Calgary Roughnecks
Encyclopedia
The Calgary Roughnecks are a professional box lacrosse
team based in Calgary
, Alberta, Canada. They are members of the Western Division of the National Lacrosse League
(NLL) and play their home games at the Scotiabank Saddledome. The team name is derived from the roughneck
s who work drilling rigs in Alberta's oil and gas industry. The team is affectionately known by fans as the Riggers.
The Roughnecks were founded in 2001 and have qualified for the post-season every year since 2002. They have won three division championships (2005, 2009, 2011) and twice have captured the Champion's Cup
as NLL champions. They won both titles on their home floor, defeating the Buffalo Bandits
in 2004 and the New York Titans in 2009.
announced on March 28, 2001, that it had awarded an expansion franchise to a group of four owners led by Brad Bannister. The idea for the team was formed a year earlier during a Canada Day
lacrosse tournament where it was suggested that professional lacrosse could work in Calgary. Within eight weeks of Bannister contacting the league, Calgary was announced as the tenth franchise in the NLL at a cost of $500,000. The new team did not immediately announce its nickname, though Bannister stated it would relate to the oilpatch. The name was later announced as the "Roughneck
s", named after workers on an oil rig
.
Kevin Melnyk was installed as the coach and general manager, but as the season approached, Bannister felt that the team was in danger of not being prepared for the season, replaced Melnyk. He took over as general manager, and hired Chris Hall to be the coach. The pair sought to build a more veteran team that is typical for an expansion franchise, and traded their first draft pick, Blaine Manning
, to the Toronto Rock
for Calgary native Kaleb Toth
, who was expected to be the team's marquee player.
The team made its debut on November 24, 2001, against the Montreal Express
, a fellow expansion team. The Roughnecks lost the game 32–17 in front of 9,517 fans. The score shattered league records for total goals in a game with 49, and Montreal set a new mark for goals by one team. Another loss to the Express followed five days later before the Roughnecks earned their first win in franchise history on December 2 with a 17–11 defeat on the road versus the Ottawa Rebel
. The Roughnecks then won three of their next four games, including their first home win on December 14, against the Columbus Landsharks
. The team lost its last nine games, however, to finish with a 4–12 record.
In the 2002-2003 season, the Roughnecks enhanced their record to 9-7, with a very successful 6-2 record at home. Leading the team with 63 points was Tracey Kelusky
. Close behind him was Kaleb Toth
with 61 points. Before the season started Brad Banister promised the fans the playoffs and they were successful in achieving this goal. They travelled to Buffalo for the first playoff game in franchise history. The team lost 16-9 against the Buffalo Bandits
to get knocked out of the playoffs.
The Roughnecks continued their improvement in the 2003-2004 season with a record of 10-6. Lewis Ratcliff
lead the team with 71 points. Tracey Kelusky finished second with 69. Again Banister predicted a playoff entry and this time he predicted a home game to boot. Finishing third in the West the only way to get a home playoff game was to meet the third place team from the East. In the playoffs, the Roughnecks beat the San Jose Stealth
15-14 on the road to advance to the conference final. Again on the road, the Roughnecks beat the Colorado Mammoth
with a final score of 13-11. On May 7, 2004, the Roughnecks hosted the championship game against the Buffalo Bandits, who had knocked them out of the playoff the previous year. Calgary won the Champion's Cup
by beating the Bandits 14-11 in front of a home crowd of 19,289 in the Pengrowth Saddledome
.
For the 2004-2005 season former Roughneck player and assistant coach Dave Bremner was hired as General Manager.
The Roughnecks hosted the 2005 NLL All Star Game on February 26, 2005. This was the first NLL game televised nationally in the United States; it was broadcast on NBC
. Roughnecks' captain Kelusky took home the Most Valuable Player
award as the East beat the West in an 11-10 overtime win. The 2005 season saw the Roughnecks come in first place in the Western Conference for the first time in franchise history. This garnered them a bye in the first round of the playoffs. On April 30, they hosted the Arizona Sting
for the conference title and lost with a score of 19-15.
Prior to the 2005-2006 season the Roughnecks hired on former Buffalo GM Kurt Silcott to replace Dave Bremner and become the fourth GM in team history.
