2008 Toronto Rock season

The Toronto Rock are a lacrosse team based in Toronto playing in the National Lacrosse League (NLL). The 2008 season was the 12th in franchise history, and 11th as the Rock.

2008 Toronto Rock
LeagueNLL
Division6th East
2008 record7–9
Home record4–5
Road record3–4
Goals for172
Goals against174
General ManagerMike Kloepfer
CoachGlenn Clark
CaptainJim Veltman
Alternate captainsBlaine Manning
Chris Driscoll
ArenaAir Canada Centre
Average attendance14,572[1]
Team leaders
GoalsLewis Ratcliff (42)
AssistsLewis Ratcliff (50)
PointsLewis Ratcliff (92)
Penalties in minutesCam Woods (78)
Loose BallsJim Veltman (122)
WinsBob Watson (7)
Goals against averageBob Watson (10.34)

The 2008 season almost never happened. On October 16, 2007 the league released a statement officially cancelling the season, after no agreement could be reached on a new collective bargaining agreement.[2] However, negotiations continued, and on October 25, the league announced that a new CBA has been agreed on, and that the season would proceed.[3] The new revised schedule was released on November 2, 2007, but only included 12 of the expected 14 teams were included. The expansion Boston Blazers and 2007 Western division champion Arizona Sting had decided for "a number of business reasons"[4] to opt out of the 2008 season and return in 2009. Due to the short time frame between the agreement on a new CBA and the start of the season, the New York Titans were unable to secure 8 home dates for the revised schedule, and thus both the Toronto Rock and Buffalo Bandits hosted a Titans home game in their own arena.

The Rock had their second consecutive sub-.500 season, finishing 7–9, and out of the playoffs for the first time since they were the Ontario Raiders in 1998. Despite the losing season, veteran Bob Watson was named NLL Goaltender of the Year.

This was captain Jim Veltman's final season as a player; he retired after 16 seasons and joined the Rock coaching staff in 2009.

Regular season

Conference standings

Reference: [5]

East Division
PTeamGPWLPCTGBHomeRoadGFGADiffGF/GPGA/GP

1Buffalo Bandits – xyz16106.6250.07–23–4203174+2912.6910.88
2Minnesota Swarm – x16106.6250.06–24–4199196+312.4412.25
3New York Titans – x16106.6250.05–15–5197186+1112.3111.62
4Philadelphia Wings – x16106.6250.07–13–5225220+514.0613.75
5Rochester Knighthawks1688.5002.04–44–4197171+2612.3110.69
6Toronto Rock1679.4383.04–53–4172174-210.7510.88
7Chicago Shamrox16610.3754.03–53–5176212-3611.0013.25
West Division
PTeamGPWLPCTGBHomeRoadGFGADiffGF/GPGA/GP

1San Jose Stealth – xy1697.5620.04–45–3185172+1311.5610.75
2Colorado Mammoth – x1697.5620.06–23–5184167+1711.5010.44
3Calgary Roughnecks – x1679.4382.05–32–6183178+511.4411.12
4Portland LumberJax – x16610.3753.03–53–5179194-1511.1912.12
5Edmonton Rush16412.2505.03–51–7141197-568.8112.31

x: Clinched playoff berth; c: Clinched playoff berth by crossing over to another division; y: Clinched division; z: Clinched best regular season record; GP: Games Played
W: Wins; L: Losses; GB: Games back; PCT: Win percentage; Home: Record at Home; Road: Record on the Road; GF: Goals scored; GA: Goals allowed
Differential: Difference between goals scored and allowed; GF/GP: Average number of goals scored per game; GA/GP: Average number of goals allowed per game

Game log

Reference:[6]

Game Date Opponent Location Score OT Attendance Record
1 January 5, 2008 @ Chicago Shamrox Sears Centre W 11–9 6,116 1–0
2 January 11, 2008 Minnesota Swarm Air Canada Centre L 16–17 OT 13,317 1–1
3 January 12, 2008 @ Minnesota Swarm Xcel Energy Center L 4–11 10,104 1–2
4 January 19, 2008 @ Edmonton Rush Rexall Place W 14–9 12,107 2–2
5 January 26, 2008 New York Titans Air Canada Centre W 14–10 14,142 3–2
6 February 9, 2008 @ Rochester Knighthawks Blue Cross Arena L 4–11 9,925 3–3
7 February 15, 2008 Buffalo Bandits Air Canada Centre W 11–8 14,611 4–3
8 March 1, 2008 Calgary Roughnecks Air Canada Centre W 9–7 14,542 5–3
9 March 14, 2008 New York Titans Air Canada Centre L 10–14 14,233 5–4
10 March 21, 2008 Edmonton Rush Air Canada Centre W 14–9 14,312 6–4
11 March 22, 2008 @ Buffalo Bandits HSBC Arena W 13–9 15,230 7–4
12 April 5, 2008 Rochester Knighthawks Air Canada Centre L 6–9 15,422 7–5
13 April 6, 2008 @ Philadelphia Wings (1987–2014) Wachovia Center L 9–11 10,244 7–6
14 April 12, 2008 Chicago Shamrox Air Canada Centre L 12–13 OT 15,238 7–7
15 April 19, 2008 @ Calgary Roughnecks Pengrowth Saddledome L 11–12 OT 1,808 7–8
16 April 27, 2008 Philadelphia Wings (1987–2014) Air Canada Centre L 14–15 15,332 7–9

