fbpx

BUF at SD - Sat. 10pm ET on ESPNews Schedule

×
WK
1
Fri, Dec 2
FINAL
Philadelphia
8
Halifax
18
Sat, Dec 3
FINAL
Vancouver
8
Toronto
19
Sat, Dec 3
FINAL
San Diego
15
New York
14
Sat, Dec 3
FINAL
Albany
11
Buffalo
10
Sat, Dec 3
FINAL
Rochester
16
Georgia
11
Sat, Dec 3
FINAL
Colorado
6
Saskatchewan
18
WK
2
Fri, Dec 9
FINAL
Las Vegas
11
Panther City
13
Fri, Dec 9
FINAL/OT
Saskatchewan
12
San Diego
13
Sat, Dec 10
FINAL
Toronto
7
Rochester
11
Sat, Dec 10
FINAL
Vancouver
9
Calgary
11
WK
3
Fri, Dec 16
FINAL
Calgary
14
Vancouver
5
Fri, Dec 16
FINAL
Panther City
9
Las Vegas
3
Sat, Dec 17
FINAL
Buffalo
11
Toronto
8
Sat, Dec 17
FINAL
Rochester
14
Albany
13
Sat, Dec 17
FINAL
Philadelphia
13
Georgia
12
Sat, Dec 17
FINAL
Halifax
20
New York
11
Sat, Dec 17
FINAL
Colorado
12
Panther City
9
WK
5
Fri, Dec 30
FINAL
Halifax
13
Buffalo
18
Fri, Dec 30
FINAL
San Diego
17
Calgary
14
Sat, Dec 31
FINAL
Panther City
9
Saskatchewan
11
WK
6
Fri, Jan 6
FINAL
Philadelphia
14
Las Vegas
9
Sat, Jan 7
FINAL
Panther City
9
Rochester
17
Sat, Jan 7
FINAL
Halifax
14
Albany
11
Sat, Jan 7
FINAL
Buffalo
18
Georgia
9
Sat, Jan 7
FINAL
Toronto
15
New York
7
Sat, Jan 7
FINAL
Calgary
8
Colorado
9
Sat, Jan 7
FINAL
Vancouver
11
San Diego
16
WK
7
Fri, Jan 13
FINAL/OT
Albany
11
Halifax
10
Fri, Jan 13
FINAL/OT
Saskatchewan
10
Colorado
11
Sat, Jan 14
FINAL
Halifax
8
Toronto
17
Sat, Jan 14
FINAL
Panther City
12
Philadelphia
10
Sat, Jan 14
FINAL
Georgia
9
Buffalo
11
Sat, Jan 14
FINAL
San Diego
10
Calgary
14
Sat, Jan 14
FINAL
Las Vegas
16
Vancouver
19
Sun, Jan 15
FINAL
Rochester
11
New York
8
WK
8
Fri, Jan 20
FINAL
Buffalo
12
Rochester
15
Fri, Jan 20
FINAL
Vancouver
14
Las Vegas
15
Sat, Jan 21
FINAL
Toronto
14
Philadelphia
5
Sat, Jan 21
FINAL
New York
16
Albany
10
WK
9
Fri, Jan 27
FINAL
Rochester
7
Halifax
17
Fri, Jan 27
FINAL
Buffalo
13
Philadelphia
9
Sat, Jan 28
FINAL
Buffalo
16
New York
10
Sat, Jan 28
FINAL
Las Vegas
10
Saskatchewan
15
Sat, Jan 28
FINAL/OT
Toronto
11
Calgary
10
Sat, Jan 28
FINAL
San Diego
13
Colorado
9
Sat, Jan 28
FINAL
Panther City
20
Vancouver
7
WK
10
Fri, Feb 3
FINAL
Georgia
10
Colorado
13
Sat, Feb 4
FINAL/OT
Calgary
12
Halifax
11
Sat, Feb 4
FINAL
New York
14
Toronto
22
Sat, Feb 4
FINAL
Albany
5
Philadelphia
13
Sat, Feb 4
FINAL
Rochester
10
Buffalo
13
Sat, Feb 4
FINAL
Panther City
10
San Diego
12
Sat, Feb 4
FINAL
Saskatchewan
14
Vancouver
8
Sat, Feb 4
FINAL
Colorado
8
Las Vegas
13
WK
11
Fri, Feb 10
FINAL
Toronto
11
Georgia
10
Fri, Feb 10
FINAL
Saskatchewan
6
Calgary
13
Sat, Feb 11
FINAL
Halifax
14
Rochester
16
Sat, Feb 11
FINAL
Albany
12
New York
14
Sat, Feb 11
FINAL
Vancouver
13
Panther City
14
Sat, Feb 11
FINAL
Colorado
9
Calgary
13
WK
12
Fri, Feb 17
FINAL
Calgary
14
Vancouver
9
Fri, Feb 17
FINAL
Saskatchewan
16
San Diego
11
Sat, Feb 18
FINAL
Georgia
7
Toronto
16
Sat, Feb 18
FINAL
Las Vegas
12
Albany
10
Sat, Feb 18
FINAL/OT
Philadelphia
12
Buffalo
13
Sat, Feb 18
FINAL
Colorado
7
Panther City
13
Sun, Feb 19
FINAL
