2024 Toronto Rock season

The Toronto Rock are a lacrosse team based in Hamilton, Ontario playing in the National Lacrosse League (NLL). The 2024 season is the 26th in franchise history, and 25th as the Rock.[1]

2024 Toronto Rock
LeagueNLL
DivisionEast
2024 record15-3
Home record7-2
Road record8-1
Goals for218
Goals against169
General ManagerJamie Dawick
CoachMatt Sawyer
CaptainChallen Rogers
Alternate captainsRob Hellyer
Bill Hostrawser
Brad Kri
Tom Schreiber
ArenaFirstOntario Centre
Average attendance7,894
2025 season →

Regular season

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It was originally announced that beginning in January 2024, the Rock would need to temporarily relocate their home games to the Paramount Fine Foods Centre in Mississauga, Ontario, as following their home games in December 2023 Hamilton's FirstOntario Centre would close for renovations for approximately two years.[2][3][4] This also forced the Bulldogs and Honey Badgers to temporarily and permanently relocate to Brantford and Brampton, 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.[5][6][7]

Prior to the season the league announced a new alignment of teams, with the Eastern and Western conferences being eliminated in favour of a single unified standings for ranking the teams.[1][8][7]

The Rock made a number of notable acquisitions in the offseason via trades and free agency, including Mark Matthews, Chris Boushy, Dan Lintner, and Justin Martin.[8] Meanwhile, the team lost Jamison Dilks, Zach Manns and Adam Jay. Additionally, Dan Dawson retired.[8][7]

Latrell Harris, the defending National Lacrosse League Defensive Player of the Year Award, injured his ACL in the offseason and will be out for the full season.[8][7]

The team had a strong start to the regular season, winning its first 5 games.[9] The Rock finished 15–3, and clinched first place after defeating the Rochester Knighthawks 13–6 on April 13.[10]

Final standings

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Reference:[11]

PTeamGPWLPCTGBHomeRoadGFGADiffGF/GPGA/GP

1Toronto Rockxz18153.8330.07–28–1218169+4912.119.39
2San Diego Sealsx18135.7222.08–15–4210178+3211.679.89
3Albany FireWolvesx18117.6114.05–46–3206191+1511.4410.61
4Buffalo Banditsx18117.6114.06–35–4237212+2513.1711.78
5Georgia Swarmx18108.5565.06–34–5198197+111.0010.94
6Halifax Thunderbirdsx18108.5565.06–34–5228200+2812.6711.11
7Panther City Lacrosse Clubx1899.5006.05–44–5205202+311.3911.22
8Rochester Knighthawksx18810.4447.04–54–5214226−1211.8912.56
9New York Riptide18810.4447.04–54–5206234−2811.4413.00
10Saskatchewan Rush18810.4447.04–54–5217210+712.0611.67
11Calgary Roughnecks18810.4447.06–32–7198194+411.0010.78
12Vancouver Warriors18810.4447.05–43–6202211−911.2211.72
13Philadelphia Wings18612.3339.01–85–4198233−3511.0012.94
14Las Vegas Desert Dogs18513.27810.02–73–6176223−479.7812.39
15Colorado Mammoth18513.27810.04–51–8193226−3310.7212.56


Game log

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Regular season

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Game Date Opponent Location Score OT Attendance Record
1 December 9, 2023 Philadelphia Wings FirstOntario Centre W 11–7 7,217 1–0
2 December 22, 2023 @ Panther City Lacrosse Club Dickies Arena W 13–10 2,862 2–0
3 December 30, 2023 New York Riptide FirstOntario Centre W 14–8 9,566 3–0
4 January 12, 2024 @ Halifax Thunderbirds Scotiabank Centre W 11–9 8,921 4–0
5 January 20, 2024 Georgia Swarm FirstOntario Centre W 12–9 7,420 5–0
6 January 27, 2024 Buffalo Bandits FirstOntario Centre L 14–16 8,586 5–1
7 February 3, 2024 @ Calgary Roughnecks Scotiabank Saddledome W 9–7 9,971 6–1
8 February 10, 2024 Calgary Roughnecks FirstOntario Centre L 10–11 7,263 6–2
9 February 16, 2024 @ New York Riptide Place Bell W 16–10 6,437 7–2
10 February 24, 2024 Vancouver Warriors FirstOntario Centre W 9–5 7,611 8–2
11 March 1, 2024 @ Las Vegas Desert Dogs Michelob Ultra Arena W 16–11 6,039 9–2
12 March 2, 2024 @ San Diego Seals Pechanga Arena W 15–13 4,199 10–2
13 March 9, 2024 Colorado Mammoth FirstOntario Centre W 12–7 9,220 11–2
14 March 16, 2024 @ Buffalo Bandits KeyBank Center L 12–14 18,463 11–3
15 March 23, 2024 Halifax Thunderbirds FirstOntario Centre W 9–8 OT 9,588 12–3
16 April 6, 2024 @ Albany FireWolves MVP Arena W 10–7 5,749 13–3
17 April 13, 2024 Rochester Knighthawks FirstOntario Centre W 13–6 11,256 14–3
18 April 20, 2024 @ Saskatchewan Rush SaskTel Centre W 12–11 9,069 15–3

