The wait is almost over.
The Roughnecks are set to hit the floor for training camp at the end of October as preparations officially get underway for the 2026-27 National Lacrosse League season.
Following a busy offseason that saw the Riggers add talent through the NLL Dispersal Draft, free agency and the 2026 NLL Entry Draft, there will be plenty of familiar faces and new additions looking to make an impact ahead of the upcoming campaign.
Calgary will look to build off a strong offensive showing from Tanner Cook, Tyler Pace, Haiden Dickson, Brayden Mayea and Noah Manning, who were key contributors for the Riggers last season.
Cook led the NLL with 49 goals and finished the campaign with 101 points, while Pace also surpassed the 100-point mark and recorded his 300th career NLL assist. Mayea, meanwhile, enjoyed a breakout season with 31 goals and 68 points, posting multiple highlight reel goals while taking on a larger role in Calgary’s offence en route to his best season in the NLL. Dickson was just five points back of Mayea, finishing with 28 goals, while Manning had 15 goals in his rookie campaign.
They will be joined by a number of new faces looking to make their mark, including first-round selections Joey Spallina and Chad Palumbo. Calgary selected the two forwards fifth and seventh overall in September’s entry draft, adding more young offensive talent to the mix.
On the defensive side of the floor, the Riggers made several additions throughout the offseason.
Calgary acquired defencemen Ben Kromer, Nicholas Volkov and Cole Begley through the NLL Dispersal Draft before adding former Saskatchewan Rush defender Jerrett Smith via free agency.
The new additions will join a returning defensive group featuring captain Eli Salama, Harrison Matsuoka and Liam LeClair, while Calgary product Zach Moen, selected 14th overall in the Entry Draft, will also be looking to make an impression.
Between the pipes, the Riggers have Aden Walsh and Colby Bowman returning to the team. They will be joined by Calgary’s Thomas Wood, who joined the team’s practice roster last season.
With a combination of returning players, offseason acquisitions and young talent, training camp will provide Head Coach Josh Sanderson and his staff an opportunity to evaluate the group and begin building chemistry ahead of the regular season.
“I expect this training camp to be as competitive as any I’ve ever been to,” said Sanderson. “We’re only playing two exhibition games so we’re going to try to get to it very quick. The first weekend is going to be very important to show for these guys.”
The upcoming campaign will also mark a significant season for the franchise, as the Roughnecks prepare for their final year at the iconic Scotiabank Saddledome before moving across the street to the state-of-the-art Scotia Place.
The Riggers will open the regular season on the road against the Halifax Thunderbirds on Friday, Dec. 4, before returning to the Rough House for their home opener against the Colorado Mammoth on Saturday, Dec. 19. GET SEASON TICKETS HERE