After beginning the 2007 NLL season
4-1, the Roughnecks lost three straight games, and Silcott fired the only head coach in Roughnecks history, Chris Hall. Silcott filled in as interim head coach for one game, and then hired former Roughnecks player Jeff Dowling as the second head coach in Roughnecks history on March 9, 2007. He was replaced as Head Coach for the 2008 season
by Troy Cordingley, while former Toronto Rock
Head Coach Terry Sanderson was added as Assistant Coach.
In 2008
, Calgary finished 3rd in the West with a 7-9 record, beat Colorado
in the division semi-final, but lost in the division final to the Portland LumberJax
. Despite this relatively successful season, general manager Kurt Silcott was fired. Team President Brad Banister gave no reason for the firing other than to say that "the team and Silcott are heading into different directions, and this move would allow both parties to succeed to their full potential" and that he would take over as interim GM.
The 2009 season
was the most successful in team history. After opening the year with a record five straight wins, the Roughnecks finished the season 12-4. This allowed Calgary to take first overall in the NLL for the first time ever. They would go on to defeat the Colorado Mammoth and San Jose Stealth in the playoffs and then triumph over the New York Titans 12-10 in the Champion's Cup
final to win their first NLL championship since 2004
.
began that he had placed the team for sale. He had talks with the National Hockey League
's (NHL) Calgary Flames
, who indicated at the time they were not interested in the team. Midway through the season, Bannister announced that he was late in meeting payroll and that the team was in danger of folding during the season. In a press release, he made an impassioned plea for the city's business community to step forward and save the team.
The announcement touched off several weeks of speculation about the team, its future, and the potential for the Flames to purchase the team. On the floor, the team shrugged off the team's instability, finishing with the best record in the NLL at 11–5. As they were set to face the Colorado Mammoth in the West semi-final, Bannister put out another plea to the fans for support in the playoff game, threatening to turn the West final, which Calgary would had had the right to host, to their opponent for the game. The Roughnecks defeated the Mammoth, and played the West final at home, but were eliminated by the Washington Stealth
in an upset by a 10–8 score.
The team's future was settled in the off-season, as Bannister announced on June 14, 2011, that the Flames had purchased the team, becoming the third NHL franchise to operate an NLL team after the Mammoth and Bandits. As part of the deal, it was announced that Bannister would assist in the team's transition period, and was replaced as general manager by former Calgary Herald
writer and Flames employee Mike Board.
Box lacrosse
Box lacrosse, also known as indoor lacrosse and sometimes shortened to boxla, LAX or simply box, is an indoor version of lacrosse played mostly in North America. The game originated in Canada, where it is the most popular version of the game played in contrast to the traditional field lacrosse game...
team based in Calgary
Calgary
Calgary is a city in the Province of Alberta, Canada. It is located in the south of the province, in an area of foothills and prairie, approximately east of the front ranges of the Canadian Rockies...
, Alberta, Canada. They are members of the Western Division of the National Lacrosse League
National Lacrosse League
The National Lacrosse League is a men's professional indoor lacrosse league in North America. It currently has nine teams; three in Canada and six in the United States. Unlike other lacrosse leagues which play in the summer, the NLL plays its games in the winter and spring. Each year, the playoff...
(NLL) and play their home games at the Scotiabank Saddledome. The team name is derived from the roughneck
Roughneck
Roughneck is a slang term for a person whose occupation is hard-manual labour, typically in a dangerous working environment. The term applies across a number of industries, but is most commonly associated with oil rigs...
s who work drilling rigs in Alberta's oil and gas industry. The team is affectionately known by fans as the Riggers.
The Roughnecks were founded in 2001 and have qualified for the post-season every year since 2002. They have won three division championships (2005, 2009, 2011) and twice have captured the Champion's Cup
Champion's Cup
The Champion's Cup is the trophy awarded to the playoff winners in the National Lacrosse League.-Winners:-Most Valuable Players:-Champion's Cup appearances:Only currently active teams are listed.-All-time Champion's Cup wins:...
as NLL champions. They won both titles on their home floor, defeating the Buffalo Bandits
Buffalo Bandits
The Buffalo Bandits are a team in the National Lacrosse League . They play at the First Niagara Center in Buffalo, New York. The Bandits played in the Major Indoor Lacrosse League from 1992 to 1997, until the MILL turned into the NLL in 1998....
in 2004 and the New York Titans in 2009.
