The National Lacrosse League has announced five finalists for the NLL Hall of Fame Class of 2014 ballot. The nominees this year are Jake Bergey, Pat Coyle, Chris Hall, Pat McCready and Kaleb Toth. Brief summaries of each candidate’s accomplishments are listed below. Ballots are cast by the teams, current members of the NLL Hall of Fame and senior members of the league’s covering media.
Nominees for NLL Hall of Fame Class of 2014:
Jake Bergey
Jake Bergey played 10 seasons in the league from 1998-2008, all with the Philadelphia Wings. Bergey recorded 557 points (256+301) and 531 loose balls in 133 career games played. Bergey won two championships with the Wings in 1998 and 2001. The forward ranks second in franchise history in points, goals and assists, fourth in games played and seventh in loose balls. Bergey added 30 points (13+17) and 39 loose balls in nine career playoff games with two Championship Game appearances (1998, 2001).
Pat Coyle
Pat Coyle played 12 seasons in the league from 1994-2008 including seven seasons with the Toronto Rock from 1998-2004 and four years with the Colorado Mammoth from 2005-2008. The defenseman played in 156 career regular season games, recording 940 loose balls and 133 points (28+105). Coyle won the league’s Defensive Player of the Year Award in 2002, the first year in which the award was given. Coyle’s teams made it to the playoffs in 11 of his 12 seasons where he posted 12 points (3+9) along with 116 loose balls in 18 games played and won five championships (Toronto 1999, 2000, 2002 & 2003; Colorado 2006) in six Championship Game appearances.
Chris Hall
Chris Hall served as a head coach in the league for 12 seasons, first with the Calgary Roughnecks from 2002-2007 before finishing his coaching career with the Vancouver Stealth from 2009-2014. Hall’s 85 regular-season wins ranks third all-time behind Darris Kilgour (121) and Les Bartley (93). With an 11-6 career record in the postseason, Hall’s 11 playoff wins rank fourth all-time behind Bartley (22), Troy Cordingley (12) and Kilgour (12). In 2010, Hall became just the second coach in NLL history to win the Champion’s Cup with two different teams as he led the Stealth to its first-ever title after winning it all with Calgary in 2004. The Stealth reached the championship game in three of four seasons from 2010-2013 and Hall was a co-recipient of the 2010 NLL Head Coach of the Year award.
Pat McCready
Pat McCready played 17 seasons in the league from 1996-2012 including eight seasons with the Buffalo Bandits and seven seasons with the Rochester Knighthawks. McCready recorded 384 points (141+243) over his career along with 1,593 loose balls, third-most in NLL history, and ranks third in the league all-time in penalty minutes (468) and seventh in games played (219). The 2011 NLL Defensive Player of the Year won three championships, two with the Knighthawks, first in 1997 and again in 2012 as the team’s captain, along with one with the Bandits (2008). McCready added 37 points (7+30) and 189 loose balls in 31 career playoff games with eight Championship Game appearances (1997, 1999-2000, 2004, 2006, 2008, 2010, 2012).
Pat McCready played 17 seasons in the league from 1996-2012 including eight seasons with the Buffalo Bandits and seven seasons with the Rochester Knighthawks. McCready recorded 384 points (141+243) over his career along with 1,593 loose balls, third-most in NLL history, and ranks third in the league all-time in penalty minutes (468) and seventh in games played (219). The 2011 NLL Defensive Player of the Year won three championships, two with the Knighthawks, first in 1997 and again in 2012 as the team’s captain, along with one with the Bandits (2008). McCready added 37 points (7+30) and 189 loose balls in 31 career playoff games with eight Championship Game appearances (1997, 1999-2000, 2004, 2006, 2008, 2010, 2012).
Kaleb Toth
Kaleb Toth played 13 seasons in the league from 2000-2012 including 11 years with the Calgary Roughnecks after his first two seasons with the Toronto Rock. Toth recorded 713 points (315+398) and 703 loose balls in 186 career regular season games and is Calgary’s all-time leader in games played, goals, assists and points. Toth won two championships with the Roughnecks in 2004 and 2009 after winning a title with the Rock in 2000 when he scored the game-winning goal with one second left in the fourth quarter. On March 2, 2013, Toth became the first player to receive the “Forever a Roughneck” distinction with his banner raised to the top of Scotiabank Saddledome. Toth added 71 points (31+40) and 84 loose balls in 20 career playoff games with four Championship Game appearances (2000-2001, 2004, 2009).
Kaleb Toth played 13 seasons in the league from 2000-2012 including 11 years with the Calgary Roughnecks after his first two seasons with the Toronto Rock. Toth recorded 713 points (315+398) and 703 loose balls in 186 career regular season games and is Calgary’s all-time leader in games played, goals, assists and points. Toth won two championships with the Roughnecks in 2004 and 2009 after winning a title with the Rock in 2000 when he scored the game-winning goal with one second left in the fourth quarter. On March 2, 2013, Toth became the first player to receive the “Forever a Roughneck” distinction with his banner raised to the top of Scotiabank Saddledome. Toth added 71 points (31+40) and 84 loose balls in 20 career playoff games with four Championship Game appearances (2000-2001, 2004, 2009).
(End of Nominees)
Voters may select up to three of the five nominees on the ballot. To win induction into the Hall of Fame, nominees must be selected on a minimum of 75 percent of the ballots cast.The nominees were selected by the league’s Hall of Fame Committee. Once nominated as finalists, candidates remain on the ballot for a second year if they do not receive enough votes for induction in their first year. Nominees come off the ballot if they do not receive enough votes in the second year, but can be re-nominated by the Hall of Fame Committee in the future to return to the ballot. The Committee considered all of the individuals that were suggested by fans earlier this month via the league’s Facebook and Twitter pages.
Voters may select up to three of the five nominees on the ballot. To win induction into the Hall of Fame, nominees must be selected on a minimum of 75 percent of the ballots cast.The nominees were selected by the league’s Hall of Fame Committee. Once nominated as finalists, candidates remain on the ballot for a second year if they do not receive enough votes for induction in their first year. Nominees come off the ballot if they do not receive enough votes in the second year, but can be re-nominated by the Hall of Fame Committee in the future to return to the ballot. The Committee considered all of the individuals that were suggested by fans earlier this month via the league’s Facebook and Twitter pages.
