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Halifax Thunderbirds

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Halifax Thunderbirds
SportBox lacrosse
Founded1995
LeagueNational Lacrosse League
Team history
LocationHalifax, Nova Scotia
ArenaScotiabank Centre
ColoursPurple, Orange, White, Black
       
OwnerCurt Styres
Head coachMike Accursi
Division titles1 (2020)
Playoff berths5 (2022, 2023, 2024, 2025, 2026)
Websitehalifaxthunderbirds.com

The Halifax Thunderbirds (known colloquially as the T-Birds) are a Canadian professional box lacrosse team based in Halifax, Nova Scotia, that competes in the National Lacrosse League (NLL). The Thunderbirds play their home games at Scotiabank Centre, which they share with the Halifax Mooseheads of the Quebec Maritimes Junior Hockey League.

History

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Original Rochester Knighthawks (1995-2019)

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Main article: Rochester Knighthawks (1995–2019)

The franchise began play in 1995 as the Rochester Knighthawks during the Major Indoor Lacrosse League era and first played their home games at Blue Cross Arena in Rochester, New York. The team made the playoffs their first 13 seasons in a row and won 5 championships between 1997 and 2014. In 2018 after losing to the Saskatchewan Rush in the NLL finals, it was announced the franchise would move to Halifax. Franchise owner, Curt Styres sold the team's original name and logo to Terry and Kim Pegula (Owners of Pegula Sports and Entertainment) and relocated the franchise to Halifax.

Following the relocation, PSE founded a new expansion franchise with the same name, who started play the following season. The new franchise based in Rochester is not a continuation of original franchise. All of the original team's championships and records were transferred to Halifax as part of the relocation. The new Knighthawks team also uses a different color scheme and logo than the original franchise.

Relocation to Halifax and after

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On September 13, 2018, the NLL approved a franchise relocation to the city of Halifax. [1] Curt Styres, the previous owner of the NLL's Rochester Knighthawks, moved the Knighthawks' franchise to Halifax, Nova Scotia. The Knighthawks intellectual property (name and logo) was sold to Pegula Sports and Entertainment, owners of the Buffalo Bandits, which founded a new expansion franchise that started play in the 2019–2020 season under the Knighthawks moniker.[2][3] While located in Rochester the franchise won 5 championships.

The Halifax Thunderbirds made their league debut on December 7, 2019, defeating the New York Riptide 12–4 in front of a crowd of 6,847 at the Scotiabank Centre.[4]

The Thunderbirds made their first playoffs in the 2022 season but were defeated in the first round in overtime 14–13 by their rival, the Toronto Rock.

On February 14, 2026, Maki Jenner did play-by-play for the Thunderbirds in a game in Halifax between them and the Buffalo Bandits, which made her the first woman to do play-by-play for the NLL.[5]

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According to the Toronto Star, Curt Styres got the idea for the team's name when he saw a lacrosse stick made from the wood of a tree that had been struck by lightning and wanted to reflect the "one in one thousand odds" that was the lacrosse stick's embodiement.[6]


Current roster

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Halifax Thunderbirds roster
Active (21-man) roster Inactive roster Coaches
Goaltenders
  • 35 Czech Republic Peter Dubenski
  • 76 Haudenosaunee Warren Hill
Defensemen
  • 4 Canada Graeme Hossack
  • 7 Canada Jordan Stouros
  • 13 Canada Ethan O'Connor
  • 15 Canada Johnny Pearson
  • 18 Canada Jake Withers
  • 19 Haudenosaunee Nonkon Thompson
  • 27 Canada Curtis Romanchych
Forwards
  • 00 Canada Alex Marinier
  • 11 Canada Jason Knox
  • 16 Canada Will MacLeod
  • 20 Canada Mike Robinson
  • 24 Canada Clarke Petterson
  • 28 Republic of Ireland Stephen Keogh
  • 47 United States Cole Kirst
  • 83 Canada Randy Staats
  • 85 Haudenosaunee Wake:Riat Bowhunter
  • 88 Haudenosaunee Cody Jamieson
  • 91 Canada Thomas Hoggarth
Transition
  • 2 Canada Casey Wilson
  • 8 United States Austin Blumbergs
  • 21 Haudenosaunee Brendan Bomberry
  • 34 United States Ryan Terefenko
  • 44 Canada Colton Armstrong
Practice squad
  • 31 Canada Justin Geddie
  • 42 Haudenosaunee Stone Jacobs
  • 52 Canada Brooker Muir
Injured reserve
  • 9 Canada Max Wilson
  • 19 Haudenosaunee Nonkon Thompson
  • 22 Canada Sam La Roue
  • 59 Canada Levi Touhey
  • 68 Canada Trevor Smyth
  • 77 Canada Alex Kew
Holdout
  • 14 Canada Daniel Amesbury
Head coach