Team beginnings
The National Lacrosse LeagueNational Lacrosse League
The National Lacrosse League is a men's professional indoor lacrosse league in North America. It currently has nine teams; three in Canada and six in the United States. Unlike other lacrosse leagues which play in the summer, the NLL plays its games in the winter and spring. Each year, the playoff...
announced on March 28, 2001, that it had awarded an expansion franchise to a group of four owners led by Brad Bannister. The idea for the team was formed a year earlier during a Canada Day
Canada Day
Canada Day , formerly Dominion Day , is the national day of Canada, a federal statutory holiday celebrating the anniversary of the July 1, 1867, enactment of the British North America Act , which united three British colonies into a single country, called Canada, within the British Empire...
lacrosse tournament where it was suggested that professional lacrosse could work in Calgary. Within eight weeks of Bannister contacting the league, Calgary was announced as the tenth franchise in the NLL at a cost of $500,000. The new team did not immediately announce its nickname, though Bannister stated it would relate to the oilpatch. The name was later announced as the "Roughneck
Roughneck
Roughneck is a slang term for a person whose occupation is hard-manual labour, typically in a dangerous working environment. The term applies across a number of industries, but is most commonly associated with oil rigs...
s", named after workers on an oil rig
Oil platform
An oil platform, also referred to as an offshore platform or, somewhat incorrectly, oil rig, is a lаrge structure with facilities to drill wells, to extract and process oil and natural gas, and to temporarily store product until it can be brought to shore for refining and marketing...
.
Kevin Melnyk was installed as the coach and general manager, but as the season approached, Bannister felt that the team was in danger of not being prepared for the season, replaced Melnyk. He took over as general manager, and hired Chris Hall to be the coach. The pair sought to build a more veteran team that is typical for an expansion franchise, and traded their first draft pick, Blaine Manning
Blaine Manning
Blaine Manning is an indoor lacrosse player for the Toronto Rock in the National Lacrosse League.. , Daily Gleaner-NLL career:...
, to the Toronto Rock
Toronto Rock
The Toronto Rock is a lacrosse team in the National Lacrosse League . They play at the Air Canada Centre in Toronto, Ontario. The Rock of the late 1990s / early 2000s has been called a dynasty, having won five NLL championships in seven years. From 1999 to 2003, the Rock appeared in an NLL-record...
for Calgary native Kaleb Toth
Kaleb Toth
Kaleb Toth is a Canadian lacrosse player who plays for the Calgary Roughnecks in the National Lacrosse League.-Professional career:...
, who was expected to be the team's marquee player.
The team made its debut on November 24, 2001, against the Montreal Express
Montreal Express
The Montreal Express was a member of the National Lacrosse League during the 2002 season. They played at the Bell Centre in Montreal, Quebec. They were inactive during the 2003 and 2004 seasons. The team remained inactive and the franchise was returned to the NLL after the 2004 season...
, a fellow expansion team. The Roughnecks lost the game 32–17 in front of 9,517 fans. The score shattered league records for total goals in a game with 49, and Montreal set a new mark for goals by one team. Another loss to the Express followed five days later before the Roughnecks earned their first win in franchise history on December 2 with a 17–11 defeat on the road versus the Ottawa Rebel
Ottawa Rebel
The Ottawa Rebel was a team in the National Lacrosse League based in Ottawa, Ontario from 2001 until 2003. They played at the Corel Centre in nearby Kanata originally, but then part-way through the 2002 season, the Rebel moved to the Ottawa Civic Centre, which is a smaller arena, but more...
. The Roughnecks then won three of their next four games, including their first home win on December 14, against the Columbus Landsharks
Columbus Landsharks
The Columbus Landsharks were a member of the National Lacrosse League from 2001 until 2003. They were based in Columbus, Ohio. After the 2003 season, the franchise moved to Phoenix, Arizona, becoming the Arizona Sting. This move was based on poor attendance....
