Toronto Rock facts for kids

Quick facts for kids
Toronto Rock

Sport	Box lacrosse
Founded	1998
League	National Lacrosse League
Conference	Eastern
Team history	Ontario Raiders (1998)
Location	Hamilton, Ontario
Arena	FirstOntario Centre
Colours	Blue, red, silver, white
Owner	Jamie Dawick
Head coach	Matt Sawyer
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 Toronto Sun
Retired numbers	3 (7, 29, 32)
Current season

The Toronto Rock are a professional box lacrosse team from Canada. They are based in Hamilton, Ontario. They play in the Eastern Conference of the National Lacrosse League (NLL). The Rock was the first Canadian team to join the NLL. You can watch their home games at the FirstOntario Centre.

The team started in 1998 as the Ontario Raiders in Hamilton. They played at Copps Coliseum. Later, a group of investors bought the team. They moved it to Toronto and renamed it the "Toronto Rock." The Rock began playing at Maple Leaf Gardens in the 1999 season. On May 15, 2011, the Toronto Rock won their 6th league championship. They are tied for the most championships in NLL history with the Philadelphia Wings.

In the 2001 season, the Rock moved from Maple Leaf Gardens to Scotiabank Arena (then called Air Canada Centre). They played there for 20 seasons. On May 11, 2021, the team announced they would move from Scotiabank Arena to FirstOntario Centre in Hamilton. This move started with the 2021–22 NLL season. Even though they play in Hamilton, the team still represents Toronto.

Team History: From Raiders to Rock

The team began as an NLL expansion team in Hamilton, Ontario in the 1998 season. They were called the Ontario Raiders. Their home games were at Copps Coliseum. Les Bartley, a former coach, joined the team. He also brought Jim Veltman to be the Raiders' captain. The team finished with a 6–6 record in their first year. They just missed the playoffs.

After that season, the team was sold for $250,000. A group of investors, including Bill Watters from the Toronto Maple Leafs, bought the team. They moved it to Toronto's Maple Leaf Gardens. The team was renamed the Toronto Rock. This name was chosen because Toronto had a lively rock music scene.

Winning Years: The Dynasty Era (1999–2005)

In 1999, their first year in Toronto, the Rock won their first NLL Championship. They beat the Rochester Knighthawks 13–10 in Toronto. The next year, the Rock won back-to-back championships. They were the first team to do this since the 1994-95 Wings. In that game, Kaleb Toth scored the winning goal with one second left. This was the last professional sports event at Maple Leaf Gardens.

The Rock playing at Maple Leaf Gardens during the 2000 season.

In 2001, the Rock moved to the Air Canada Centre. They reached the championship game again. But the Philadelphia Wings won, holding the Rock to only eight goals. The next season, the Rock finished first overall. They made it to the championship game again. This time, they were the visiting team. The Rock beat the Albany Attack 13–12. Many Rock players won awards in 2002. Blaine Manning was named Rookie of the Year. Pat Coyle was Defensive Player of the Year. Captain Jim Veltman won the Sportsmanship Award.

In 2003, Toronto reached the championship game for the fifth year in a row. They played in Rochester, where they had never won before. But they won 8–6 in the lowest-scoring NLL championship game ever.

Before the 2004 season, coach Les Bartley stepped down due to illness. The team struggled at first. They hired Terry Sanderson to turn things around. The Rock improved and won their division. However, the Buffalo Bandits beat them in the playoffs. Jim Veltman was named league MVP that year. He was the first Toronto Rock player to win this award.

The Rock playing against the Calgary Roughnecks in 2005.

In 2005, the Rock beat the Rochester Knighthawks in the division final. They then defeated the Arizona Sting 19–13. This made them NLL champions for the fifth time in seven years. This showed they were a true NLL dynasty. Colin Doyle was named league MVP.

Sadly, Les Bartley passed away after the 2005 championship. He was a great coach who led the Rock to many wins. In his honor, the NLL Coach of the Year Award was renamed the Les Bartley Award in 2004.

Changes and Rebuilding (2006–2009)

After many championships, the Rock faced tougher times. In the 2006 season, they made the playoffs but lost to Rochester. Coach Terry Sanderson was replaced by Mike Kloepfer and Glenn Clark.

The team made some big player trades. They traded star player Colin Doyle. In return, they got Ryan Benesch, who won the Rookie of the Year award. But the Rock had a tough year, finishing with a 6–10 record. They lost in the playoffs again.

In 2007, the Toronto Rock created their own Les Bartley Award. It goes to the player who shows great character and commitment. The first winner was captain Jim Veltman.

The Rock missed the playoffs in 2008 for the first time since 1999. Goaltender Bob Watson was named Goaltender of the Year. This was also the last season for captain Jim Veltman, who retired after 15 years and seven championships. Chris Driscoll became the new captain.

The Rock playing against the Buffalo Bandits in 2009.

The team changed coaches again in 2009. But they still missed the playoffs. After the season, Mike Kloepfer resigned.

The Jamie Dawick Era (2009–Present)

In June 2009, Terry Sanderson returned as the new General Manager. The team was also sold to businessman James Dawick. A new coach, Troy Cordingley, was hired.

Sanderson quickly worked to rebuild the team. He brought back Colin Doyle. He also made other trades to get key players. These changes helped the team right away.

In the 2010 season, the Rock started strong. They made the playoffs for the first time in four years. They reached the Championship game but lost to the Washington Stealth.

In 2011, the Rock faced the Washington Stealth in the Championship game again. This time, they won 8–7, claiming another title!

In 2011, Jamie Dawick started building the Toronto Rock Athletic Centre (TRAC) in Oakville. This $20 million facility opened in 2012. It has two lacrosse fields and is the Rock's practice home. It also hosts NLL events like the draft.

On May 11, 2021, Dawick announced the Rock would move from Scotiabank Arena in Toronto to FirstOntario Centre in Hamilton, Ontario. This move started in December 2021. The team name stayed the same because they represent the entire GTHA.

The Rock was supposed to move temporarily to Mississauga in January 2024. This was because FirstOntario Centre in Hamilton would be closed for renovations. However, the renovations were delayed. So, the Toronto Rock will play the entire 2023/24 season in Hamilton. They will move to Mississauga for the next season until the renovations are done.

Awards and Honours

The Toronto Rock and its players have won many awards over the years.

Retired Numbers

Some numbers are so special that no other player on the Toronto Rock will ever wear them again.

NLL Hall of Fame Members

These former Rock players and staff have been honored in the National Lacrosse League Hall of Fame:

• Les Bartley (Class of 2006)
• Pat Coyle (Class of 2014)
• Johnny Mouradian (Class of 2008)
• Jim Veltman (Class of 2009)
• Dan Stroup (Class of 2010)
• Bob Watson (Class of 2011)
• Steve Dietrich (Class of 2012)
• Terry Sanderson (Class of 2015)

Current Roster

This is a list of the players currently on the Toronto Rock team.

See Also

• Toronto Rock seasons
• Sports in Hamilton, Ontario