Knighthawks to Open Season Sunday in San Diego
Published on December 11, 2025 under National Lacrosse League (NLL)
Rochester Knighthawks News Release
(Rochester, NY)... The Rochester Knighthawks kickoff their 2025-26 season on Sunday, Dec. 14, when they open on the road against the San Diego Seals. The 5 p.m. EST game will be broadcast on ESPN2.
The Knighthawks are coming off a third straight trip to the National Lacrosse League Playoffs after winning a franchise-record tying 10 games. Forward Connor Fields made franchise history by becoming the first player in team history to win the NLL's Most Valuable Player Award.
Rochester's 21-man active roster features 18 returning players, including Fields, high-scoring forwards Ryan Smith and Thomas McConvey, playmaker Ryan Lanchbury, and veteran leaders Dan Coates, Ryland Rees, and Matt Gilray. The goaltending duo of Rylan Hartley and Riley Hutchcraft are also back this season.
During the three-game preseason slate, Lanchbury led the team in goals (six), assists (10), and points, while McConvey was second in points with 12. Graydon Hogg also posted five goals and five assists. Smith (4+4) and rookie Clifford Gaston (5+3) added eight points apiece.
New Faces: The roster features forward Zed Williams, who was acquired on Aug. 21 from the Colorado Mammoth, as well as veteran transition man Jeremy Thompson. Forward Nathan Grenon also makes his Knighthawks debut in San Diego. The Knighthawks also added newcomers Clifford Gaston, Adam Thistlethwaite, Nathan Kapp, and Mitchell Dunham to the practice squad.
New Ownership: The Knighthawks will open their sixth season in 2025-26 under new leadership and vision. On Aug. 5, the Seneca Nation, through its wholly-owned business subsidiary Seneca Holdings, LLC, purchased the Rochester Knighthawks, ensuring the franchise's future in the city. The Seneca Nation is a sovereign Native Nation and the largest nation of the Haudenosaunee, also known as the Iroquois Confederacy. The Seneca people have lived on the lands in what is today the western part of New York State for time immemorial, and have made countless contributions to the region's history, culture, and economy. Today, the Seneca Nation has more than 8,500 enrolled members, most of whom live on several distinct territories in Western New York.
Knighthawks Milestone Watch:
Zed Williams and Riley Hutchcraft will play in their 100th regular-season game on Dec. 14. Matt Gilray needs five games to reach 100, and seven points to reach the century mark. Dan Coates needs 11 assists for 100 in his career.
Stepbrothers: It's a family feud in goal on Dec. 14 as stepbrothers Rylan Hartley (Rochester) and Christopher Origlieri (San Diego) go head-to-head for the second time in their careers. Hartley won the March 29, 2025, showdown, 14-13, making 40 saves in the home victory. Origlieri stopped 46 shots in the loss.
Scouting the Seals: San Diego opened the season with a 16-13 road win against the Ottawa Black Bears on Nov. 29. Tre Leclaire posted a team-leading five goals and eight points, while newcomers Corey Small (3+1) and Connor Robinson (1+3) both chipped in four points. Goalie Christopher Origlieri made 37 saves to earn the win. The contest on Dec. 14 is the Seals' home opener and is the start of a three-game homestand.
Home Opener: The Knighthawks open their home schedule on Saturday, Dec. 20, when they host the Philadelphia Wings at 7 p.m. at Segar & Sciortino Field at The Blue Cross Arena. Single-game tickets, starting at $20, along with group tickets, suites, and party deck tickets, can be purchased at The Blue Cross Arena Box Office, online at www.rochesterknighthawks.com, or by phone at 585-400-HAWK (4295).
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