /TSN2 TSN Radio 1050 |
| Retired numbers | 3 (7,29,32) |
| Website | torontorock.com |
TheToronto Rock are a Canadian professionalbox lacrosse team that competes in theNational Lacrosse League (NLL), playing their home games at theTD Coliseum inHamilton, Ontario.
The franchise was founded in 1998 as theOntario Raiders in Hamilton, being the first Canadian based franchise in the NLL. The Raiders played atCopps Coliseum before being sold to a group of investors led by then Toronto Maple Leafs Assistant GMBill Watters, who relocated the franchise to Toronto. They were subsequently renamed the "Toronto Rock", and began play atMaple Leaf Gardens in the1999 season.[2] The Toronto Rock won their 6th league championship on May 15, 2011. In the2001 season, the Rock moved from theMaple Leaf Gardens toScotiabank Arena (then known as Air Canada Centre) where they played for 20 seasons. On May 11, 2021, the team announced the relocation from Scotiabank Arena in Toronto to FirstOntario Centre in Hamilton, beginning with the 2021–22 NLL season in December. The team continues to represent Toronto while playing home games in Hamilton.[3] The Rock temporarily relocated to Mississauga for the 2025 season while the FirstOntario Centre was closed for renovations.
The franchise was founded as an NLL expansion team inHamilton, Ontario and began play in the1998 season. They were known as theOntario Raiders, and played their home games atCopps Coliseum. FormerBuffalo Bandits coachLes Bartley was hired to coach the new team, and he lured former BanditJim Veltman to join him, becoming the Raiders' captain. The team finished a respectable 6–6 in their inaugural season, but missed the playoffs on a tie-breaker. Following the season, losses of $250,000 forced ownerChris Fritz to look for partners.[4]Maple Leaf Sports & Entertainment considered purchasing the team,[4][5][6] but ultimately a group which includedBill Watters, the then Assistant General Manager of theToronto Maple Leafs,Paul Beeston, former president of theToronto Blue Jays,Tie Domi, player for the Maple Leafs, andBobby Orr, former NHL player, bought it for $250,000 and promptly relocated the team to Toronto'sMaple Leaf Gardens where they rebranded it the Toronto Rock, a name chosen to reflect the city's lively rock music scene.[7][8]
In1999, their first year in Toronto, the Rock won their first NLL Championship, defeating the Rochester Knighthawks 13–10 in Toronto. Thenext year, the Rock became the first team since the 1994-95Wings to win back-to-back championships, once again defeating the Knighthawks. That game featuredKaleb Toth's dramatic game-winning goal with a second left on the clock, in the last-ever professional sporting event held at Maple Leaf Gardens.[9]
2001 saw the Rock follow the Leafs to theAir Canada Centre, where they advanced to the championship game once again. But the visitingPhiladelphia Wings held the Rock to just eight goals, and won their sixth championship. Thenext season, the Rock recovered from the championship game loss by finishing first overall for the fourth straight year. They advanced to the championship game once again, but for the first time as the visiting team. The Rock defeated theAlbany Attack in Albany 13–12. 2002 was also one of the most productive years for the Rock in terms of awards; in addition to winning theChampion's Cup, three players were honoured by the league.Blaine Manning was namedRookie of the Year,Pat Coyle was namedDefensive Player of the Year, and captainJim Veltman was given theSportsmanship Award.
In2003, Toronto advanced to the championship game for the fifth straight year, once again as the visitors. The game was held in Rochester, where Rock had never won a game, but they prevailed in the lowest-scoring championship game in NLL history, winning 8–6.[10]
Shortly before the2004 season began, head coach and GMLes Bartley announced that he was fightingcolon cancer, and was stepping down. Assistant coachesEd Comeau andDerek Keenan were named interim coach and interim GM respectively. After a 2–4 start to the season, Comeau and Keenan were fired, and the Rock hiredTerry Sanderson to try to turn the team around.[11] The Rock went 8-2 the rest of the season, earning a first round bye after clinching the East Division regular season crown. However, theBuffalo Bandits came to town and upset the Rock 19–10, sending the Bandits to the first NLL championship gamenot featuring the Rock since they joined the league. Jim Veltman was honoured by the league by being named leagueMVP. This was the first year in the 10-year history of the award that it did not go toGary Gait,Paul Gait, orJohn Tavares and the first Toronto Rock player to be named league MVP.
