Ready to Rock: Inside Toronto’s Training Camp

The Toronto Rock are on the move – albeit, temporarily. With needed renovations occurring at Hamilton’s FirstOntario Centre, the Rock will be playing out of Mississauga’s Paramount Fine Foods Centre, about 35 minutes northeast of Hamilton, for the upcoming 2024-25 season.

Having lost in the semi-finals to the Buffalo Bandits more often than Rock fans would like to remember, the team is hoping for a different outcome this year, and one of their strategies is to be a little heavier on defense and push in transition.

Tyler Hendrycks is hoping to be part of that solution. In the Rock’s preseason opener versus Calgary, Hendrycks played both ends of the floor throughout the four quarters. Normally a forward, he was a natural at leading the rush on transition from the back end. On one goal, he threw himself in front of a defender to allow a teammate to score unchallenged.

“I have a big body, a big frame so I just use it to help everybody as best I can, whether it’s a pick, a seal, or just trying to body check someone off ball to get somebody open, it doesn’t matter, I just do what I can,” Hendrycks said. “For me it’s a better opportunity to get more consistent looks at getting in the lineup. It’s always competitive so you always want to do whatever you can. You want to be the most versatile player you can be.”

Hendrycks made it into five games last season, scoring three goals and two assists. He missed time later in the season to have his appendix removed. Head coach Matt Sawyer said the team has high expectations for the former second-round pick.

“Everyone here has to solidify their spot on the team,” Sawyer cautioned. “He needs to figure out how to be productive, be it on offense, defense, whatever. Hopefully he earns that and he plays to a level where he does.”

The Rock have a number of returning veterans, players that have made their mark for the team over the years and are all but guaranteed a spot on the opening day roster, including Tom Schreiber, Corey Small, Dan Craig, Chris Boushy, and Mark Matthews on offense, and Brad Kri, Mitch de Snoo, and Bill Hostrawser on defense, not to mention 2023 Defender of the Year Latrell Harris, who will return to the lineup after missing last season due to injury. Also returning is captain Challen Rogers, one of the most versatile players in the league.

There are few spots available and a bevy of players looking to fill them.

In addition to Hendrycks, defender Elijah Gash is looking for a spot. Gash, who made it into four games in his rookie season, was acquired in the Panther City dispersal draft and has made an impression on the coaching staff. Versus Calgary, he took three penalties playing a physical game as he worked to find a balance with his new teammates.

“He’s first and foremost an athlete and that jumps out at you,” said Sawyer. “His compete level is through the roof. He’s a physical specimen out there and he’s really raw. We love how he plays with a bit of an edge and we think he’s in a good spot for us to coach him up.”

The Rock will soon begin the 2024-25 regular season, and all indications are that they should be a serious title contender once again after finishing at the top of the standings last season with a franchise-best 15-3 regular season record. It will be the playoffs when they are truly tested, and they look to get past the semifinal stage where the Bandits have stood in their way in each of the last four seasons.

“We’ve been so close the last couple of years and one or two games away from having another championship,” Matthews said. “The expectations are to win very year. That’s our goal this year and it is every year.”

It’s too soon for the coaches to talk about Buffalo, Sawyer said.

“We want to stack up wins and solidify a playoff spot and hope we’re playing our best when it matters. Obviously, we’ve fallen short the last two years in the semifinals but at the same time we’ve given ourselves that opportunity so that’s our goal, to be back in that position. We’ll have to answer the bell then.”

2024 NLL Training Camp is presented by Warrior.