Rochester Knighthawks
SportBox lacrosse
Founded2019
LeagueNational Lacrosse League
ConferenceEastern
LocationRochester, New York
ArenaBlue Cross Arena
ColorsArmy Green, Gold, Black
     
OwnerTerry Pegula
Head coachMike Hasen
General managerDan Carey
Playoff berths1 (2023)
Local mediaWHAM-DT2, WNBL, WHTK
Websiterochesterknighthawks.com

The Rochester Knighthawks (also known as the K-Hawks) are a professional box lacrosse team in the Eastern Conference of the National Lacrosse League.[1] They play in Rochester, New York at the Blue Cross Arena at the War Memorial.

The Knighthawks are owned by Terry Pegula who purchased the intellectual property of the team from former owner Curt Styres.[2] Styres moved the previous version of the team to Halifax, Nova Scotia as the Halifax Thunderbirds at the end of the 2018–2019 season. As an expansion team they are not a continuation of the previous Knighthawks.[3] All records and championships followed the original franchise to Halifax.

History

The original Knighthawks played in Rochester from 1995 until 2019. They began as members of the Major Indoor Lacrosse League from 1995 to 1997 then became members of the NLL beginning with the league's inaugural 1998 season.[4]

The Knighthawks reached the playoffs in each of their first 13 seasons, from 1995 to 2007. This is a league record going back to the league's original creation, the Eagle Pro Box Lacrosse League. The previous record was 11 straight years, held by the Philadelphia Wings. They were also the first NLL team to win three consecutive championships (2012–14).[4]

On September 13, 2018, owner Curt Styres announced that he would be accepting a new team in Halifax, Nova Scotia and would be relocating the Knighthawks' to the city for the winter 2019–2020 season. The Knighthawks intellectual property was sold to Terry and Kim Pegula (the latter of whom was raised in the Rochester suburbs) along with an expansion franchise to ensure Rochester's uninterrupted presence in the league.[5] The original name was used, but the color scheme and logo changed. The team logo, colors, and other officials were announced on May 29, 2019 in an event at Blue Cross Arena.[6] The new franchise does not count as a continuation of the previous franchise. All championships and records were transferred to Halifax.[3][2]

On June 27, 2019, the Knighthawks named Mike Hasen, who had coached the original Knighthawks since 2011, as head coach, Dan Carey as General Manager, and Pat O'Toole as assistant coach.[7]

Current roster

Rochester Knighthawks roster
Active (21-man) roster Inactive roster Coaches
Goaltenders
  • 49 Canada Rylan Hartley
  •  1 Canada Riley Hutchcraft
Defensemen
  •  2 Canada Paul Dawson (C)
  •  4 Canada Ethan Schott
  •  6 Canada Brad Gillies
  •  8 Canada Mitch Ogilvie
  • 15 Canada Matt Bennett
  • 23 Canada Curtis Romanchych
  • 27 Canada Tyler Halls
  • 29 Canada Tyler Biles
Forwards
  •  5 Canada Turner Evans
  •  7 Canada Thomas Vela
  •  9 Canada Curtis Knight (A)
  • 10 United States Connor Fields
  • 18 Canada Austin Hasen
  • 19 Canada Holden Cattoni
  • 43 Canada Ryan Smith
  • 91 Canada Thomas Hoggarth
Transition
  • 17 Canada Ryland Rees
  • 67 Canada Jordan Stouros
  • 81 Canada Matt Gilray
Practice Squad
  • 25 Canada Parker Pipher (T)
  • 71 Canada Jeff Wittig (F)
  • 93 Canada Pent Eistrat (F)
Injured Reserve
  • 37 Canada Dan Coates (D)
  • 96 Canada Cory Highfield (T)
Unable to play
  •  3 Canada Thomas Whitty (T)
  • 52 Canada Carter Schott (T)
Head Coach
  • Mike Hasen
Assistant Coaches
Legend
  • * Suspended list
  • (C) Captain
  • (A) Alternate captain

updated 12/5/2023
NLL Transactions

All-time record

Season Division/Conference[lower-alpha 1] W–L Finish PCT Home Road GF GA Coach Playoffs
2020 North 2–10 4th .167 2–3 0–7 115 165 Mike Hasen No playoffs held
2021 Eastern Season cancelled due to COVID-19 pandemic
2022 Eastern 4–14 8th .222 2–7 2–7 184 221 Mike Hasen Did not qualify
2023 Eastern 10–8 4th .556 6–3 4–5 218 214 Mike Hasen Lost Conference Semi-Final
Total 3 Seasons 16–32 .333 10–13 6–19 517 600
Playoff Total 1 Appearance 0–1 .000 0–0 0–1 8 20 0 Championships

Playoff results

Season Game Visiting Home
2023 Conference Semi-Final Rochester 8 Buffalo 20

Head coaching history

# Name Term Regular Season Playoffs
GC W L W% GC W L W%
1 Mike Hasen 2020– 48 16 32 .333 1 0 1 .000

Award winners

Year Player Award
2023 Dan Carey General Manager of the Year

Draft history

NLL Entry Draft

First Round Selections

  • 2019: Ryland Rees (2nd overall)[8]
  • 2020: Ryan Smith (3rd overall)[9]
  • 2022: Thomas McConvey (1st overall), Austin Hasen (18th overall)[10]

Notes

  1. ↑ Conference play began in the 2022 season

References

  1. ↑ "National Lacrosse League - Rochester Nighthawks". National Lacrosse League - Rochester Nighthawks. Retrieved 12 October 2023.
  2. 1 2 "SEASON PREVIEW: KNIGHTHAWKS EMBARK ON NEW ERA SATURDAY". Rochester Knighthawks. 2019-11-29. Retrieved 2023-10-12.
  3. 1 2 "Knighthawks Unveil New Logo Ahead of Expansion Season". 30 May 2019. Archived from the original on 11 December 2021. Retrieved 11 December 2021.
  4. 1 2 "History of the NLL: Championships". HISTORY OF THE NLL. Retrieved 12 October 2023.
  5. ↑ "NLL Approves Rochester expansion team using Knighthawks brand – NLL". 13 September 2018. Archived from the original on 14 August 2021. Retrieved 11 December 2021.
  6. ↑ "NLL's Rochester Knighthawks Announce Logo & Staff – NLL". 30 May 2019. Archived from the original on 25 February 2021. Retrieved 11 December 2021.
  7. ↑ "KNIGHTHAWKS NAME MIKE HASEN HEAD COACH :: Rochester Knighthawks". www.rochesterknighthawks.com. 29 May 2019. Archived from the original on 11 December 2021. Retrieved 11 December 2021.
  8. ↑ "2019 NLL ENTRY DRAFT LIVE RESULTS". 2019 NLL Draft Results.
  9. ↑ League, National Lacrosse (2020-09-19). "NLL Draft 2020 Complete List - 6 Rounds, 93 Athletes". Lacrosse All Stars. Retrieved 2023-10-12.
  10. ↑ "2022 NLL Entry Draft results: Thomas McConvey taken first overall". The Lax Mag. Retrieved 2023-10-12.
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