Leeds Knights

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Leeds Knights
Leeds Knights Logo FINAL 300dpi RGB copy.png
City Leeds, England
League NIHL
Division National League
Founded 2019
Home arena Planet Ice Leeds
Colors Blue, Yellow and White
              
Head coach Flag of England
Franchise history
2019 - 2021 Leeds Chiefs
2021 - Present Leeds Knights
Championships
Regular season titles 2 (2023, 2024)
Playoff championships 1 (2023)

mainThe 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 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]

References

  1. "New National League announced", British Ice Hockey, 16 March 2019. 
  2. "Planet Ice rink is starting to take shape in Leeds", Planet Ice. 
  3. "How an ice hockey team in Leeds could prove popular and be successful at the top level", 28 November 2018. 
  4. "Leeds ice hockey secures place in newly-formed National League", 16 March 2019. 
  5. "Leeds settles on name for new ice hockey team ahead of 2019-20 National League season", 14 May 2019. 
  6. "Sam Zajac named as first player-coach of new Leeds ice hockey team", 10 May 2019. 
  7. "SLeeds Chiefs signal their intent with signing of Luke Boothroyd for new National League season", 27 May 2019. 
  8. "Leeds Chiefs launch urgent appeal for help after ice hockey equipment is stolen", 20 November 2019. 
  9. "NEWS: Board meeting confirms competitive hockey cancelled through May 31" (in en-GB). English Ice Hockey Association. https://eiha.co.uk/news-board-meeting-confirms-competitive-hockey-cancelled-through-may-31/. 
  10. "Confirmed Leeds Ice Rink Opening Date". 16 December 2019. https://leedschiefs.co.uk/confirmed-leeds-ice-rink-opening-date/. 
  11. "FixturesLive". https://w.fixtureslive.com/staticapi.aspx?a=statzone_match.ashx?fixtureID=2235449. 
  12. "Revealed: New name and logo for Leeds". British Ice Hockey. 19 May 2021. https://www.britishicehockey.co.uk/post/revealed-new-name-and-logo-for-leeds/#:~:text=Leeds%20Ice%20Hockey%20Club%20have,and%20will%20take%20effect%20immediately%20.. 
  13. "Leeds Knight Confirm Change in Management Team". https://twitter.com/Leedsknights/status/1481294911840260101. 
  14. "2022-2023 NIHL Season Standings and Stats". https://www.eliteprospects.com/league/nihl/2022-2023. 
  15. "2023-2024 NIHL Season Standings and Stats". https://www.eliteprospects.com/league/nihl/2023-2024. 
  16. "Leeds Knights 2 Is Confirmed for 2024-25". https://leedsknights.com/news/leeds-knights-2-is-confirmed-for-2024-25. 

External links


Ice hockey in Great Britain
Elite Ice Hockey League (2003-present)

Belfast Giants - Cardiff Devils - Coventry Blaze - Dundee Stars - Fife Flyers - Glasgow Clan - Manchester Storm - Nottingham Panthers - Sheffield Steelers

National Ice Hockey League (1997-present)

National League: Berkshire Bees - Bristol Pitbulls - Hull Seahawks - Leeds Knights - Milton Keynes Lightning - Peterborough Phantoms - Raiders - Sheffield Steeldogs - Solway Sharks - Swindon Wildcats

North Division 1: Billingham Stars - Blackburn Hawks - Nottingham Lions - Solihull Barons - Sutton Sting - Whitley Warriors

South Division 1: Cardiff Fire - Chelmsford Chieftains - Invicta Dynamos - Milton Keynes Thunder - Oxford City Stars - Raiders 2 - Slough Jets - Solent Devils - Streatham IHC

North Division 2: Altrincham Aces - Blackburn Hawks 2 - Bradford Bulldogs - Deeside Dragons - Hull Jets - Sheffield Senators - Telford Tigers 2 - Widnes Wild

South Division 2: Basingstoke Buffalo - Guildford Phoenix - Haringey Huskies - Invicta Mustangs - Lee Valley Lions - Peterborough Phantoms 2 - Solent Devils 2 - Streatham Hawks - Swindon Wildcats 2

Scottish National League (2000-present)

Aberdeen Lynx - Dundee Comets - Dundee Tigers - Edinburgh Capitals - Kilmarnock Thunder - Kirkcaldy Kestrels - North Ayrshire Wild - Paisley Pirates

Other current competitions

League Championship - Playoff Championship - Challenge Cup - British Universities Ice Hockey Association - Ice Hockey Varsity Match - Northern League - Women's Elite Ice Hockey League - Scottish Cup

Defunct competitions

Airlie Trophy - Ahearne Cup - Anderson Trophy - Autumn Cup - Association Cup - Bairns Trophy - British Hockey League - British Home Tournaments - British National League (1954–1960) - British National League (1996–2005) - Christmas Cup - Coronation Cup - Coronation Gold Cup - English Club Championship - English League - English League North - English National League - English Premier Ice Hockey Cup - English Premier Ice Hockey League - Findus Challenge Cup - Ice Hockey Superleague - Inter-City League - London Cup - Millenium Cup - Mitchell Trophy - Northern League (1966-1982) - Northern League (2005–2011) - Planet Ice Challenge League - President's Pucks - Scottish Canada Cup - Scottish Cup (1930s-1950s) - Scottish League Flag Trophy - Scottish National League (1929–1954) - Scottish National League (1981-1982) - Scottish Premier Hockey League - Southern League - Winter Cup

Defunct teams

Aldershot Bullets - Amateur Skating Club - Argyll Ice Hockey Club - Ayr Bruins - Ayr Scottish Eagles - Blackburn Eagles - Blackpool Seagulls - Brighton Ambassadors - Brighton Ice Hockey Club - Brighton Tigers - Cardiff Rage - Castlereagh Knights - Dumfries Vikings - Dunfermline Vikings Dundee Rockets - Durham City Wasps - Durham Wasps - Earls Court Rangers - Edinburgh Capitals (SNL) - Flintshire Freeze - Fylde Flyers - Harringay Greyhounds - Harringay Racers - Hull Pirates - Hull Stingrays - Hull Thunder - Humberside Seahawks - Kilmarnock Storm - Lancashire Raptors - Liverpool Leopards - London Canadians - London Lions - London Knights - London Racers - Manchester Minotaurs - Manchester Phoenix - Manchester Rapids - Manchester Storm - Medway Bears - Milton Keynes Kings - Moray Typhoons - Murrayfield Racers - Murrayfield Racers (2018-2022) - Newcastle Jesters - Newcastle Vipers - Niagara Ice Hockey Club - Oxford Blades - Oxford Canadians - Peterborough Pirates - Princes Ice Hockey Club - Richmond Flyers - Richmond Hawks - Royal Engineers Ice Hockey Club - Sheffield Lancers - Sheffield Scimitars - Slough Jets ENL - Southampton Vikings - Sunderland Chiefs - TDC Northern Stars - Wembley Lions - Wembley Monarchs - Wightlink Raiders - Wightlink Tigers

Governing bodies

English Ice Hockey Association - Ice Hockey UK - Northern Ireland Ice Hockey Association - Scottish Ice Hockey - British Ice Hockey Association (defunct) - National Ice Skating Association (defunct)

Other

British National Team - Women's British National Team - British Junior National Team - British Ice Hockey Hall of Fame - Ice Hockey Journalists UK

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