(Rochester, NY)… One of the hard-working, toughest, and most selfless players to ever play in the National Lacrosse League has called it a career. Rochester Knighthawks defenseman Ian Llord announced today that he is retiring from professional lacrosse after 19 seasons.
Llord spent nine of his NLL seasons in Rochester, NY, two with the new Knighthawks and seven with the original Knighthawks franchise. The Flower City became a second home for his wife, Brooke, and children Hudson and Delilah. Retiring a Knighthawk was the only option for the three-time NLL champion.
“It means everything. This is the place where I felt like myself,” said the 41-year-old defenseman. “The first time around with (owner) Curt Styres was like a really cool experience with how talented the team was. Then, the second time around with (president and general manager) Dan Carey, starting it fresh again. He did a great job drafting some incredible people and keeping all the behind-the-scenes staff he could, who were really important to me, like Ripper (Craig Rybczynski) and Cebo (Tom Cincebox). So, it still had the same feel of a small family.”
Llord (far right) with Rochester teammates after winning the NLL Cup in 2013.
Llord spent the 2013 season to parts of the 2018-19 campaign with the first Knighthawks franchise. The seven-year tenure was the most successful of his pro career as Rochester advanced to the postseason four times. During his first two seasons, he helped the Knighthawks capture back-to-back titles in 2013 and 2014 during Rochester’s unprecedented run of three straight championships.
After spending four seasons with the Philadelphia Wings, Llord came back to Rochester to join Knighthawks 2.0. In his first season back in Rochester, he appeared in all 18 regular-season games and posted one goal, two assists, and 54 loose-ball recoveries. He also finished second in the NLL with a franchise-record 37 blocked shots in 2024-25.
“Ian’s an incredible teammate and someone I looked up to as soon as I entered the NLL,” said Knighthawks defenseman Brad Gillies, who played with Llord in both of his stints in Rochester. “Getting the chance to be teammates again in Rochester at the end of his career was great. To see the longevity he’s had is impressive, and I am glad I got to be a part of it.”
This past season, his second with the new Knighthawks, Llord took over sole possession of sixth all-time in NLL games played with 284. The St. Catharines, Ontario, native led the team in blocks with 24 and scooped up his 900th career loose ball, reaching 916 in his career. He also posted one goal and three assists, while collecting 48 loose balls. He boosted his all-time offensive numbers to 23 goals and 64 assists for 87 points.
Llord against Oshawa in March.
“Llordy was a tremendous leader, mentor, and competitor throughout his career. He set a high standard for our younger defensemen through his work ethic, professionalism, and commitment to the team,” said Carey. “He brought toughness, experience, and an edge to our lineup every night. We are grateful for everything he contributed to our organization and wish him and his family all the best in retirement.”
Llord leaves the Knighthawks as the franchise’s second all-time leader in blocked shots with 61. His 102 career blocks underscore the impact he made on the defensive end—so much so that some say his presence is the very reason the league started officially recording the statistic five seasons ago.
“When I started playing, they never counted blocked shots,” he said. “I know that’s something I started. Not many people can say they started a category. It’s just something I have been doing since juniors and kept doing it, and it kind of caught on.”
Joining the NLL in the 2006-07 season with the Wings, Llord made stops with Philadelphia, Colorado, Rochester, and Buffalo. Originally Buffalo’s fourth-round selection (42nd overall) in the 2005 NLL Entry Draft, Llord went unsigned by the Bandits and re-entered the draft the following year, where he was taken in the first round (fifth overall) by the Philadelphia Wings.
His second-longest tenures were in Philadelphia and Buffalo, where he played five seasons. His tenure in Buffalo began in 2007 and ended in 2012, during which he appeared in 65 regular-season games and nine postseason contests. He won his first Cup while wearing the orange and black, helping Buffalo win it all in 2008.
Llord with the Bandits.
Llord’s career, however, almost came to an end after the 2012 campaign, after being released by Buffalo. It was the urging of his wife, along with then-Knighthawks assistant coach Paul Day and some NLL mainstays, that convinced him he had more lacrosse to play.
“Brooke was the one who said to me, ‘I don’t think you’re done. I think you just need a change of scenery,’” said Ian. “Brooke kept mentioning that it’d be cool if Hudson and Delilah could see me play or remember instances of me playing. I didn’t think it would go another 15 years. I’m glad I listened to my wife. I just kept grinding it out and got a lot more years out of it.”
Llord’s path to longevity was fueled by a new focus on fitness. He didn’t let that chance go to waste as he started a new program with a new neighbor and fellow NLL player, Jay Thorimbert.
“I got refocused. I would go over to his house at five in the morning, and we would work out in his shed,” said Llord. “It revitalized my passion for the sport again.”
Everything that summer fell into place for Llord as he received a call from Day in Rochester, and he was headed down I-90 to join the Knighthawks. One of the convincing factors was the recommendation from Rochester team captain Pat McCready, who was just retiring after winning the 2012 championship.
“He said it would be a good fit for myself, and he loved everything about the organization at the time,” said Llord. “He gave me the heads up there too, and that was soon following a quick phone call with (then head coach) Mike Hasen and Paul. Everything has its time and place, and when I left Buffalo, it was time to go. It put me in the hands of some super talented players (in Rochester), and we won a couple championships, so it was a lot of fun.”
Llord vs Saskatchewan. Photo by Calvin So/Saskatchewan Rush/GetMyPhoto.ca
Llord also continued to win championships in the summer. The 6-foot-3, 220-pound defenseman is a six-time Mann Cup winner in Major Series Lacrosse, having won his first as a rookie with the Brampton Excelsiors in 2007, his second in 2013 as a member of the Six Nations Chiefs, followed by four straight titles with the Peterborough Lakers from 2017 to 2022.
He captured a Presidents’ Trophy in 2013 after leading the St. Catharines Saints to a Senior “B” title in the Ontario Lacrosse Association. In 2003, he won a Minto Cup as a member of the Junior “A” St. Catharines Athletics, helping the team to its second championship over a three-year span.
“I got to win at each level that I played in,” said Llord. That’s something that’s very special. It goes to show that I was very lucky to surround myself with really good teammates and really good people.”
“There’s something to be said about staying true to yourself,” he added. “My dad always told me to just let hard work speak for itself. Thanks to my parents, Chris and Rose, and my siblings Robin, Rebeka, Victoria, Ginni, and Dylan for all their support and sacrifice growing up.”
That hard work continues this summer in his hometown of St. Catharines. Llord is a member of the St. Catharines Athletics Junior “A” coaching staff, which includes Dan Coates, Corey Small, and Randy Mearns. Sean Allen and Day are also on the staff as general managers. Coaching is an opportunity for Llord to stay in the game and help local kids make that jump to the next level, as he did.
“I think with my experience, I can hopefully help some kids correct little things that I know some scouts are looking for because the margin of making a pro team is very, very slim,” he said. “I’m hoping Danny, Corey, and I can help some more Niagara-born guys get a chance to make an impression.”
Coaching could also be a pipeline back to the NLL for Llord in another capacity. If anyone can do it, it’s Ian Llord.
“I am coaching the defensive side of it,” he said. “Down the line, I would love to help out on a pro team in some capacity, but I know you’ve got to start somewhere and work your way up.”
Llord signing autographs after his final game. Georgia Swarm @ Rochester Knighthawks 04/19/26 (Credit: Jonathan Tenca/NLL)