In2005, the Rock defeated theRochester Knighthawks in the East Division Final by a score of 12–10 in front of approximately 17,200 fans at the Air Canada Centre. The Rock went on to defeat theArizona Sting with a 19–13 win in front of an NLL record crowd of 19,432, becoming NLL champions for the fifth time in seven years and solidifying their distinction as an NLL dynasty.[12][13]Colin Doyle was named league MVP, the second straight year that the award was won by a Rock player.
Despite the championship, the season ended on a sad note for the Rock franchise, as Les Bartley died of cancer at the age of 51 the day after the championship game. Bartley is remembered as an exceptional coach, having led the Toronto Rock to NLL Championships in 1999, 2000, 2002, and 2003.[14][15]
In2004, the NLL Coach of the Year Award was renamed theLes Bartley Award in honour of Bartley.
From 1999 to 2005, the Rock finished either first overall or first in their division every year, winning five championships. The next few years, however, would bring the franchise back down to Earth. The Rock struggled during the early part of the2006 season; however, their record balanced out to 8–8 at season's end. They made the playoffs, only to be defeated by the first place Knighthawks atBlue Cross Arena in Rochester by a score of 16–8. Head coach and GMTerry Sanderson was fired after the season,[16] and was replaced by new Director of Lacrosse Operations Mike Kloepfer and new head coachGlenn Clark.[17] Clark had played eight seasons with the Rock and had just finished an All-Star season as a member of thePhiladelphia Wings, but retired from playing to take the head coaching job with his old club.
Kloepfer made his mark on the team quickly, trading perennial All-Star, former Rookie of the Year and league MVPColin Doyle to theSan Jose Stealth along with Darren Halls and a draft pick for first overall draft pickRyan Benesch, Kevin Fines, Chad Thompson and two draft picks.[18] Benesch had a very good rookie year, scoring 33 goals and winning theRookie of the Year award,[19] but the Rock under rookie coach Clark struggled to a worst-ever 6–10 record, barely making the playoffs. They lost the division semifinal against Rochester, who would go on to win their first championship since 1997.
In2007, the Toronto Rock established an award also called theLes Bartley Award, given to "the Rock player that best exemplifies Les' emphasis on the importance of character and commitment to the team".[20] The first winner of this award was team captainJim Veltman.
Toronto's struggles continued in2008, as the Rock lost their last five games of the season. They finished below .500 for the second straight year, and for the first time since their move to Toronto in 1999, the Rock finished out of the playoffs. Despite the losing season, goaltenderBob Watson was namedGoaltender of the Year. 2008 also featured the final season of the only captain the Rock franchise had ever had,Jim Veltman. Veltman retired after fifteen seasons in the NLL, winning seven championships (two with the Bandits and five with the Rock).Chris Driscoll was named the new Rock captain.[21]
After starting the2009 season with a 1–2 record, the Rock relieved Clark and assistant coach Veltman and Terry Bullen of their coaching duties, and hired former Chicago and Colorado coachJamie Batley as the new Rock head coach. Clark and Bullen were fired, and Veltman was retained in an advisory position.[22] The coaching change was not enough to propel the Rock back into the playoffs, however. They finished last in the East and out of the playoffs for the second straight year. Director of Lacrosse Operations Mike Kloepfer resigned shortly after the season ended.[23]
On June 10, 2009, the Rock announced that former GM and coach Terry Sanderson had been brought back as the new GM.[24] Jamie Batley was also told by the Rock that he would not be returning as head coach.[25] At the end of the month, the team announced that the Rock had been sold toOakville-based businessman James Dawick, with Waters saying the price was "in the seven figures."[26] Two weeks later, formerCalgary Roughnecks head coach Troy Cordingley was named as the new coach,[27] giving the Rock an entirely new staff from ownership on down.