{{{Head Coach}}}

Legend
  • * Suspended list
  • (C) Captain
  • (A) Alternate captain

Roster updated 2026-05-27
NLL Transactions

Awards and honours

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Year Player Award
2020 Graeme Hossack Defensive Player of the Year
John Catalano Executive of the Year
2022 Pat Gregoire Tom Borrelli Award
2024 Jake Withers Transition Player of the Year
John Catalano Executive of the Year

All-time record

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Season Division/Conference[a] W–L Finish PCT Home Road GF GA Avg Attendance Coach Playoffs
2020 North 8–4 1st .667 6–1 2–3 139 126 7,642 Mike Accursi No playoffs held
2021 Eastern Season cancelled due to COVID-19 pandemic
2022 Eastern 11–7 3rd .611 7–2 4–5 198 195 5,439 Mike Accursi Lost Conference Semi-Final
2023 Eastern 10–8 3rd .556 5–4 5–4 238 210 8,512 Mike Accursi Lost Conference Semi-Final
2024 Unified 10–8 6th .556 6–3 4–5 223 200 9,164 Mike Accursi Lost Quarterfinals
2025 Unified 11–7 3rd .611 6–3 5–4 239 213 9,789 Mike Accursi Lost Semifinals
2026 Unified 8–10 8th .444 4–5 4–5 187 182 10,338 Mike Accursi Lost NLL Finals
Total 6 Seasons 58–44 .569 34–18 24–28 1,229 1,126 8,636
Playoff Totals 5 Appearances 4–8 .333 1–2 3–6 124 147 10,595 0 Championships

Playoff results

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Season Game Visiting Home
2022 Eastern Conference Semi-Finals Halifax 13 Toronto 14
2023 Eastern Conference Semi-Finals Halifax 11 Toronto 15
2024 Quarterfinals Halifax 3 Albany 9
2025 Quarterfinals Calgary 12 Halifax 16
Semi Final 1 Saskatchewan 16 Halifax 7
Semi Final 2 Halifax 9 Saskatchewan 10 (OT)
2026 Quarterfinals Halifax 10 Vancouver 7
Semi Final 1 Halifax 12 Georgia 7
Semi Final 2 Georgia 21 Halifax 10
Semi Final 3 Halifax 15 Georgia 11
NLL Finals Game 1 Halifax 11 Toronto 13
NLL Finals Game 2 Toronto 12 Halifax 7

Draft history

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NLL entry draft

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First-round selections

  • 2019: Clarke Petterson (5th overall), Trevor Smyth (14th overall)
  • 2020: Ethan Riggs (11th overall)
  • 2021: Max Wilson (12th overall)
  • 2022: Wake:Riat "Bo" Bowhunter (12th overall)
  • 2023: None
  • 2024: None
  • 2025: Alex Marinier (6th overall), Will MacLeod (12th overall)

Notes

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  1. ^ Conference play began in the 2022 season

References

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  1. ^ "National Lacrosse League Awards Halifax Franchise". Retrieved September 13, 2018.
  2. ^ Pegulas confirm they will take over the Knighthawks wivb.com
  3. ^ "National Lacrosse League relocates Rochester Knighthawks to Halifax". Retrieved September 13, 2018.
  4. ^ "NLL: Halifax Thunderbirds Kick Off New Era With Win in Front of 6,847 Home Fans". Retrieved January 30, 2020.
  5. ^ Hoffman, Josh (February 16, 2026). "Halifax Thunderbirds' Maki Jenner becomes first woman to do play-by-play for NLL". CBC News. Nova Scotia: Canadian Broadcasting Corporation. Retrieved April 1, 2026.
  6. ^ "League names new pro lacrosse team Halifax Thunderbirds". thestar.com. February 16, 2019. Retrieved January 29, 2023.
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