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The Toronto Rock are a member of the National Lacrosse League (NLL), a North American professional sports league. They play at the Air Canada Centre in Toronto, Ontario . The franchise was originally founded as a NLL expansion team for Hamilton, Ontario to begin play in the 1998 season. They were known as the Ontario Raiders, and played their home games at Copps Coliseum in Hamilton during their first year. However, at the conclusion of the season they were sold to a group of investors led by Bill Watters, who was then the Assistant GM of the Toronto Maple Leafs of the NHL , and relocated to Toronto in time for the beginning of the 1999 season. They were subsequently renamed the "Toronto Rock". During their first two seasons in Toronto, they played at Maple Leaf Gardens , the historic former home of the Toronto Maple Leafs, before moving to the Air Canada Centre for the 2001 season, which they currently share with both the Maple Leafs and the Toronto Raptors of the NBA . The Rock has consistently ranked near the top of the NLL in lacrosse performance, attendance, and financial success. CHAMPIONSHIPS ]] The Toronto Rock won the Champion's Cup in 1999, 2000, 2002, 2003, and 2005. The 2002 final was against the Albany Attack , and the 1999, 2000, and 2003 finals were against the Rochester Knighthawks . In 2001, the Toronto Rock went to the league title game but came up one goal short against the Philadelphia Wings . In 2004, the Rock earned a first round bye after clinching the East Division regular season crown. The Buffalo Bandits came to town and upset the Rock 19-10. Therefore, the Toronto Rock, since their installation in Toronto, have never missed the playoffs and have now gone to the championship game six times in the past seven years. In 2005 , the Rock defeated the Rochester 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 the Arizona 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. The Rock struggled during the early part of the 2006 season however their record balanced out to 8-8 at season's end. They made the playoffs, only to get knocked off 16-8 by the second place Rochester Knighthawks at Blue Cross Arena in Rochester. LES BARTLEY Less then 18 hours after the Toronto Rock won their 5th NLL Championship, former coach and General Manager Les Bartley died on May 15 , 2005 of cancer at the age of 51. Bartley is remembered as an exceptional coach, having led the Toronto Rock to win the championships in 1999, 2000, 2002, and 2003. ROSTER Players ''As of April 22 , 2006 '' Goaltenders Practice roster Injured reserve EXTERNAL LINKS |
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