New York
12
Halifax
13
WK
13
Fri, Feb 24
FINAL
Panther City
12
Colorado
14
Fri, Feb 24
FINAL
Calgary
9
Las Vegas
11
Sat, Feb 25
FINAL/OT
New York
10
Rochester
11
Sat, Feb 25
FINAL
Albany
4
Georgia
20
Sat, Feb 25
FINAL
Vancouver
16
Saskatchewan
12
WK
14
Fri, Mar 3
FINAL
Buffalo
10
Halifax
9
Sat, Mar 4
FINAL
New York
12
Philadelphia
19
Sat, Mar 4
FINAL
Las Vegas
12
San Diego
15
Sat, Mar 4
FINAL
Rochester
8
Toronto
9
Sat, Mar 4
FINAL/OT
Georgia
9
Albany
8
Sat, Mar 4
FINAL
Saskatchewan
10
Panther City
16
Mon, Mar 6
FINAL
Toronto
10
Philadelphia
11
WK
15
Fri, Mar 10
FINAL/OT
Halifax
9
Buffalo
10
Fri, Mar 10
FINAL
Calgary
16
Colorado
10
Sat, Mar 11
FINAL
Albany
6
Toronto
12
Sat, Mar 11
FINAL
Philadelphia
10
New York
13
Sat, Mar 11
FINAL
San Diego
12
Saskatchewan
11
Sat, Mar 11
FINAL
Vancouver
14
Las Vegas
5
Sun, Mar 12
FINAL
Rochester
19
Georgia
18
WK
16
Fri, Mar 17
FINAL
Saskatchewan
6
Calgary
11
Fri, Mar 17
FINAL
San Diego
16
Vancouver
9
Sat, Mar 18
FINAL
Georgia
13
Philadelphia
12
Sat, Mar 18
FINAL
Toronto
12
Halifax
14
Sat, Mar 18
FINAL
Albany
10
New York
13
Sat, Mar 18
FINAL
Colorado
13
Buffalo
8
Sat, Mar 18
FINAL
Las Vegas
8
Panther City
11
Sun, Mar 19
FINAL/OT
Philadelphia
9
Rochester
8
WK
17
Fri, Mar 24
FINAL
San Diego
17
Panther City
9
Sat, Mar 25
19:00:00
Toronto
Albany
Sat, Mar 25
19:00:00
Halifax
Philadelphia
Sat, Mar 25
19:30:00
Georgia
New York
Sat, Mar 25
21:30:00
Calgary
Saskatchewan
Sat, Mar 25
22:00:00
Buffalo
San Diego
Sat, Mar 25
22:00:00
Colorado
Vancouver
Sat, Mar 25
22:30:00
Rochester
Las Vegas
WK
18
Fri, Mar 31
19:00:00
New York
Georgia
Fri, Mar 31
21:00:00
Las Vegas
Colorado
Fri, Mar 31
22:00:00
Calgary
San Diego
Sat, Apr 1
19:00:00
Buffalo
Toronto
Sat, Apr 1
20:00:00
Albany
Panther City
Sat, Apr 1
21:30:00
Vancouver
Saskatchewan
Sun, Apr 2
13:00:00
Georgia
Halifax
Sun, Apr 2
18:00:00
Rochester
Philadelphia
WK
19
Sat, Apr 8
19:00:00
Albany
Rochester
Sat, Apr 8
19:00:00
Saskatchewan
Georgia
Sat, Apr 8
21:00:00
Panther City
Calgary
Sat, Apr 8
21:00:00
Vancouver
Colorado
Sat, Apr 8
22:30:00
San Diego
Las Vegas
WK
20
Fri, Apr 14
21:00:00
Las Vegas
Calgary
Fri, Apr 14
21:00:00
San Diego
Colorado
Sat, Apr 15
19:00:00
Philadelphia
Toronto
Sat, Apr 15
19:00:00
Georgia
Albany
Sat, Apr 15
19:30:00
New York
Buffalo
Sat, Apr 15
21:30:00
Halifax
Saskatchewan
Sat, Apr 15
22:00:00
Panther City
Vancouver
WK
21
Fri, Apr 21
20:30:00
Calgary
Panther City
Sat, Apr 22
18:00:00
New York
Halifax
Sat, Apr 22
19:00:00
Georgia
Rochester
Sat, Apr 22
20:00:00
Toronto
Buffalo
Sat, Apr 22
21:30:00
Colorado
Saskatchewan
Sat, Apr 22
22:00:00
Las Vegas
San Diego
Sun, Apr 23
15:00:00
Philadelphia
Albany
WK
22
Sat, Apr 29
19:00:00
Philadelphia
Rochester
Sat, Apr 29
19:00:00
Buffalo
Albany
Sat, Apr 29
19:00:00
Halifax
Georgia
Sat, Apr 29
22:00:00
Colorado
San Diego
Sat, Apr 29
22:00:00
New York
Vancouver
Sat, Apr 29
22:30:00
Saskatchewan
Las Vegas
Powered By
MGM Logo
Scores / Schedule
Stories/Op-Ed

