Leeds Knights

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Leeds Knights
Leeds Knights Logo FINAL 300dpi RGB copy.png
City Leeds, England
League NIHL
DivisionNational League
Founded2019
Home arena Planet Ice Leeds
ColorsBlue, Yellow and White
   
Head coachRyan Aldridge Flag of England.svg
Website Leeds Knights
Franchise history
2019 - 2021Leeds Chiefs
2021 - PresentLeeds Knights
Championships
Regular season titles2 (2023, 2024)
Playoff championships1 (2023)

The Leeds Knights are a professional ice hockey team based in Leeds, West Yorkshire, England. The team is a member of the National League and plays at Planet Ice Leeds.

Contents

History

The team was announced, along with the new National League, on 16 March 2019. [1] However, rumours of a Leeds-based team playing out of the 1800 capacity [2] Planet Ice Leeds arena were circulating months beforehand. [3] In joining the league, they became the first ever hockey team to play out of the city. [4]

The Chiefs name was selected by Planet Ice following the results of a fan poll. The 'Chiefs' moniker won the poll, results of which were announced on 16 May 2019, having beaten the alternatives; Cotton Kings and Mighty Mammoths. [5]

Former Whitley Warriors Defenceman Sam Zajac was announced as Player-coach of the team on 10 May 2019. [6] Zajac's first signing for the Chiefs was former Manchester Phoenix captain, Defenceman Luke Boothroyd. [7]

In November 2019, head coach Sam Zajac launched an urgent appeal after a large amount of the team's equipment was stolen from an apartment block in Batley. This included new helmets that hadn't even been worn yet, along with sticks and gloves used by the players all season. [8] Despite this, the Chiefs confirmed their weekend games would go ahead as planned via a statement on Twitter.

In their first National League season, the Chiefs finished 10th. They won 13 games, losing 36, achieving 28 points overall. The season was curtailed in March 2020, due to the COVID-19 pandemic. [9] For the first five months of the season, the Chiefs were required to play home games elsewhere, due to a delay in the opening of their rink. [10] The first game at their Elland Road arena was against Sheffield Steeldogs on 31 January 2020. [11]

In 2021, the club rebranded and changed their name from Leeds Chiefs to Leeds Knights due to a change in ownership. The team is now owned by Stephen Nell who was an also owner of Swindon Wildcats. The new name has ties to the Royal Armouries in Leeds. [12] David Whistle arrived as Head Coach and General Manager, but departed in January 2022. Former Swindon Wildcats coach Ryan Aldridge was then appointed as interim coach until the end of the 2021/22 season. [13]

Aldridge was named as permanent Head Coach ready for the 2022-2023 season, a season in which the Knights won both the league and the playoffs. [14] In the 2023-2024 season, the Knights successfully defended their league title, but lost in the playoff final to Peterborough Phantoms in a shootout defeat. [15] The following off-season, a Leeds Knights team was accepted into the NIH1 North Division, led by Assistant Head Coach Davey Lawrence. [16]

Roster

Correct as of 12 July 2024

(*) Denotes a Non-British Trained player (Import)

