(Rochester, NY)… The Rochester Knighthawks will head north of the border this weekend for two scrimmages to kick off their preseason schedule in the Greater Toronto Area.
On Friday, Nov. 7, the Knighthawks will take on the Calgary Roughnecks at 8:30 p.m. at Brampton Memorial Arena. On Saturday, Nov. 8, the team will head to the Toronto Rock Athletic Centre for a 3:00 p.m. preseason contest against the Philadelphia Wings.
“The preseason gives us a great opportunity to evaluate where we’re at as a team and see how all the pieces fit together,” said Knighthawks head coach Mike Hasen. “We’re looking to get a good look at some of our younger and newer players, see how they respond in game situations, and assess our depth across the board. It’s about finding the right combinations and making sure we’re ready to go when the season starts.”
Rochester enters the preseason with 20 returning players from last year’s playoff team. The Knighthawks feature an offense loaded with talent, as they return 2025 MVP Connor Fields and high-scoring Ryan Smith. The Knighthawks’ offensive arsenal also welcomes back Thomas McConvey, Ryan Lanchbury, Kyle Waters, Brad McCulley, and Graydon Hogg.
The defense will also rely on returning stars, led by team captain Dan Coates, who is joined by Ian Llord, Chad Tutton, Tyler Halls, Brad Gillies, Tyler Biles, Jake Piseno, and Taylor Jensen. The transition team will again rely on Josh Medeiros, Matt Gilray, and Ryland Rees. In goal, the team will again be backstopped by the dynamic duo of Rylan Hartley and Riley Hutchcraft.
While much of the team roster carried over from last season, there are still plenty of newcomers. The Knighthawks bolstered their offense with the addition of Zed Williams, who was acquired from the Colorado Mammoth in August, in exchange for the 10th overall pick in the 2025 NLL Entry Draft. Williams has a championship pedigree, having won an NLL Championship in 2022. In 2020, he also won a championship in the Premier Lacrosse League and was named the second-ever league MVP.
The preseason matchups will be the first opportunity this season for the Knighthawks’ coaching staff to see their new players against NLL talent. McCulley arrived in Rochester near the trade deadline last season but didn’t see playing time during the 2024-25 season. The lefty forward will look to use his physicality and aggressive play to keep his teammates clean and find his spot in the squad.
Rochester’s seven rookies will make the trip for the preseason. Undrafted faceoff specialist Nathan Kapp will get his shot at the dot, while defensemen Conner Fingar, Adam Thistlethwaite, Mitchell Dunham, and Seth Martineau will also get their first taste of NLL action. Forwards Amos Whitcomb and Clifford Gaston are also expected to make their preseason debuts this weekend. Free agent goalie Jackson Brown and forward Gareth Haigh will also make their Knighthawks debuts this preseason.
Rochester will play their final preseason scrimmage on Saturday, Nov. 22, against the Ottawa Black Bears at 7:00 p.m. at Brampton Memorial Arena.
Rochester begins the 2025-26 NLL season on Sunday, Dec. 14, with a 5:00 p.m. matchup against the San Diego Seals. The Knighthawks then return home to Segar & Sciortino Field at The Blue Cross Arena on Saturday, Dec. 20, when they host the Philadelphia Wings at 7 p.m. For ticket information, please call (585) 510-1616 or email tickets@knighthawks.com.

