Connor Fields is coming off consecutive 100+ point seasons.
Ryan Smith broke through his previous ceiling with 46 goals and 99 points.
Thomas McConvey arrived with a 52-point campaign to finish four in team scoring as a rookie and former first overall draft pick.
The Rochester Knighthawks 2023-24 season and journey into the NLL playoffs was circuitous, to say the least. A 3-0 start followed with six consecutive losses, then another three-game win streak, and four consecutive setbacks after that. In the final week of the NLL season, Rochester faced a literal 3% chance of making the playoffs. They needed to win their last two games of the season, along with three other teams needing to lose.
Magically, it all fell into place. Always improbable, but never impossible. The Knighthawks were the Cinderella story of the league, pushing their way into the postseason. But shortly thereafter, the magic dust wore off. In their first matchup, the eight-seed ‘Hawks bowed out to the first place-Toronto Rock. For a second straight year, despite all the individual success stories on the team, Rochester was dismissed from the championship conversation in the opening round of the playoffs.
Vibes from the office… It’s good to be home 😎#TrainingCampTakeover pic.twitter.com/DTBH5AgBTe
— NLL (@NLL) October 30, 2024
“Ultimately, we weren’t good enough last year,” said Knighthawks general manager Dan Carey. “It’s a very tough league to win in, but we have a lot of great players and pieces that can get the job done.”
And so, the Knighthawks began to lay the foundation for their training camp during the summer months. The goalposts have moved. Expectations have risen.
“We made the playoffs, which is great, but our goal is not just to make the playoffs,” said Fields, who trailed only Jeff Teat with 56 goals to finish second across the NLL. “Our goal is to win a championship.”
“I think now our mindset has got to be that’s not good enough anymore,” said head coach Mike Hasen when asked about trying to make the playoffs.
A total of 32 players entered Rochester’s training camp. Only 25 will make the team, but the organization has made it clear there are no givens going into this year. Everything is earned.
“It’s one of those things that you bring in guys to make our camp better,” said Carey. “If guys aren’t elevating themselves, then they’re not going to be fortunate enough to make this team.”
Per tradition in Rochester, when players arrived to Blue Cross Arena, they were ushered into one of the extra locker rooms in the building. Players have not been allowed to change in the Knighthawks official locker room. That area is sacred. It will remain vacant until the conclusion of camp, where those who make the team will then earn the right to step into the room.
“I don’t want to talk results in October, but we do want to see some results,” said Hasen. “At the end of the day, we’re still going to go through our process to get there and we’re going to build towards 20, 21, 22, 23, whatever games we’re going to play this year. We want to play the maximum amount we can this year. That internal competition is what’s going to make us better. And that’s where we are today as an organization. We’re pushing ourselves, which is great to see.”
The days are long and the competition is fierce…
…but nothing beats being back with the boys 💚 pic.twitter.com/BlSzddIrKF
— Rochester Knighthawks (@RocKnighthawks) October 26, 2024
A big area of focus for the ‘Hawks draws attention to the back of the floor, with several new defensemen, namely Chad Tutton and Josh Medeiros, added to supplement the left side.
“That left side has now become heavy, but still has that ability for us to push pace and match what we can do on our right side of things with Ryland Rees and Matt Gilray and Brad Gillies. We have an extra few weapons that will allow us to attack early in shot clocks. That’s one thing we want to play with. I think we needed the guys who we brought in. They’ve got a little extra grit and a little bit of sandpaper, especially the guys on the back end. We need to be tougher to play against. I think at the end of the day, the group that’s coming here is going to allow us to do that.”
In the case of defense, it’s addition. On offense, it’s the potential for growth within the roster that largely finds itself returning to run it back this season. McConvey is front and center of that list, with one of Rochester’s youngest forwards entering a sophomore season with grand expectations.
“The sky’s the limit for him,” said Carey. “You know, I think just looking at his strength and conditioning over the summer where he was to start the season last year; He’s a different man. He’s just an absolute beast right now. We’re really excited to see how he can progress from last year.”
“It’s competitive. You’re learning every night especially as a rookie. For him to have the experience from last year is going to bode really well for him and for us. Getting that chemistry with the guys in the offense and with his teammates is going to give him an opportunity to come into the season knowing what to expect. Knowing that he’s a driven man. He wants to be great and he’s going to be a really good player for us this year.”
“He got his feet underneath him,” said Hasen when speaking on McConvey. “He got comfortable with the speed of the game back playing box lacrosse. He’s played it his entire life, but he’s had a gap there where he hasn’t played too much, so it’s regaining that confidence and playing at this level in this speed. It’s a learning curve.”
Fields has dominated the NLL two years in a row. It’s hard to ask for more from your team’s top player, so, the ‘Hawks aren’t asking for that. A simpler approach is being taken by the 29-year-old.
“I just want to be the best version of myself each year,” said Fields. “The points and goals and loose balls don’t really matter to me. I don’t really care about that as much. It’s more team success than individual. At the end of the day, when you sit back and look at the year you had personally, none of that is ever above the team success. I mean, it’s great I thought I had a good year, but, you know, obviously we didn’t get to where we wanted to get to, and that’s to win a championship.”
Gone camping 🏕️ pic.twitter.com/Nsqv1HZXuS
— Rochester Knighthawks (@RocKnighthawks) October 26, 2024
And that message has been passed around the room from Carey. The individual successes haven’t led to enough team success.
“Our team is structured with guys that we feel can really spread the wealth when it comes to point production and defensively, we’re very deep,” said the team’s general manager. “Connor Fields is going to do what he does. We expect high things and great things from him every night. Ryan Smith has shown that he’s capable of doing that as well. Ryan Launchbury is another great example of a guy who can put up points.”
“We have the guys to do that, but we expect everybody to take a step forward. It’s not about who’s getting 50, 60 goals and 100 points. It’s about the team together. That’s something that we’re focusing on.”
Depth scoring, a rebuilt defense, and now, a healthy Rylan Hartley in goal. The Knighthawks have put themselves in a position to succeed. The belief is there within the staff and is intended to be instilled within the players throughout camp leading into the team’s home opener in Rochester on Nov. 30. The talent is there. The potential is there. The Knighthawks quest for a championship begins now.
“We want to be a part of this team and do something special with this team,” said Fields.