. The team lost its last nine games, however, to finish with a 4–12 record.
First championship
Tracey Kelusky
Tracey Kelusky is a lacrosse player for the Buffalo Bandits in the National Lacrosse League and the Peterborough Lakers of the Major Series Lacrosse...
. Close behind him was Kaleb Toth
Kaleb Toth
Kaleb Toth is a Canadian lacrosse player who plays for the Calgary Roughnecks in the National Lacrosse League.-Professional career:...
with 61 points. Before the season started Brad Banister promised the fans the playoffs and they were successful in achieving this goal. They travelled to Buffalo for the first playoff game in franchise history. The team lost 16-9 against the Buffalo Bandits
Buffalo Bandits
The Buffalo Bandits are a team in the National Lacrosse League . They play at the First Niagara Center in Buffalo, New York. The Bandits played in the Major Indoor Lacrosse League from 1992 to 1997, until the MILL turned into the NLL in 1998....
to get knocked out of the playoffs.
The Roughnecks continued their improvement in the 2003-2004 season with a record of 10-6. Lewis Ratcliff
Lewis Ratcliff
Lewis Ratcliff is a lacrosse player who plays for the Washington Stealth in the National Lacrosse League.-NLL career:Ratcliff was drafted 49th overall by the Calgary Roughnecks in the 2001 NLL entry draft. In 2004, the Roughnecks won the Champion's Cup, defeating the Buffalo Bandits in Buffalo...
lead the team with 71 points. Tracey Kelusky finished second with 69. Again Banister predicted a playoff entry and this time he predicted a home game to boot. Finishing third in the West the only way to get a home playoff game was to meet the third place team from the East. In the playoffs, the Roughnecks beat the San Jose Stealth
San Jose Stealth
The San Jose Stealth were a member of the National Lacrosse League, the professional box lacrosse league of North America from 2004 until 2009. They played at the HP Pavilion at San Jose, which is also the home of the NHL's San Jose Sharks and the AFL's San Jose SaberCats. They relocated to San...
15-14 on the road to advance to the conference final. Again on the road, the Roughnecks beat the Colorado Mammoth
Colorado Mammoth
The Colorado Mammoth are a member of the National Lacrosse League. They have played at Pepsi Center in Denver, Colorado, United States, since the 2003 season....
with a final score of 13-11. On May 7, 2004, the Roughnecks hosted the championship game against the Buffalo Bandits, who had knocked them out of the playoff the previous year. Calgary won the Champion's Cup
Champion's Cup
The Champion's Cup is the trophy awarded to the playoff winners in the National Lacrosse League.-Winners:-Most Valuable Players:-Champion's Cup appearances:Only currently active teams are listed.-All-time Champion's Cup wins:...
by beating the Bandits 14-11 in front of a home crowd of 19,289 in the Pengrowth Saddledome
Pengrowth Saddledome
The Scotiabank Saddledome is the primary indoor arena of Calgary, Alberta, Canada. It has a seating capacity of 19,289 people.Located on the Stampede Grounds, on the east end of downtown Calgary, the Saddledome was built in 1983 to replace the Stampede Corral as the home of the Calgary Flames of...
.
For the 2004-2005 season former Roughneck player and assistant coach Dave Bremner was hired as General Manager.
The Roughnecks hosted the 2005 NLL All Star Game on February 26, 2005. This was the first NLL game televised nationally in the United States; it was broadcast on NBC
NBC
The National Broadcasting Company is an American commercial broadcasting television network and former radio network headquartered in the GE Building in New York City's Rockefeller Center with additional major offices near Los Angeles and in Chicago...
. Roughnecks' captain Kelusky took home the Most Valuable Player
Most Valuable Player
In sports, a Most Valuable Player award is an honor typically bestowed upon the best performing player or players on a specific team, in an entire league, or for a particular contest or series of contests...
award as the East beat the West in an 11-10 overtime win. The 2005 season saw the Roughnecks come in first place in the Western Conference for the first time in franchise history. This garnered them a bye in the first round of the playoffs. On April 30, they hosted the Arizona Sting
Arizona Sting
The Arizona Sting was a member of the National Lacrosse League from 2004 to 2007. They played at Nationwide Arena in Columbus, Ohio, from 2001 to 2003 as the Columbus Landsharks. On August 28, 2003, it was announced that the team was relocating to Glendale, Arizona...
for the conference title and lost with a score of 19-15.