Veltman To Join Watson And Doyle In The Scotiabank Arena Rafters

Five NLL Championships in six appearances. One NLL MVP award. One NLL Sportsmanship Award. Induction into the NLL Hall of Fame in 2009 and the Toronto Rock Hall of Fame in 2014.

And before Friday night’s 7:30 p.m. game vs. New England, Veltman’s jersey will be lifted to the rafters at Scotiabank Arena. The induction can be watched on B/R Live ahead of the game in both the United States and Canada.

Since Veltman retired in 2008 as a 43-year-old, the Rock have retired goalie Bob Watson’s number 29 and Colin Doyle’s number seven.

Now, it’s time for the former captain to join them.

“To me, everything is about timing,” said Toronto Rock owner Jamie Dawick. “When Jim was done with his playing career it was right about when the new ownership was taking over. Bob’s (Watson) retirement came first and then we were on to Colin’s (Doyle) retirement. Now seemed like the right time to retire Jim’s jersey.”

The process of retiring a player’s jersey doesn’t take as long as one may think. Veltman got a call from Dawick only three weeks ago. Once he saw who was calling, he questioned what the call may be about.

“I didn’t expect it, which made it better,” said Veltman. “When he told me (about the jersey ceremony) I was really happy. It was one of those things that doesn’t sink in right away but after I hung up the phone, I sat back and I was flooded with memories about what it was like playing in Toronto.”

Though Veltman won five NLL titles with the Rock, serving as team captain for all 10 of those years, his NLL career began right over the US-Canada border with the Buffalo Bandits in 1992 when the league was still known as the Major Indoor Lacrosse League.