Playoffs

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Game Date Opponent Location Score OT Attendance Record
Quarterfinals April 27, 2024 Rochester Knighthawks FirstOntario Centre W 9–6 6,934 1–0
Semifinals (game 1) May 3, 2024 Buffalo Bandits FirstOntario Centre L 4–12 7,130 1–1
Semifinals (game 2) May 5, 2024 @ Buffalo Bandits KeyBank Center L 8–10 16,312 1–2

Roster

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Reference:[12]

Active (21-man) roster Inactive roster Coaches
Goaltenders
Defensemen
  • 71   Sheldon Burns
  • 21   Mitch de Snoo
  • 42   Jamison Dilks
  • 45   Damon Edwards
  • 93   Latrell Harris
  • 91   Billy Hostrawser (A)
  •  3   T. D. Ierlan
  • 33   Josh Jubenville
  • 20   Bradley Kri (A)
  • 22   Jason Noble
  • 61   Brandon Slade (D)
Forwards
Transition
  • 14   Phil Mazzuca
  • 23   Challen Rogers (C)
Practice Squad
  • 17   Aaron Forster (F)
  • 92   Troy Holowchuk (G)
Injured Reserve
  • 47   Adam Jay (D)
  • 55   Chris Weier (D)
Holdout
  • 51   Jordan McKenna (D)
Head Coach
  • Matt Sawyer
Assistant Coaches

Legend
  • * Suspended list
  • (C) Captain
  • (A) Alternate captain

Roster updated 2022-3-1
NLL Transactions

Entry Draft

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The 2023 NLL Entry Draft took place on September 11, 2023. The Toronto Rock made the following selections:[13]

Round Overall Player College/Club
3 39 Zack Kearney Umass Amherst- Oakville Rock Sr. B
3 50 Chase Schiavon Orangeville
4 65 John Wheller Whitby Warriors
5 79 Brett Handsor Johns Hopkins- Oakville Rock Sr. B
6 94 Luke Dawick Oakville Buzz Jr. A

References

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  1. ^ a b "NLL ADOPTS UNIFIED STANDINGS FORMAT, UPDATED PLAYOFF STRUCTURE". National Lacrosse League. Retrieved October 25, 2023.
  2. ^ "Rock Will Relocate Home Games for 2023-24 Season Following HUPEG Announcement". Toronto Rock. 14 November 2022. Retrieved 17 March 2023.
  3. ^ "2023-24 Toronto Rock Season Will Begin In Hamilton Followed By Temporary Relocation To Mississauga". June 2023.
  4. ^ Marshall, Kyle (2023-06-03). "Toronto Rock temporarily relocating to Mississauga as home arena in Hamilton undergoes renovation". The Mississauga News. Retrieved 2024-04-21.
  5. ^ "Toronto Rock Will Play Upcoming Season in Hamilton From Start to Finish". 14 September 2023.
  6. ^ "Renovation change allows Toronto Rock to keep playing in Hamilton this upcoming season". CBC News. 2023-09-14. Retrieved 2024-04-21.
  7. ^ a b c d Mauntah, Richard (2023-12-07). "Toronto Rock season preview: Going everywhere, except Mississauga". Toronto Sun. Retrieved 2024-04-21.
  8. ^ a b c d Milton, Steve (2023-12-08). "Rock added 'serious firepower' in off-season". The Hamilton Spectator. Retrieved 2024-04-21.
  9. ^ Mauntah, Richard (2024-01-20). "Franchise-best start for Toronto Rock after win against Georgia". Toronto Sun. Retrieved 2024-04-21.
  10. ^ Mauntah, Richard (2024-04-13). "Rock's win clinches top spot in NLL standings". Toronto Sun. Retrieved 2024-04-21.
  11. ^ "Standings". National Lacrosse League.
  12. ^ "FINAL ROSTER ANNOUNCED". torontorock.com/. Retrieved 2023-10-25.
  13. ^ mhancock (2022-09-10). "Rock Select 8 At NLL Draft". Toronto Rock. Retrieved 2022-10-28.