Second championship
After beginning the 2007 NLL season
2007 NLL season
The Knighthawks had the overall top seed in the playoffs, but were unable to host the Championship game due to a scheduling conflict at the Blue Cross Arena.-Team Movement:...
4-1, the Roughnecks lost three straight games, and Silcott fired the only head coach in Roughnecks history, Chris Hall. Silcott filled in as interim head coach for one game, and then hired former Roughnecks player Jeff Dowling as the second head coach in Roughnecks history on March 9, 2007. He was replaced as Head Coach for the 2008 season
2008 NLL season
The 2008 National Lacrosse League season, the 22nd in the history of the NLL, began on December 29, 2007 and concluded with the Buffalo Bandits winning the championship game over the Portland LumberJax on May 17, 2008....
by Troy Cordingley, while former Toronto Rock
Toronto Rock
The Toronto Rock is a lacrosse team in the National Lacrosse League . They play at the Air Canada Centre in Toronto, Ontario. The Rock of the late 1990s / early 2000s has been called a dynasty, having won five NLL championships in seven years. From 1999 to 2003, the Rock appeared in an NLL-record...
Head Coach Terry Sanderson was added as Assistant Coach.
In 2008
2008 NLL season
The 2008 National Lacrosse League season, the 22nd in the history of the NLL, began on December 29, 2007 and concluded with the Buffalo Bandits winning the championship game over the Portland LumberJax on May 17, 2008....
, Calgary finished 3rd in the West with a 7-9 record, beat Colorado
Colorado Mammoth
The Colorado Mammoth are a member of the National Lacrosse League. They have played at Pepsi Center in Denver, Colorado, United States, since the 2003 season....
in the division semi-final, but lost in the division final to the Portland LumberJax
Portland Lumberjax
The Portland LumberJax were a professional lacrosse team in the National Lacrosse League , which started playing in the 2006 season and ended operations after the 2009 season. Announced by the NLL on May 11, 2005, the LumberJax played their home games at the Rose Garden in Portland, Oregon...
. Despite this relatively successful season, general manager Kurt Silcott was fired. Team President Brad Banister gave no reason for the firing other than to say that "the team and Silcott are heading into different directions, and this move would allow both parties to succeed to their full potential" and that he would take over as interim GM.
The 2009 season
2009 NLL season
-Pre-season:* August 19, 2008: The NLL announced that the Minnesota Swarm would be moving from the East division to the West division, giving the West six teams to the East's seven....
was the most successful in team history. After opening the year with a record five straight wins, the Roughnecks finished the season 12-4. This allowed Calgary to take first overall in the NLL for the first time ever. They would go on to defeat the Colorado Mammoth and San Jose Stealth in the playoffs and then triumph over the New York Titans 12-10 in the Champion's Cup
Champion's Cup
The Champion's Cup is the trophy awarded to the playoff winners in the National Lacrosse League.-Winners:-Most Valuable Players:-Champion's Cup appearances:Only currently active teams are listed.-All-time Champion's Cup wins:...
final to win their first NLL championship since 2004
2004 NLL season
-All Star Game:The 2004 All-Star Game was held at the Pepsi Center in Denver on February 22, 2004. The East division defeated the West 19-15, and Buffalo's Mark Steenhuis was named game MVP.-All-Star teams:-Awards:-Weekly Awards:...
.
New ownership
Bannister announced shortly before the 2011 season2011 NLL season
The 2011 National Lacrosse League season, the 25th in the history of the NLL, began January 8, 2011 and ended with the Championship game, won by the Toronto Rock 8-7.-Team movement:...
began that he had placed the team for sale. He had talks with the National Hockey League
National Hockey League
The National Hockey League is an unincorporated not-for-profit association which operates a major professional ice hockey league of 30 franchised member clubs, of which 7 are currently located in Canada and 23 in the United States...
