It’s official. The Oshawa FireWolves are here.
The NLL announced Tuesday that the franchise is moving from Albany to Oshawa, Ontario for the 2025-2026 season. They will play out of the Tribute Communities Centre, which is the home of the OHL’s Oshawa Generals.
The news was first reported by Inside Lacrosse and Stephen Stamp last week, and was confirmed by the NLL in a press release Tuesday.
In the press release, Commissioner Brett Frood expressed his excitement about the move.
“This is a pivotal moment for our league and for the FireWolves franchise,” said Frood. “Oshawa sits within one of the core epicenters of the indoor lacrosse world in Ontario, and the Tribute Communities Centre provides the perfect stage for us to deliver an incredible experience for all NLL constituents. The energy and passion of the sports fans in this area make this an ideal home for the franchise and our league.”
The FireWolves announced the move in a social media post across their various platforms and their website. Below is an excerpt from that press release.
“This move represents both a new challenge and a tremendous opportunity,” said CEO Oliver Marti. “As the NLL continues to grow, we are excited to bring world-class lacrosse to Oshawa while enhancing regional rivalries. We also look forward to growing with our new community while never forgetting the fans and supporters who have been part of our journey in Albany.”
The move seemingly cements the NLL’s franchises ahead of the upcoming season, as the news follows the sale of the Rochester Knighthawks to the Seneca Nation earlier this month. After months of speculation, it seems that the NLL field is set.
The FireWolves spent four seasons in Albany, finishing with a 30-42 record. This of course included the 2024 season that saw Albany advance all the way to the NLL Finals where they eventually lost to the Bandits. They averaged 4,527 fans in those four years, according to nllstats.com. Prior to that, the franchise spent six years as the New England Black Wolves.
The move brings another franchise to the Greater Toronto Area. With the Rock moving back to Hamilton this year, the FireWolves will actually be the closest team to Toronto in the NLL. The team will also provide a great option for fans east of Toronto to watch NLL games in person, as the Tribute Communities Centre sits roughly 125 km from Toronto’s home arena.
The FireWolves will be the first team to compete in Durham Region, one of the richest areas for lacrosse in the country. Current FireWolves star Dyson Williams grew up in Oshawa.
The Tribute Communities Centre is the home of the Generals and currently holds up to 6,100 fans, but the city of Oshawa recently announced a partnership with the Generals that includes a 50 million dollar renovation of the building, according to the Durham Post. Construction on that project is meant to begin in 2027 and will increase the seating to 7,000.
The Generals averaged 5,591 fans last season, the third most in the OHL. That would be more than the FireWolves averaged in any of their four seasons in Albany. The Generals lost in the OHL Finals both of the last two seasons.
The FireWolves are the NLL’s youngest team and are coming off a season that saw them go 7-11 while dealing with numerous injuries to key players. They will look to return to their 2024 form when they went 11-7 and advanced all the way to the NLL Finals.