Josh Sanderson Inducted Into NLL Hall Of Fame

Nick Rose & Rob Hellyer Finish As Runners Up For Individual Awards

Oakville, ON – Toronto Rock legend Josh Sanderson was inducted into the NLL Hall of Fame on Tuesday night at the Toronto Rock Athletic Centre along with John Tavares and Tracey Kelusky in the class of 2016. The all-time Rock great now joins his late father Terry with their legacies cemented in the NLL Hall of Fame.

“I am very honoured and humbled to be joining the great players and builders of our great league and I’m especially proud to be joining my dad (in the hall of fame),” said Sanderson. “It’s a proud day for me to represent my family.”

Former teammate, long-time friend and now Rock assistant coach, Bruce Codd gave Josh’s presentation speech prior to the Rock great’s induction.

“A mark of a great player is how he makes other people better, and he did that in a variety of ways,” said Codd at the podium. “He’s a guy that didn’t say a whole lot but when he was speaking everybody listened, because what he was speaking about was right. Nobody ever questioned him and why would they.”

Sanderson spent 19 seasons in the league with Toronto (2005-2008 & 2012-2016), Rochester (1998-1999), Albany (2000-2003), San Jose (2004), Calgary (2008-2010) and Boston (2011). Won two Champion’s Cups (2005 & 2009) and retired fourth in NLL career scoring with 1,357 points (449+908). Ranked second in NLL history in games played (268) and assists (908), fifth in goals (449) and 10th in loose balls (1,216). Finished seventh on NLL all-time playoff scoring list with 100 points (35+65) in 23 games. Nine-time All-Pro (2000, 2002-2006, 2009-2010 & 2015) recorded 60 or more points in every season from 2002 to 2015 including five 100-plus point campaigns.

Rock forward Rob Hellyer was in just his second season in the NLL when the Rock re-acquired Sanderson prior to the 2012 season for his second tour of duty in Toronto.

“The love for the game he had, his work ethic, it was second to none,” said Hellyer. “It was amazing to watch him and just to be around him. He was always the first guy there and the last guy to leave, he watched a lot of video and he really taught me how to prepare.”

Two Toronto Rock players were nominated for individual awards, however both finished as one of two runners up for their respective awards. Rob Hellyer was a finalist for the Air Canada Wingman of the Year Award, which was won by Colorado’s Callum Crawford. Nick Rose was a finalist for the NLL Goaltender of the Year Award, which was won by New England’s Evan Kirk.

This wraps up a very busy few days on the NLL calendar and is also means that training camp is not that far away. The Rock will announced the team’s training camp schedule shortly as the countdown begins to the season opener on Thursday, December 29^th in Rochester against the Knighthawks.

2017 Toronto Rock season tickets are now on sale and start at just $195. For more information, please contact a Toronto Rock account executive at 416-596-3075 or visit torontorock.com.