One of the overarching storylines in the mid-2020s version of the National Lacrosse League centers around the influx of star-studded young talent that permeates throughout the enterprise.
Perhaps no NLL destination better represents this phenomenon more acutely than the Toronto Rock. Long defined by its wide array of veteran personnel, the Hamilton-based franchise currently takes the field sporting a mix of men who have been there and done that, combined with a core of youngsters who have made an immediate impact on the franchise.
At the very top of this new generation of Rock inventiveness stands a trio of guys who have each built upon sterling college legacies, becoming instantaneous forces to be reckoned with at the professional level.
OSHAWA, ONTARIO – National Lacrosse League between the Toronto Rock and Oshawa FireWolves at Tribute Communities Centre on November 28th, 2065 in Oshawa, Ontario. (Photo by Ryan McCullough / Toronto Rock)
C.J. Kirst was selected first overall in the 2025 draft. The New Jersey native earned the ’25 Tewaaraton Award amid leading Cornell to an NCAA championship, en route to becoming the leading goal scorer in division one history.
Owen Hiltz was chosen third in the ’25 draft after starring at Syracuse under the tutelage of NLL living legend Gary Gait, who has overseen the Orangemen program since 2021.
Sam English was the second choice in the ’24 draft, in the wake of sterling runs at Princeton and later Syracuse, where he was a teammate of Hiltz. Sam’s brother Ty was taken by the Rock, second overall, in the recently held NLL selection meeting.
With the Rock working through a bye week, leading up to a December 27 matchup with the Las Vegas Desert Dogs, the Kirst, Hiltz, English trio accessed their respective early impressions of life in the NLL, while also looking back at the journeys that led them here and looking ahead at what hopefully develops into a very fruitful future.
“It has been a great transition so far,” shares Kirst. “I’m just so fortunate to have the opportunity to be a part of such a great organization. From the top down, from the people who do work behind the scenes, to our coaching staff and then to the guys in the locker room, it’s been such a welcoming experience. During training camp, and now being two games in, we’re even closer as a team and as an organization. I’m just super lucky to be where I am.”
For English and Hiltz, the realities of taking the field in the world’s foremost box lacrosse league have hit home in a variety of ways.
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“It’s awesome,” exclaims English. “It’s been a blast so far. The game moves so quickly, and you have to stay locked in and stay ready at all times. Everybody’s an unbelievable lacrosse player, at this level. There’s nobody out there that hasn’t earned their spot.”
“It’s been a dream come true so far,” bellows Hiltz.
Hiltz and English’s voyage from aspiring youth players to simultaneously donning a Rock uniform has featured many similar strides along the way. The Peterborough and Burlington, Ontario products were classmates dating back to their days at Culver Military Academy. The twosome would later reunite at Syracuse, after English transferred from Princeton to the Upstate New York institution. Continuing their lacrosse careers together and doing so for their province’s beloved organization has been nothing short of surreal.
“Sam and I never really talk about how much we’ve played together. It’s more just bringing back old memories, kind of just chirping at each other back and forth, sometimes, just tough love. That’s what you get when you play with a guy for so long. We have that relationship that’s pretty special. It’s been a good journey so far,” explains Hiltz.
While Hiltz’s connection to Rock fandom has been a more recent occurrence, for English, playing lacrosse in downtown Hamilton is truly the culmination of a lifelong dream.
“This was the future of lacrosse for me,” reminisces English. “I think this is the first level of professional sports I saw. Even before I wanted to go to college, I wanted to play for the Toronto Rock. Growing up this was the team you rooted for. I was a massive Colin Doyle fan. I loved Stephan Leblanc, Blaine Manning, Garrett Billings, all those guys. Those are the guys I went to see at the Air Canada Centre. And those are my memories of growing up and watching this. It’s been cool to be a part of the program, and I feel like I’ve known the organization for a while, and to be playing for them has been pretty special.”
The Rock began the season with an 8-7 loss at Oshawa, with Kirst scoring the very first goal of the campaign. Toronto then took the field at the newly renovated TD Coliseum, defeating the Calgary Roughnecks 11-10. After two games, Kirst’s stat sheet boasts of three goals and five assists, including a one-score, three-helper effort in the home victory.
Based on both individual and team performance, December 13, 2025, is a day Kirst will remember for a very long time.
“Playing in the first home game was one of the cooler lacrosse memories I’ll ever experience,” beamed Kirst. “I will carry it with me for the rest of my life. Having the opportunity to see so many Rock fans and to see jerseys in the stands. The environment was so loud and electric. It was something that I dreamed about playing in front of for a long time. Having my brothers in the league and going to a lot of games, it was really special. I’m excited for the future to continue to play there and to hopefully keep making the fans happy. As we play in this new arena, it’s taken a lot of effort to put this organization to where we are today. I’m just so lucky to be a part of it.”
English, whose two-game exertion includes one goal, two assists and 13 loose balls, was equally in awe of the Rock’s $300 million refurbished place of business.
“It’s a beautiful arena. Walking in there the day before, it was cool to see and cool to understand what had gone into it, including the locker rooms, concourses and food. They put a lot of effort into that place. And you can see it for sure,” notes English.
Aside from being in the presence of one-another and applying their trade in such spectacular surroundings, this Toronto triad of talent feels so fortunate to be on a roster filled with so many role models to emulate.
Hiltz attributes a portion of his initial four-goal, four-assist start to a lighthearted approach to the game employed by a teammate who better than most understands what NLL success is all about.
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“You have those older guys that sometimes look at the younger guys and they’re like, ‘why are you taking it so serious?’ Sometimes Sam, C.J. and I will be a little too uptight, and you have Mark Matthews cracking jokes left, right and center, reminding you it’s a sport that you grew up loving. It’s just so professional,” laughs Hiltz.
Kirst has been struck by the examples being set by other well-established members of the squad.
“We have such a strong veteran presence in our locker room. Guys who have been playing for a bit. My locker neighbor, Dan Craig, is someone that I’ve watched every step of the way since we started in training camp, and he’s been doing such a great job of keeping the game simple for me. Talking and really just hanging out in the locker room and getting to know each other,” explains Kirst.
The first overall pick later said, “Challen Rogers, who wears our C, is someone who works so hard day in and day out, to put his best foot forward. I watch him very closely during practice and games on how he finds success.”
While the triumphant of young stars appear nothing short of thrilled regarding who they are currently surrounded by, English is also over the moon with the thought of his little brother Ty joining the Rock as soon as next season. Ty’s arrival will add to the family’s ongoing imprint on the franchise, as Andrew, the patriarch of the family, also serves as the club’s strength coach.
“It’s unbelievable. I can’t wait to get him in here,” envisions English. “Ty’s back home on break right now, so he’s been around the team a little bit. We’ve done some shooting, and he’s been there, and just knowing that he’s going to be a part of the team next year, it’s been a cool thing to think about. He’s an unbelievable player, and I think he’s going to help us a lot. I’m just thrilled for the family, for myself, for my other brothers, and for my parents. It’s a really cool opportunity for us to do something really interesting and fun.”
