The Nest Protector: Hill a calming presence in Halifax crease
Mar 31, 2026
Austin Owens I Halifax Thunderbirds
Previously featured in our March 7th edition of Inside the Nest
For Warren Hill, he’s no stranger to big games and pressure situations. The Halifax Thunderbirds starter has become a calming presence for a team that has been contenders since moving to the East Coast back in 2019.
Coming into the 2025-26 season, Hill was looking to cement himself as the team’s starter after a year where he split time with Drew Hutchison. Going up against Oshawa, he couldn’t have made a better first impression, as he turned away 49 FireWolves shots while allowing just two goals in a victory.
Hill joined historic company with that performance, becoming just the second goaltender in National Lacrosse League history to allow two goals in a regular-season game. Matt Vinc accomplished the feat in Rochester back in 2015. Bob Watson also allowed three goals in a game in 2010, setting the second-fewest amount of goals allowed in a single NLL game.
“It was a big confidence booster for sure. Just to be mentioned in the same breath as a goalie like Matt Vinc and Bob Watson, they were guys that I grew up watching and idolizing. The accolades they have, just doing something like that was really special,” Hill said. “Not to get cliche, but all the stars kind of aligned in that game. Defensively, we were really good, and they did hit some posts, and there was a goal called back. But just to show what we were capable of, it goes a long way for everyone’s confidence back there.”
Hill is in the midst of one of the best seasons of his career to date between the pipes. At the midway point of the year, the 33-year-old is holding a save percentage of 81.3%, fourth amongst goalies league-wide who have logged at least 500 minutes this season.
A big part of Hill’s game has been his ability to stay even-keeled in the cage. NLL goalies could see double-digit goal totals in any outing, making it as mentally taxing to keep the ball out as it is physically taxing.
“It’s definitely a learning process and still something that I’m continuing to try and improve on. It’s very easy to go and get down on yourself when things aren’t going your way. But that’s sports,” Hill said. “I’m just trying to do my best to stay in the moment and not worry too much about the next shot coming my way.”
Hill added that he does like to watch film and pick up things he needs to improve on, while also scouting shooters and their tendencies. When it comes to picking up on where guys like to shoot, he relies on past games as well as having a feel for where opponents are trying to go in real time.
While Hill is relied on to be the team’s most important defender on a weekly basis, he couldn’t do what he does without the guys in front of him. Halifax has maintained a similar defensive core over the last five seasons, with some new faces coming in every year. Hill has been able to build chemistry with Jake Withers, Graeme Hossack, Tyson Bell, and the other veterans who have logged big-time minutes for the Thunderbirds.
“I think it goes both ways, where it’s kind of like intuition now. I feel like our man down hasn’t changed that much, with Hoss, Wiz, Tyson, and Johnny Pearson out there. We’re missing Trevor Smyth right now, but when he comes back, it’ll be a seamless transition,” Hill said.
“There isn’t a whole lot of talking. We know what our jobs are, and we know what to expect from one another. I know the kinds of shots that Hoss is going to let me see, and the same goes for Wiz. I know if I cover up a rebound and look up the floor, Terry (Ryan Terefenko) or Army (Colton Armstrong) are probably going to be there for a pass. The chemistry we’ve built on this defence over the years has come a long way, and we’re improving every year. We want to continue improving and having success back there.”
Another massive part of Hill’s success has been Hutchison, who not only pushes Hill to be his best but is also a resource to help give him advice during games.
A different vantage point can be a massive advantage, especially for a goaltender. Both on and off the floor, the pair of netminders have become extremely close.
“We’ve been roommates ever since he came into the league. We talk all the time, and it’s not always about lacrosse. We’ve built that friendship, and I can say that he’s one of my best friends now,” Hill said. “It’s great to have that relationship and support on and off the floor. We bounce ideas off each other and support one another. If I’m not having my greatest games, he plays and steps in to support.”
“At the same time, we understand that there can only be one guy in there at a time. It’s a friendly competition. We both want to be in there, but we’re there for each other regardless of who’s in the net. Hutchy is a great goalie with a good future ahead of him.”
Hill has a similar relationship in the summer with the Six Nations Chiefs, where he and Doug Jamieson regularly split games in Major Series Lacrosse. It has paid dividends for the pair, as they’ve backstopped the Chiefs to three straight Mann Cups.
Both Hill and Hutchison lean on one another for advice and tips to better each other in the crease. That allows the Thunderbirds to have the best chance of winning every night.
“We keep things light, but we’ll let each other know if we’re seeing something important in games. We’re not there to tear each other down. We’re there to help each other improve,” Hill said.
Last season, the pair helped carry the Thunderbirds to their first-ever appearance in the NLL Semi-Finals since moving to the Maritimes. Hill has given the team a chance to win every week this year, and while the results haven’t been what the Thunderbirds had hoped to this point in the year, the team was able to get back on track last weekend with a victory on the road in Calgary.
While it’ll be a tough task for the 4-7 team to jump back into the playoff picture,
“I think we’ve said the time for talking is done now. That’s been our mantra. We started off well, but it’s been shaky the last little bit here. But speaking to the maturity of this group, and how long this team has been together, we don’t need rah-rah speeches to get going. We know the position we’re in, and it’s going to take a total team effort and everybody doing their jobs,” Hill said. “We’re a team for a reason. Through the highs and lows, it’s going to take that positive attitude that we can get this job done. We have to just put our feet down and do the work and perform on the floor.”
“We have to win these games no matter what way we do it. It doesn’t matter if it’s ugly, we just have to go on a run and find ways to win.”