Sanderson wasted no time in the rebuilding efforts, most notably re-acquiringColin Doyle fromWashington in exchange forLewis Ratcliff, Tyler Codron and Joel Dalgarno.[28]He also tradedLuke Wiles to Washington andBill McGlone toPhiladelphia, and re-acquiring former Rock defender Sandy Chapman fromRochester.[29] He then traded team captainChris Driscoll to theBuffalo Bandits for another former Rock defenderPhil Sanderson,[30] and acquiredMike Hominuck fromEdmonton[31] andPat McCready from Buffalo,[32] both for draft picks.
The moves paid off immediately, as the Rock began the2010 season 6-1 en route to a 9–7 record. This was good for second place in the East and the Rock's first playoff berth in four years. In the playoffs, the Rock defeated Buffalo and Orlando on their way to their seventh Championship game, and first since2005. TheWashington Stealth, in their first season inEverett, Washington, proved too strong for the Rock and won the Championship 15–11.
In 2011, the Rock found themselves in the Championship game for the second straight year against the Washington Stealth, this time winning 8–7.
In August 2011, Dawick broke ground on constructing the new $20 million-dollar, privately financedToronto Rock Athletic Centre (TRAC) in Oakville.[33][34][35] The lacrosse facility, which opened in 2012, features two pads, one of which seats 500 fans, and serves as the Rock's practice facility as well as the team's offices.[36][37] The arena has played host to exhibition NLL games,[38] theNLL Entry Draft and the NLL Combine.[39]
On May 11, 2021, Dawick announced that the Rock would relocate from Scotiabank Arena in Toronto toFirstOntario Centre inHamilton, Ontario with a five-year arena lease with an option to extend the agreement afterwards. Their relocation will commence in time for the beginning of the2022 NLL season in December 2021. The team name will not be changed despite the relocation to Hamilton due their branding as a team that has "always represented theGTHA".[3]
It was originally announced that beginning in January 2024, the Rock would need to temporarily relocate their home games to theParamount Fine Foods Centre inMississauga, Ontario, as following their home games in December 2023 Hamilton'sFirstOntario Centre would close for renovations for approximately two years.[40][41][42] This also forced theBulldogs (OHL) andHoney Badgers (CEBL) to temporarily and permanently relocate toBrantford andBrampton, respectively. However, in September 2023 it was announced that the renovations would be delayed and that the Toronto Rock would play the entirety of the 2023/24 season in Hamilton before temporarily relocating to Mississauga for the following season until the renovations are completed.[43][44]
| No. | Player | Date | Tenure |
|---|---|---|---|
| 7[54] | Colin Doyle | March 11, 2017 | 1999–2006, 2010–16 |
| 29[55] | Bob Watson | February 24, 2012 | 1999–2011 |
| 32[56] | Jim Veltman | April 12, 2019 | 1999–2008 |
Reference:[57]
| Active (21-man) roster | Inactive roster | Coaches | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