's (NHL) Calgary Flames
Calgary Flames
The Calgary Flames are a professional ice hockey team based in Calgary, Alberta, Canada. They are members of the Northwest Division of the Western Conference of the National Hockey League . The club is the third major-professional ice hockey team to represent the city of Calgary, following the...
, who indicated at the time they were not interested in the team. Midway through the season, Bannister announced that he was late in meeting payroll and that the team was in danger of folding during the season. In a press release, he made an impassioned plea for the city's business community to step forward and save the team.
The announcement touched off several weeks of speculation about the team, its future, and the potential for the Flames to purchase the team. On the floor, the team shrugged off the team's instability, finishing with the best record in the NLL at 11–5. As they were set to face the Colorado Mammoth in the West semi-final, Bannister put out another plea to the fans for support in the playoff game, threatening to turn the West final, which Calgary would had had the right to host, to their opponent for the game. The Roughnecks defeated the Mammoth, and played the West final at home, but were eliminated by the Washington Stealth
Washington Stealth
The Washington Stealth are a member of the National Lacrosse League, the professional box lacrosse league of North America. Based in Everett , the Stealth began play in the 2010 NLL season, with home games played at the 8,513-seat Comcast Arena at Everett.The team was previously known as the...
in an upset by a 10–8 score.
The team's future was settled in the off-season, as Bannister announced on June 14, 2011, that the Flames had purchased the team, becoming the third NHL franchise to operate an NLL team after the Mammoth and Bandits. As part of the deal, it was announced that Bannister would assist in the team's transition period, and was replaced as general manager by former Calgary Herald
Calgary Herald
The Calgary Herald is a daily newspaper published in the Canadian city of Calgary, Alberta.- History :The paper was first published on August 31, 1883 by Andrew Armour and Thomas Braden as The Calgary Herald, Mining and Ranche Advocate and General Advertiser. It started as a weekly paper with only...
writer and Flames employee Mike Board.
All-time record
| Season | Division | W-L | Finish | Home | Road | GF | GA | Coach | Playoffs |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2002 2002 NLL season -All Star Game:The 2002 All-Star Game was held on April 21 at the Mohegan Sun Arena in Uncasville, Connecticut, where the North team beat the South 14-10. The MVP was Toronto's Steve Toll, who scored three goals. At the time, this also marked Paul Gait's final professional lacrosse game, as he... |
Northern | 4–12 | T–3 | 2–6 | 2–6 | 224 | 264 | Chris Hall | Missed playoffs |
| 2003 2003 NLL season -Awards:-Weekly Awards:The NLL gives out awards weekly for the best overall player, best offensive player, best defensive player, and best rookie.- Monthly Awards :Awards are also given out monthly for the best overall player and best rookie.... |
Northern | 9–7 | T–2 | 6–2 | 3–5 | 209 | 207 | Chris Hall | Lost in quarterfinals |
| 2004 2004 NLL season -All Star Game:The 2004 All-Star Game was held at the Pepsi Center in Denver on February 22, 2004. The East division defeated the West 19-15, and Buffalo's Mark Steenhuis was named game MVP.-All-Star teams:-Awards:-Weekly Awards:... |
Western | 10–6 | 3rd | 4–4 | 6–2 | 214 | 187 | Chris Hall | Won Championship |
| 2005 2005 NLL season The 2005 National Lacrosse League season began on January 1, 2005 and concluded with the championship game on May 14. The Toronto Rock won their fifth NLL championship, defeating the Arizona Sting 19-13 in Toronto.... |
Western | 10–6 | 1st | 6–2 | 4–4 | 216 | 208 | Chris Hall | Lost in division finals |
| 2006 2006 NLL season -All-Star game:The 2006 All-Star Game was held at the Air Canada Centre in Toronto, Ontario on February 25, 2006. The West Division defeated the East Division 14-13. The MVP of the game was Lewis Ratcliff of the Calgary Roughnecks, who scored 4 goals, including the game winner... |
