There is an NLL team coming to Durham Region, and they will officially be called the Oshawa FireWolves.

The franchise officially confirmed their new name and announced other important details during a press conference on Tuesday morning at the Tribute Communities Centre (TCC). The move from Albany was officially announced in August and was first reported by Stephen Stamp of Inside Lacrosse.

“Today is a historical day for the great City of Oshawa,” said Oshawa Mayor, Dan Carter. “This particular opportunity of bringing professional lacrosse will not only enhance our city, but those that play the sport and those that are dedicated to its rich history.” 

While the move was announced several weeks ago, the biggest new detail revealed Tuesday was the name. There was speculation that the team might opt for an “Ontario” moniker or stick with the NLL FireWolves brand that they have been using on social platforms. There was also potentially an opportunity for a complete rebrand.

But FireWolves owner Oliver Marti quickly set the record straight, confirming the team name and unveiling new logos and jerseys. The FireWolves added the Oshawa name to their logo, but otherwise the uniforms are essentially unchanged from last year.

Aside from the brand news, the theme of the morning was “partnership,” as all parties involved stressed the partnership between the league, franchise and building. Marti confirmed that the team and building had entered in a three-year agreement with a three-year option beyond that.

A big part of that partnership will be the renovation coming to the TCC beginning in 2027. Mayor Carter and representatives from the TCC stressed that the FireWolves will be a part of the design process for the renovations.

“I think it’s absolutely a requirement, it’s a professional team”, said Carter when asked about what the 50-million-dollar renovation accommodations for the FireWolves. “We’ve invited the FireWolves into the conversation on the design, and we want to make sure we meet their needs.”

Marti added that the team is looking to make the TCC home for some time.

“Moving isn’t a good thing,” he said. “We think we have our home here… and hopefully this is going to be our home for permanent.”

While some fans have had questions about adding more teams to Ontario, NLL Commissioner Brett Frood stressed that he was not worried about that, highlighting that Toronto is North America’s fourth biggest city. He added that the league views Canada as a major target market, and hopes every Canadian has a chance to watch the league.

As for potential rivalries with Ottawa and Toronto, nobody seemed shy to embrace the proximity between the clubs, even FireWolves Head Coach Glenn Clark.

“Based on the last month, it would be Toronto,” said Clark. “It’s a natural one for sure, but it’s nice to have a corridor of teams around Lake Ontario with Toronto, Oshawa, and Ottawa, and even Rochester and Buffalo”. 

Due to several teams around Lake Ontario and with a new one coming on the east side of Toronto, the FireWolves are hopeful that they’re able to draw from a wide variety of fans and take advantage of the deep roots of lacrosse in the Durham Region.

With six minor lacrosse organizations right along the water (Beaches, West Durham, Whitby, Oshawa, Clarington, and Northumberland) and adding in Uxbridge, Kawartha, and Peterborough, Oshawa is very optimistic that it can provide world-class talent to the TCC and one day, an NLL Championship. 

Clark and Marti also touched on the organization’s commitment to serving the local lacrosse population, and they both indicated their excitement at working with clubs in the area.

“We understand the tradition and the history in this area,” said Clark. “It’s going to be a great marriage of our group coming back, the players embedded in the community, and the ability for us to give back to the community, engage with young players and engage with the sport in general.”

In the question period after the press conference, Frood confirmed that the league is working on finalizing the schedule for the upcoming season, indicating that it would again be an 18-game format. He did not provide an update on the ongoing CBA negotiations.

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.

The TCC 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 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 Oshawa 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.

Interested fans can find information regarding Oshawa FireWolves ticket deposits here.

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