|
Roster updated 2025-3-6 | |||||||
| Season | Division/Conference[a] | W | L | Finish | Home | Road | GF | GA | Coach | Playoffs |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1999 | 9 | 3 | 1st | 6–0 | 3–3 | 157 | 139 | Les Bartley | Won NLL Championship | |
| 2000 | 9 | 3 | 1st | 5–1 | 4–2 | 162 | 130 | Won NLL Championship | ||
| 2001 | 11 | 3 | 1st | 6–1 | 5–2 | 168 | 125 | Lost final | ||
| 2002 | Northern | 11 | 5 | 1st | 8–0 | 3–5 | 223 | 176 | Won NLL Championship | |
| 2003 | Northern | 11 | 5 | 1st | 6–2 | 5–3 | 195 | 164 | Won NLL Championship | |
| 2004 | Eastern | 10 | 6 | 1st | 5–3 | 5–3 | 202 | 176 | ED Comeau/Terry Sanderson | Lost division final |
| 2005 | Eastern | 12 | 4 | 1st | 6–2 | 6–2 | 227 | 190 | Terry Sanderson | Won NLL Championship |
| 2006 | Eastern | 8 | 8 | 3rd | 5–3 | 3–5 | 182 | 179 | Lost division semi-final | |
| 2007 | Eastern | 6 | 10 | 4th | 3–5 | 3–5 | 187 | 183 | Glenn Clark | Lost division semi-final |
| 2008 | Eastern | 7 | 9 | 6th | 4–5 | 3–4 | 172 | 174 | Did not qualify | |
| 2009 | Eastern | 6 | 10 | 6th | 3–5 | 3–5 | 194 | 218 | Glenn Clark/Jamie Batley | Did not qualify |
| 2010 | Eastern | 9 | 7 | 2nd | 6–2 | 3–5 | 197 | 156 | Troy Cordingley | Lost final |
| 2011 | Eastern | 10 | 6 | 2nd | 7–1 | 3–5 | 187 | 168 | Won NLL Championship | |
| 2012 | Eastern | 9 | 7 | 1st | 3–5 | 6–2 | 198 | 196 | Lost division final | |
| 2013 | Eastern | 10 | 6 | 1st | 5–3 | 5–3 | 194 | 176 | Lost division semi-final | |
| 2014 | Eastern | 9 | 9 | 2nd | 6–3 | 3–6 | 219 | 213 | John Lovell | Lost division semi-final |
| 2015 | Eastern | 14 | 4 | 1st | 7–2 | 7–2 | 230 | 185 | Lost final | |
| 2016 | Eastern | 5 | 13 | 5th | 4–5 | 1–8 | 190 | 224 | Did not qualify | |
| 2017 | Eastern | 9 | 9 | 2nd | 4–5 | 5–4 | 219 | 200 | Matt Sawyer | Lost division final |
| 2018 | Eastern | 8 | 10 | 4th | 3–6 | 5–4 | 237 | 216 | Did not qualify | |
| 2019 | Eastern | 12 | 6 | 3rd | 8–1 | 4–5 | 213 | 207 | Lost division final | |
| 2020[b] | North[58] | 7 | 4 | 2nd | 4–2 | 3–2 | 122 | 106 | No playoffs held | |
| 2021 | Eastern | Season cancelled due toCOVID-19 pandemic | ||||||||
| 2022 | Eastern | 13 | 5 | 2nd | 7–2 | 6–3 | 207 | 166 | Matt Sawyer | Lost conference final |
| 2023 | Eastern | 13 | 5 | 2nd | 8–1 | 5–4 | 234 | 164 | Lost conference final | |
| 2024 | 15 | 3 | 1st | 7–2 | 8–1 | 218 | 169 | Lost semi-finals | ||
| 2025 | 6 | 12 | 13th | 2–7 | 4–5 | 189 | 208 | Did not qualify | ||
| Total | 26 seasons | 249 | 172 | 144–76 | 112–97 | 5,123 | 4,608 | |||
| Playoff totals | 20 appearances | 24 | 20 | 19–10 | 5–10 | 370 | 361 | 6 championships | ||
| Season | Game | Visiting | Home |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1999 | Semifinals | Philadelphia 2 | Toronto 13 |
| Championship | Rochester 10 | Toronto 13 | |
| 2000 | Semifinals | Philadelphia 10 | Toronto 14 |
| Championship | Rochester 13 | Toronto 14 | |
| 2001 | Semifinals | Washington 9 | Toronto 10 |
| Championship | Philadelphia 9 | Toronto 8 | |
| 2002 | Semifinals | Washington 11 | Toronto 12 |
