| Leeds Knights | |
 | |
| City: | Leeds, England |
|---|---|
| League: | NIHL |
| Division: | National League |
| Founded: | 2019 |
| Home Arena: | Planet Ice Leeds |
| Colors: | Blue, Yellow and White |
| Owner(s): | Stephen Nell 
|
| Head Coach: | Ryan Aldridge
|
| Franchise history | |
| 2019 - 2021: | Leeds Chiefs |
| 2021 - Present: | Leeds Knights |
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.
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 new name has ties to Leeds Armouries.[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]
Club roster 2022–23[]
(*) Denotes a Non-British Trained player (Import)
| Netminders | ||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| No. | Nat. | Player | Catches | Date of birth | Place of birth | Acquired | Contract | |||
| 31 |
|
Sam Gospel | L | 27 March 1994 | Nottingham, England | 2021 from Manchester Storm | 23/24 | |||
| 32 |
|
Harrison Walker | L | 25 June 2002 | England | 2022 from Widnes Wild | 22/23 | |||
| Defencemen | |||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| No. | Nat. | Player | Shoots | Date of birth | Place of birth | Acquired | Contract | ||
| 3 |
|
Bailey Perre | L | 10 May 2004 | England | 2022 from Swindon Wildcats | 22/23 | ||
| 4 |
|
Sam Zajac | R | 23 June 1989 | Whitley Bay, England | 2019 from Manchester Storm | 22/23 | ||
| 8 |
|
Tommy Spraggon | R | 26 January 2005 | England | 2022 from Billingham Stars | Two-Way | ||
| 14 |
|
Lewis Baldwin | R | 2 July 1999 | Billingham, England | 2019 from Solway Sharks | 22/23 | ||
| 17 |
|
Ethan Mayoh | R | 25 February 2001 | Horwich, England | 2022 from Blackburn Hawks | Two-Way | ||
| 21 |
|
Archie Hazeldine | R | 12 May 2004 | Nottingham, England | 2021 from Nottingham Lions | Two-Way | ||
| 24 |
|
Dylan Hehir | 2002 (age 20) | England | 2022 from Whitley Warriors | 22/23 | |||
| 44 |
|
Jordan Griffin | R | 29 January 2002 | Crewe, England | 2020 from Sheffield Steelers | 22/23 | ||
| 73 | 
|
Joshua Hodgkinson | L | 18 September 2001 | Belfast, Northern Ireland | 2022 from Belfast SNL Giants | 23/24 | ||
| Forwards | ||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| No. | Nat. | Player | Shoots | Date of birth | Place of birth | Acquired | Contract | |||
| 6 |
|
Ethan Hehir | R | 2 July 2001 | England | 2019 from Billingham Stars | 22/23 | |||
| 9 | 
|
Grant Cooper* | L | 20 July 1996 | Cornwall, Ontario, Canada | 2022 from Reading Royals | 22/23 | |||
| 10 |
|
Carter Hamill | L | 28 September 2004 | Belfast, Northern Ireland | 2022 from Belfast Giants | 22/23 | |||
| 11 |
|
Matthew Haywood | L | 27 December 1990 | Doncaster, England | 2022 from Glasgow Clan | 22/23 | |||
| 12 |
|
Kieran Brown 'C' | L | 27 February 2001 | Bradford, England | 2021 from Widnes Wild | 23/24 | |||
| 25 |
|
Zachary Brooks* | L | 16 August 2001 | Bromont, Quebec, Canada | 2022 from Trois-Rivières Lions | 22/23 | |||
| 27 |
|
Cole Shudra | L | 11 August 1998 | Rotherham, England | 2021 from Sheffield Steelers | Two-Way | |||
| 28 |
|
Tate Shudra | L | 2004 | England | 2022 from Sheffield Titans | 22/23 | |||
| 33 |
|
Finley Bradon | R | 24 November 2005 | Darlington,England | 2022 from Billingham Stars | Two-Way | |||
| 43 |
|
Damarni James | - | 2005 | England | 2022 from Bradford Bulldogs | Two-Way | |||
| 88 |
|
Adam Barnes | L | 12 July 1999 | Manchester, England | 2021 from Widnes Wild | 22/23 | |||
| Team Staff | ||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| No. | Nat. | Name | Position | Acquired | Place of birth | Joined From | ||||
|
|
Ryan Aldridge | Head coach | 2022 | Swindon, England | Okanagan Hockey Academy U18, England U18 | |||||
|
|
Stephen Nell | General manager/Owner | 2021 | England | Swindon Wildcats, NIHL | |||||
|
|
Warwick Andrews | Technical director | 2022 | England | ||||||
|
|
Jason Thomas | Equipment/Team Manager | 2019 | Swindon, England | N/A | |||||
Source:[14]
2021/22 Departures[]
| Outgoing | ||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| No. | Nat. | Player | Shoots | Date of birth | Place of birth | Leaving For | ||||
| 9 | 
|
Joe Coulter | R | 12 June 1995 | Dumfries, Scotland | Widnes Wild, NIHL 1 | ||||
| 15 |
|
Jamie Chilcott | R | 6 June 1993 | Hull, England | Hull Seahawks, NIHL | ||||
| 22 |
|
Jordan Fisher | R | 23 November 1993 | Hull, England | Hull Seahawks, NIHL | ||||
| 55 | 
|
Ross Kennedy | R | 30 January 1998 | St Asaph, Wales | Deeside Dragons, NIHL 1 | ||||
| 80 |
|
Bobby Streetly | R | 8 April 1994 | Leeds, England | Hull Seahawks, NIHL | ||||
References[]
- ↑ "New National League announced", British Ice Hockey, 16 March 2019.
- ↑ "Planet Ice rink is starting to take shape in Leeds", Planet Ice.
- ↑ "How an ice hockey team in Leeds could prove popular and be successful at the top level", 28 November 2018.
- ↑ "Leeds ice hockey secures place in newly-formed National League", 16 March 2019.
- ↑ "Leeds settles on name for new ice hockey team ahead of 2019-20 National League season", 14 May 2019.
- ↑ "Sam Zajac named as first player-coach of new Leeds ice hockey team", 10 May 2019.
- ↑ "SLeeds Chiefs signal their intent with signing of Luke Boothroyd for new National League season", 27 May 2019.
- ↑ "Leeds Chiefs launch urgent appeal for help after ice hockey equipment is stolen", 20 November 2019.
- ↑ NEWS: Board meeting confirms competitive hockey cancelled through May 31 (en-GB). English Ice Hockey Association.
- ↑ Confirmed Leeds Ice Rink Opening Date (16 December 2019).
- ↑ FixturesLive.
- ↑ Revealed: New name and logo for Leeds. British Ice Hockey (19 May 2021).
- ↑ Leeds Knight Confirm Change in Management Team.
- ↑ Leeds Knights.
External links[]
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