(Rochester, NY)… Rochester Knighthawks President and General Manager Dan Carey announced today that the team has acquired Fairport, NY, native Blaze Riorden from the Philadelphia Wings for a 2027 second-round pick.
“Blaze brings even more size and leadership to our forward group,” Carey said. “He knows how to get to the dirty areas of the floor and is a vocal leader. He will be a great role model for our younger players on and off the floor, and it’s always nice to bring a player home.”
“Growing up in Fairport, NY, lacrosse has been in my blood, and the Rochester Knighthawks allowed me to dream big,” Riorden said. “I couldn’t be more excited to come back home and play for such a storied franchise in front of family, friends, and kids with the same dream. I’m excited to get to work with this group. Let’s go Hawks!”
Over seven seasons in Philadelphia, Riorden made himself an NLL regular. Ahead of the 2023-24 season, he was announced as the team’s captain and wore the C through the 2024-25 campaign. Coming into the 2025-26 season, he averaged just under 50 points a year. He adds size and secondary scoring to a loaded lefty side with Connor Fields, Thomas McConvey, Graydon Hogg, and Brad McCulley.
Riorden has a long list of lacrosse accomplishments as a goalie in the field game, he’s a five-time goaltender of the year, but takes his talents to the offensive end of the floor in the box. He’s been selected by Team USA three times for the World Lacrosse Box Championship, in 2015, 2019, and most recently in 2024, when he captained the squad to a silver medal finish.
He entered the NLL as an undrafted free agent with the Buffalo Bandits in 2017. Following a season there and a year not playing in 2018, he was signed by the Wings at the start of their new expansion era in 2019.
Riorden is coming home for the first time since the Rochester Rattlers moved to Dallas in Major League Lacrosse in 2018. He is also familiar with some current Knighthawks, having played with Ian Llord and Chad Tutton when they were Wings.
Most Upstate New York Lacrosse fans will remember his time attending the University at Albany, where he started all four years. He backstopped the Great Danes through the Thompson era and left a highlight every lacrosse fan will remember. In the first round of the 2015 NCAA playoffs, Riorden scooped up a loose ball in front of his own crease and drove the length of the field. He split two defenders, threw a fake, and then ripped a shot into the top corner with his goalie stick in a dominant Albany win over the Cornell Big Red.