Western | 9–7 | 3rd | 4–4 | 5–3 | 183 | 178 | Chris Hall | Lost in division semifinals |
| 2007 2007 NLL season The Knighthawks had the overall top seed in the playoffs, but were unable to host the Championship game due to a scheduling conflict at the Blue Cross Arena.-Team Movement:... |
Western | 9–7 | 2nd | 4–4 | 5–3 | 219 | 202 | Chris Hall, Jeff Dowling |
Lost in division semifinals |
| 2008 2008 NLL season The 2008 National Lacrosse League season, the 22nd in the history of the NLL, began on December 29, 2007 and concluded with the Buffalo Bandits winning the championship game over the Portland LumberJax on May 17, 2008.... |
Western | 7–9 | 3rd | 5–3 | 2–6 | 183 | 178 | Troy Cordingley | Lost in division finals |
| 2009 2009 NLL season -Pre-season:* August 19, 2008: The NLL announced that the Minnesota Swarm would be moving from the East division to the West division, giving the West six teams to the East's seven.... |
Western | 12–4 | 1st | 5–3 | 7–1 | 206 | 167 | Troy Cordingley | Won Championship |
| 2010 2010 NLL season The 2010 National Lacrosse League season, the 24th in the history of the NLL, began on January 8, 2010 and ended with the Championship game on May 15.-Team movement:... |
Western | 10–6 | 2nd | 5–3 | 5–3 | 193 | 169 | Dave Pym | Lost in division semifinals |
| 2011 2011 NLL season The 2011 National Lacrosse League season, the 25th in the history of the NLL, began January 8, 2011 and ended with the Championship game, won by the Toronto Rock 8-7.-Team movement:... |
Western | 11-5 | 1st | 6-2 | 5-3 | 198 | 181 | Dave Pym | Lost in division finals |
| Total | 10 seasons | 91–69 | 47–33 | 44–36 | 2045 | 1941 |
Playoff Results
| Season | Game | Visiting | Home |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2003 2003 NLL season -Awards:-Weekly Awards:The NLL gives out awards weekly for the best overall player, best offensive player, best defensive player, and best rookie.- Monthly Awards :Awards are also given out monthly for the best overall player and best rookie.... |
Quarterfinals | Calgary 9 | Buffalo 16 |
| 2004 2004 NLL season -All Star Game:The 2004 All-Star Game was held at the Pepsi Center in Denver on February 22, 2004. The East division defeated the West 19-15, and Buffalo's Mark Steenhuis was named game MVP.-All-Star teams:-Awards:-Weekly Awards:... |
Division Semifinal | Calgary 15 | San Jose 14 |
| Division Final | Calgary 13 | Colorado 11 | |
| Championship | Buffalo 11 | Calgary 14 | |
| 2005 2005 NLL season The 2005 National Lacrosse League season began on January 1, 2005 and concluded with the championship game on May 14. The Toronto Rock won their fifth NLL championship, defeating the Arizona Sting 19-13 in Toronto.... |
Division Final | Arizona 19 | Calgary 15 |
| 2006 2006 NLL season -All-Star game:The 2006 All-Star Game was held at the Air Canada Centre in Toronto, Ontario on February 25, 2006. The West Division defeated the East Division 14-13. The MVP of the game was Lewis Ratcliff of the Calgary Roughnecks, who scored 4 goals, including the game winner... |
Division Semifinal | Calgary 17 | Colorado 18 |
| 2007 2007 NLL season The Knighthawks had the overall top seed in the playoffs, but were unable to host the Championship game due to a scheduling conflict at the Blue Cross Arena.-Team Movement:... |
Division Semifinal | Arizona 13 | Calgary 9 |
| 2008 2008 NLL season The 2008 National Lacrosse League season, the 22nd in the history of the NLL, began on December 29, 2007 and concluded with the Buffalo Bandits winning the championship game over the Portland LumberJax on May 17, 2008.... |
Division Semifinal | Calgary 15 | Colorado 13 |
| Division Final | Portland 16 | Calgary 12 | |
| 2009 2009 NLL season -Pre-season:* August 19, 2008: The NLL announced that the Minnesota Swarm would be moving from the East division to the West division, giving the West six teams to the East's seven.... |
Division Semifinal | Colorado 8 | Calgary 15 |
| Division Final | San Jose 5 | Calgary 17 | |
| Championship | New York 10 | Calgary 12 | |
| 2010 2010 NLL season The 2010 National Lacrosse League season, the 24th in the history of the NLL, began on January 8, 2010 and ended with the Championship game on May 15.-Team movement:... |