When Veltman was with the Bandits, the franchise won Championships in both 1992 and 1993. In 1994, they lost in the Finals before making it back in 1996, defeating the defending champion Philadelphia Wings, 15-10.

His first five years in Buffalo didn’t solely feature team success. “V” was named a Second Team All-Pro in 1992 and starting in 1993, he was named First Team All-Pro four consecutive years. Veltman was also named first team All-Pro in 1999, 2000 and 2004 and was named Second Team All-Pro four other years.

After the 1996 season, Veltman took a break from lacrosse. No, it wasn’t the early career success that stymied his hunger for winning the way Michael Jordan retired from basketball after winning three consecutive NBA titles. This break was far bigger than lacrosse. Veltman took off for Uganda on a humanitarian mission in June of 1996.

“My wife and I were working so hard at the time (both as teachers),” said Veltman. “We were recently married. We both said is this what the rest of our life is going to be, working all the time? So, we said to each other that we want to spend more time together and volunteer elsewhere. We always had an affinity for developing countries, volunteering wherever we can.”

He had no phone, no internet, and no way to communicate with anybody. It was just he and his wife, Teresa.

“The only way to access information was accessing fax machines at the local post office,” recalled Veltman.

“One day I was told I had a fax. It was Marty Cooper, the general manager of Buffalo. He said, ‘Jim I know you have been in Uganda for a while. We just want you to know you are still our property and we can’t wait for you to get back.’ The next week another guy says to me you have a fax again.”

“This time it’s John Mouradian. He said ‘Look, we wanted to let you know that we started a team in Ontario and we’re going to select you first in expansion.’

“I was all mixed emotions like what is going on? I didn’t have any way to speak to anyone, so I let it be till I got home. I then got in contact with the PLPA and told them that I was contacted by two teams.

“They let me choose between which teams I wanted to go to. It was a tough choice because Buffalo was very established. They had big crowds, and they were financially viable. But my friendship with Les (Bartley) and my trust with what he was able to build let me think ‘Let me play closer to home.’ Ontario was an hour closer to home (than Buffalo).”

Les was Jim’s coach in Buffalo for all five years and again for his first five years in Toronto.

I think Les really sold him on the idea that they were going to build the team around him,” said Georgia Swarm head coach Ed Comeau, who was an assistant coach under Les in Buffalo and Toronto, and briefly served as the Rock head coach in 2004. “They spent a lot of time together talking about the game of lacrosse and life.”

The first year in Ontario was a bumpy one. The Raiders finished 6-6 but they had a nucleus of young players. There was Chris Gill, Colin Doyle, Pat Coyle, Bob Watson and Dan Stroup.

At the end of the year, Bill Watters spearheaded a group of investors to buy the team. The next year, they were in Toronto and playing in Maple Leaf Gardens.

It didn’t take long for the Rock fanbase to emerge. During their inaugural game at Maple Leaf Gardens, the opening faceoff was delayed because there weren’t enough bodies in the ticket booth to sell tickets. The Rock were expecting 7,000 fans. 11,000 showed up.

When did Veltman know the Rock had a special team in Toronto?

“After the first championship,” recalled Veltman. “We didn’t have to win with any big names. We prided ourselves on being a team and it required everyone buying in. The changes every year didn’t impact us because we bought into the team aspect, similar to the New England Patriots.”

“I was given the captaincy, but in no way was I the only leader of that team. We had different people step up all the time. There were a bunch of collective leaders.”

The rest is history. Five straight championship appearances in the Rock’s first five years in Toronto. Five NLL titles. Two goals in the second half of the 2003 NLL Finals against Rochester. The most loose balls in league history (2,517) that earned him the nickname “Scoop.” And a legendary career by one of the game’s finest players and, more importantly to many, one of the game’s finest people.

Jim was an outstanding player and a great leader, but most importantly a great person,” said Comeau. “Everyone looked up to him on the team. He led by example in the way he played. I can’t imagine too many players or coaches that don’t have good things to say about V. That was one of the nicknames we called him. You’ve made it when your nickname is just a single letter.”

 

NLL