| Championship | Toronto 13 | Albany 12 | |
| 2003 | Semifinals | Colorado 11 | Toronto 15 |
| Championship | Toronto 8 | Rochester 6 | |
| 2004 | Division Final | Buffalo 19 | Toronto 10 |
| 2005 | Division Final | Rochester 10 | Toronto 12 |
| Championship | Arizona 13 | Toronto 19 | |
| 2006 | Division Semifinals | Toronto 8 | Rochester 16 |
| 2007 | Division Semifinals | Toronto 6 | Rochester 10 |
| 2010 | Division Semifinal | Buffalo 11 | Toronto 13 |
| Division Final | Toronto 15 | Orlando 10 | |
| Championship | Toronto 11 | Washington 15 | |
| 2011 | Division Semifinal | Rochester 8 | Toronto 10 |
| Division Final | Toronto 12 | Buffalo 11 | |
| Championship | Washington 7 | Toronto 8 | |
| 2012 | Division Semifinal | Buffalo 6 | Toronto 7 |
| Division Final | Rochester 17 | Toronto 13 | |
| 2013 | Division Semifinal | Minnesota 20 | Toronto 11 |
| 2014 | Division Semifinal | Buffalo 15 | Toronto 13 |
| 2015 | Division Final 1 | Toronto 9 | Rochester 10 |
| Division Final 2 | Rochester 8 | Toronto 11 | |
| Division Final 3 | Rochester 2 | Toronto 8 | |
| Championship 1 | Edmonton 15 | Toronto 9 | |
| Championship 2 | Toronto 10 | Edmonton 11 | |
| 2017 | Division Semifinal | New England 10 | Toronto 18 |
| Division Final 1 | Georgia 11 | Toronto 8 | |
| Division Final 2 | Toronto 9 | Georgia 13 | |
| 2019 | Division Semifinal | Toronto 16 | Georgia 14 |
| Division Final | Toronto 8 | Buffalo 12 | |
| 2022 | Conference Semifinal | Halifax 13 | Toronto 14 |
| Conference Final | Toronto 17 | Buffalo 18 | |
| Buffalo 10 | Toronto 9 | ||
| 2023 | Conference Semifinal | Halifax 11 | Toronto 15 |
| Conference Final | Toronto 5 | Buffalo 14 | |
| Conference Final | Buffalo 17 | Toronto 8 | |
| 2024 | Quarterfinal | Rochester 6 | Toronto 9 |
| Semi-final Game 1 | Buffalo 12 | Toronto 4 | |
| Semi-final Game 2 | Toronto 8 | Buffalo 10 |
| # | Name | Term | Regular season | Playoffs | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| GC | W | L | W% | GC | W | L | W% | |||
| 1 | Les Bartley | 1999–2003 | 70 | 51 | 19 | .729 | 10 | 9 | 1 | .900 |
| 2 | Ed Comeau | 2004 | 6 | 2 | 4 | .333 | — | — | — | — |
| 3 | Terry Sanderson | 2004–2006 | 42 | 28 | 14 | .667 | 4 | 2 | 2 | .500 |
| 4 | Glenn Clark | 2007–2009 | 31 | 12 | 19 | .387 | 1 | 0 | 1 | .000 |
| 5 | Terry Bullen † | 2008 | 4 | 2 | 2 | .500 | — | — | — | — |
| 6 | Jamie Batley | 2009 | 13 | 5 | 8 | .385 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — |
| 7 | Troy Cordingley | 2010–2013 | 64 | 38 | 26 | .594 | 9 | 6 | 3 | .667 |
| 8 | John Lovell | 2014–2016 | 54 | 28 | 26 | .519 | 6 | 2 | 4 | .333 |
| 9 | Matt Sawyer | 2017– | 137 | 83 | 54 | .606 | 14 | 5 | 9 | .357 |
†Bullen served as head coach during Clark's suspension.
| Preceded by | National Lacrosse League Champions 1999, 2000 | Succeeded by |
| Preceded by | National Lacrosse League Champions 2002, 2003 | Succeeded by |
| Preceded by | National Lacrosse League Champions 2005 | Succeeded by |
| Preceded by | National Lacrosse League Champions 2011 | Succeeded by |
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