Division Semifinal | Edmonton 11 | Calgary 7 |
| 2011 2011 NLL season The 2011 National Lacrosse League season, the 25th in the history of the NLL, began January 8, 2011 and ended with the Championship game, won by the Toronto Rock 8-7.-Team movement:... |
Division Semifinal | Colorado 6 | Calgary 10 |
| Division Final | Washington 10 | Calgary 8 |
Awards & honours
| Award | Winner | Season | |
| Most Valuable Player National Lacrosse League MVP Award The Reebok National Lacrosse League Most Valuable Player Award is given annually to the NLL player who is considered to have contributed most to his team's success... |
Jeff Shattler Jeff Shattler Jeff Shattler is a lacrosse player for the Calgary Roughnecks in the National Lacrosse League. Shattler is an Ojibwe, and also represents the Iroquois Nationals on the international level.-Professional career:... |
2011 2011 NLL season The 2011 National Lacrosse League season, the 25th in the history of the NLL, began January 8, 2011 and ended with the Championship game, won by the Toronto Rock 8-7.-Team movement:... |
|
| Rookie of the Year | Taylor Wray Taylor Wray Taylor Wray is a Canadian lacrosse player who plays for the Philadelphia Wings of the National Lacrosse League... |
2004 2004 NLL season -All Star Game:The 2004 All-Star Game was held at the Pepsi Center in Denver on February 22, 2004. The East division defeated the West 19-15, and Buffalo's Mark Steenhuis was named game MVP.-All-Star teams:-Awards:-Weekly Awards:... |
|
| Curtis Dickson Curtis Dickson Curtis Dickson is a two time All-American lacrosse player at University of Delaware from 2007 to 2010, and a current member of the National Lacrosse League's Calgary Roughnecks... |
2011 | ||
| Defensive Player of the Year | Taylor Wray (co-winner) |
2004 | |
| Transition Player of the Year National Lacrosse League Transition Player of the Year Award The Transition Player of the Year Award is given annually to the National Lacrosse League player who is chosen as the best transition player. This award debuted after the 2007 NLL season.-Past winners:... |
Jeff Shattler | 2011 | |
| Sportsman of the Year National Lacrosse League Sportsmanship Award The National Lacrosse League Sportsmanship Award is given annually to a NLL player. It "honors the combination of character and performance" shown by a player.-Past winners:... |
Tracy Kelusky | 2007 2007 NLL season The Knighthawks had the overall top seed in the playoffs, but were unable to host the Championship game due to a scheduling conflict at the Blue Cross Arena.-Team Movement:... |
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| Les Bartley Award Les Bartley Award The Les Bartley Award is given annually to the National Lacrosse League head coach of the year. The award was simply called the Head Coach of the Year award until 2004, when the award was renamed in honour of Les Bartley, the winningest coach in NLL history.... Coach of the Year |
Troy Cordingley | 2009 2009 NLL season -Pre-season:* August 19, 2008: The NLL announced that the Minnesota Swarm would be moving from the East division to the West division, giving the West six teams to the East's seven.... |
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| Executive of the Year National Lacrosse League Executive of the Year Award The Executive of the Year Award is given annually to the National Lacrosse League executive who is chosen as having the most positive impact on his or her team.-Past winners:... |
Brad Bannister | 2003 2003 NLL season -Awards:-Weekly Awards:The NLL gives out awards weekly for the best overall player, best offensive player, best defensive player, and best rookie.- Monthly Awards :Awards are also given out monthly for the best overall player and best rookie.... |
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| Champion's Cup Most Valuable Player | Curtis Palidwor Curtis Palidwor Curtis Palidwor is a goaltender for the Calgary Roughnecks in the National Lacrosse League... |
2004 | |
| Josh Sanderson Josh Sanderson Josh "Shooter" Sanderson is a lacrosse player for the Toronto Rock in the National Lacrosse League.... |
2009 |