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 Original 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 On September 13, 2018, the NLL approved a franchise relocation to the city of Halifax. 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.Pegulas confirm they will take over the Knighthawks wivb.com 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.
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.
Team name and logo 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.
Current roster
Awards and honours +YearPlayerAward2020Graeme HossackDefensive Player of the YearJohn Catalano Executive of the Year2022Pat GregoireTom Borrelli Award2024Jake WithersTransition Player of the YearJohn CatalanoExecutive of the Year
All-time record Season Division/Conference W–L Finish PCT Home Road GF GA Avg Attendance Coach Playoffs+2020North 8–4 1st.6676–12–31391267,642Mike AccursiNo playoffs held2021EasternSeason cancelled due to COVID-19 pandemic2022Eastern11–7 3rd.6117–24–51981955,439Mike AccursiLost Conference Semi-Final2023Eastern10–8 3rd.5565–45–42382108,512Mike AccursiLost Conference Semi-Final2024Unified10–86th.5566–34–52232009,164Mike AccursiLost Quarterfinals2025Unified11–73rd.6116–35–42392139,789Mike AccursiLost Semifinals2026Unified8–108th.4444–54–518718210,338Mike AccursiLost NLL FinalsTotal6 Seasons58–44.56934–1824–281,2291,1268,636Playoff Totals5 Appearances4–8.3331–2 3–612414710,5950 Championships
Playoff results +SeasonGameVisitingHome2022Eastern Conference Semi-FinalsHalifax 13Toronto 142023Eastern Conference Semi-FinalsHalifax 11Toronto 152024QuarterfinalsHalifax 3Albany 92025QuarterfinalsCalgary 12Halifax 16Semi Final 1Saskatchewan 16Halifax 7Semi Final 2Halifax 9Saskatchewan 10 (OT)2026QuarterfinalsHalifax 10Vancouver 7Semi Final 1Halifax 12 Georgia 7Semi Final 2 Georgia 21 Halifax 10Semi Final 3 Halifax 15 Georgia 11 NLL Finals Game 1 Halifax 11 Toronto 13 NLL Finals Game 2 Toronto 12 Halifax 7
Draft history
NLL entry draft 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
References
External links