By Canadian Press

Toronto Rock captain Colin Doyle announces retirement after 19 NLL seasons

Nov 9, 2016 | 9:30 AM

OAKVILLE, Ont. — Toronto captain Colin Doyle announced his retirement on Wednesday, ending a 19-season run in the National Lacrosse League that saw him become the Rock’s all-time leader in most offensive categories.

The 39-year-old native of Kitchener, Ont., played 16 seasons with the Rock franchise. Doyle made his retirement announcement at a morning news conference at the Toronto Rock Athletic Centre.

“My drive and being able to find something to motivate me had dwindled,” he said. “My drive to compete had decreased and that was a sign to me that if I’m not driven to be the best, it’s the right time to walk away.”

Doyle won the NLL rookie of the year award in 1998 after an impressive debut season with the Ontario Raiders. The franchise moved from Hamilton to Toronto for the 1999 season. 

Doyle, who also played for the San Jose Stealth from 2007-09, won six NLL titles over his career. He spent seven years as Rock captain.

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“I hope I’m remembered for being a great teammate and being someone that played their best when it mattered the most, someone that didn’t cheat any fan that spent their money to come and watch me play,” Doyle said.

Doyle retires as the franchise’s all-time leader with 218 games played, 440 goals, 664 assists and 1,104 points. He ranks third in NLL history with 266 games played, fourth with 527 goals, third with 857 assists and third with 1,384 points. 

The Rock will retire Doyle’s No. 7 on March 11. 

The Canadian Press

Note to readers: This is a corrected story. A previous version had the incorrect date of Doyle’s number retirement.

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