Netminders
No.Nat.PlayerCatchesDate of birthPlace of birthAcquiredContract
31 Flag of England.svg Sam GospelL27 March 1994 (age 30) Nottingham, England 2021 from Manchester Storm 24/25
32 Flag of England.svg Harrison WalkerL25 June 2002 (age 22) Bradford, England 2022 from Widnes Wild 24/25
Defencemen
No.Nat.PlayerShootsDate of birthPlace of birthAcquiredContract
3 Flag of England.svg Bailey PerreR10 May 2004 (age 20) Swindon, England 2022 from Swindon Wildcats Two-Way
8 Flag of Canada (Pantone).svg Bowdyn NeelyR15 October 2003 (age 20) Calgary, Canada 2023 from South Shore Kings 26/27
14 Flag of England.svg Lewis BaldwinR2 July 1999 (age 25) Billingham, England 2019 from Solway Sharks 25/26
18 Flag of Latvia.svg Krisjanis FugalisL23 April 2003 (age 21) Liepaja, Latvia 2024 from Iroquois Falls Storm 24/25
24 Flag of England.svg Dylan HehirR30 November 2002 (age 21) Billingham, England 2022 from Whitley Warriors 24/25
44 Flag of England.svg Jordan GriffinR29 January 2002 (age 22) Crewe, England 2020 from Sheffield Steelers 24/25
54 Flag of Canada (Pantone).svg Noah McMullin*L15 June 1998 (age 26) Sackville, Canada 2023 from Ontario Tech University 24/25
Forwards
No.Nat.PlayerShootsDate of birthPlace of birthAcquiredContract
6 Flag of England.svg Ethan HehirR2 July 2001 (age 23) Billingham, England 2019 from Billingham Stars 24/25
9 Flag of Scotland.svg Jordan BuesaL30 March 2000 (age 24) Troon, Scotland 2023 from Glasgow Clan 24/25
11 Flag of England.svg Matthew HaywoodL27 December 1990 (age 33) Doncaster, England 2022 from Glasgow Clan 24/25
12 Flag of England.svg Kieran Brown 'C'L27 February 2001 (age 23) Bradford, England 2021 from Widnes Wild 24/25
19 Flag of Scotland.svg Innes GallacherR5 October 2004 (age 19) Kilmarnock, Scotland 2023 from Kilmarnock Thunder 24/25
33 Flag of England.svg Finlay BradonR24 November 2005 (age 18) Darlington, England 2022 from Billingham Stars 25/26
37 Flag of Canada (Pantone).svg Matthew Barron*R25 March 1999 (age 25) Yarmouth, Canada 2023 from Trois-Rivieres Lions 24/25
41 Flag of England.svg Oliver EndicottL10 June 2004 (age 20) Swindon, England 2022 from IPK U20 24/25
73 Flag of Canada (Pantone).svg Matt Bissonnette*L16 January 1992 (age 32) Beaconsfield, Canada 2024 from Sheffield Steeldogs 24/25
95 Flag of England.svg Mac HowlettL30 December 1999 (age 24) Woking, England 2023 from Dundee Stars 25/26
Team Staff
Nat.NamePositionAcquiredPlace of birthJoined From
Flag of England.svg Ryan AldridgeHead coach2022 Swindon, England Okanagan Hockey Academy U18, England U18
Flag of England.svg Davey LawrenceAssistant Head Coach2022 Barnsley, England
Flag of England.svg Stephen NellGeneral manager/Owner2021 England Swindon Wildcats, NIHL
Flag of England.svg Jason ThomasEquipment/Team Manager2019 Swindon, England
Flag of England.svg Verity ThomasPartnership Manager2024 England

Source: [17]

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References

  1. ↑ "New National League announced". British Ice Hockey. 16 March 2019. Retrieved 19 June 2019.
  2. ↑ "Planet Ice rink is starting to take shape in Leeds". Planet Ice . Retrieved 19 June 2019.
  3. ↑ "How an ice hockey team in Leeds could prove popular and be successful at the top level". The Yorkshire Post . 28 November 2018. Retrieved 19 June 2019.
  4. ↑ "Leeds ice hockey secures place in newly-formed National League". Yorkshire Evening Post . 16 March 2019. Retrieved 19 June 2019.
  5. ↑ "Leeds settles on name for new ice hockey team ahead of 2019-20 National League season". Yorkshire Evening Post . 14 May 2019. Retrieved 18 June 2019.
  6. ↑ "Sam Zajac named as first player-coach of new Leeds ice hockey team". Yorkshire Evening Post . 10 May 2019. Retrieved 19 June 2019.
  7. ↑ "SLeeds Chiefs signal their intent with signing of Luke Boothroyd for new National League season". Yorkshire Evening Post . 27 May 2019. Retrieved 19 June 2019.
  8. ↑ "Leeds Chiefs launch urgent appeal for help after ice hockey equipment is stolen". Yorkshire Evening Post . 20 November 2019. Retrieved 23 November 2019.
  9. ↑ "NEWS: Board meeting confirms competitive hockey cancelled through May 31". English Ice Hockey Association. Retrieved 11 July 2020.
  10. ↑ "Confirmed Leeds Ice Rink Opening Date". Leedschiefs.co.uk. 16 December 2019. Retrieved 11 July 2020.
  11. ↑ "FixturesLive". W.fixtureslive.com. Retrieved 11 July 2020.
  12. ↑ "Revealed: New name and logo for Leeds". British Ice Hockey. 19 May 2021.
  13. ↑ "Leeds Knight Confirm Change in Management Team". Twitter.com. Retrieved 15 January 2022.
  14. ↑ "2022-2023 NIHL Season Standings and Stats". eliteprospects.com. Retrieved 12 July 2024.
  15. ↑ "2023-2024 NIHL Season Standings and Stats". eliteprospects.com. Retrieved 12 July 2024.
  16. ↑ "Leeds Knights 2 Is Confirmed for 2024-25". leedsknights.com. Retrieved 12 July 2024.
  17. ↑ "Leeds Knights". Eliteprospects.com.
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