Player stats

Reference:[7]

Runners (Top 10)

Note: GP = Games played; G = Goals; A = Assists; Pts = Points; LB = Loose Balls; PIM = Penalty Minutes

Player GP G A Pts LB PIM
Lewis Ratcliff174250929110
Blaine Manning16304474904
Aaron Wilson16282250904
Josh Sanderson11232750616
Ryan Benesch141931507138
Kasey Beirnes16151429578
Rob Marshall16717241098
Jim Veltman14617231228
Cam Woods14612188178
Totals257429349111436

Goaltenders

Note: GP = Games Played; MIN = Minutes; W = Wins; L = Losses; GA = Goals Against; Sv% = Save Percentage; GAA = Goals Against Average

Player GP MIN W L GA Sv% GAA
Bob Watson15812:3876140.78610.34
Mike Poulin16153:040332.74012.54
Mike Attwood10:00000.000.00
Totals79 174 .776 10.88

Awards
PlayerAward
Bob Watson[8] NLL Goaltender of the Year
Bob WatsonFirst Team All-Pro
Jim VeltmanAll-Stars
Peter Lough
Bob Watson

Transactions

Trades
March 25, 2008[9]
 To Toronto Rock
Lewis Ratcliff
conditional first or second round pick, 2009 entry draft		 To Calgary Roughnecks
Josh Sanderson
first round pick, 2008 entry draft
March 11, 2008[10]
 To Toronto Rock
second round pick, 2009 entry draft		 To Minnesota Swarm
Ian Rubel

Roster

Reference:[7]

No. Position Player
Goalie Mike Attwood
? Matt Baker
33 Fwd Kasey Beirnes
21 Fwd Ryan Benesch
37 Def Scott Campbell
23 Def Matt Carroll
93 Trans Chris Driscoll
9 Fwd Jon Harasym
? James Hinkson
6 Def Dan Ladouceur
27 Def Peter Lough
Def Brad MacArthur
17 Fwd Mike MacLeod
16 Fwd Blaine Manning
14 Trans Rob Marshall
Fwd Tim O'Brien
30 Goalie Mike Poulin
No. Position Player
42 Fwd Lewis Ratcliff
Def Bryan Riddell
Def Ian Rubel
Fwd Josh Sanderson
Fwd Nathan Sanderson
15 Fwd Mark Scherman
Fwd Matt Shearer
13 Def Stewart
7 Def Derek Suddons
40 Fwd Jamie Taylor
94 Fwd Matt Taylor
Def Chad Thompson
32 Trans Jim Veltman
29 Goalie Bob Watson
10 Fwd Aaron Wilson
20 Def Jay Winder
22 Def Cam Woods

See also

References
  1. "Attendance". statscrew.com. Retrieved August 9, 2019.
  2. "2008 Season Cancelled". NLL.com. 2007-10-16. Archived from the original on 17 October 2007. Retrieved 2007-10-16.
  3. "NLL, PLPA reach seven-year deal". NLL.com. October 25, 2007. Archived from the original on 26 October 2007. Retrieved 2007-10-25.
  4. "League Releases New 2008 Schedule". NLL.com. November 2, 2007. Archived from the original on 6 November 2007. Retrieved 2007-11-02.
  5. "National Lacrosse League - 2008 Regular Season - Standings". NLL.com. Retrieved May 3, 2012.
  6. "Toronto Rock - 2008 Regular Season - Game Schedule". NLL.com. Retrieved May 3, 2012.
  7. "2008 Toronto Rock Statistics". statscrew.com. Retrieved August 9, 2019.
  8. "Watson Named US Navy Goalie of the Year". NLL.com. May 7, 2008. Archived from the original on 10 May 2008. Retrieved 2008-05-07.
  9. "Ratcliff, Sanderson Swapped". NLL.com. March 25, 2008. Archived from the original on 28 March 2008. Retrieved 2008-05-02.
  10. "Toronto Trades Rubel to Minnesota". NLL.com. March 11, 2008. Retrieved 2008-05-02.
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