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. However, rumours of a Leeds-based team playing out of the 1800 capacity Planet Ice Leeds arena were circulating months beforehand. In joining the league, they became the first ever hockey team to play out of the city.
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.
Former Whitley Warriors Defenceman Sam Zajac was announced as Player-coach of the team on 10 May 2019. Zajac's first signing for the Chiefs was former Manchester Phoenix captain, Defenceman Luke Boothroyd.
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. 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. 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. The first game at their Elland Road arena was against Sheffield Steeldogs on 31 January 2020.
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. 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.
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. 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. The following off-season, England Ice Hockey accepted a request to submit Leeds Knights 2, a new team, into the NIHL 1 North league. Upon creation, Davey Lawrence, the Leeds' National League team's assistant head coach, became the Head Coach of Knights 2.
Roster Correct as of 28 October 2025
(*) Denotes a Non-British Trained player (Import) NetmindersNo.Nat.PlayerCatchesDate of birthPlace of birthAcquiredContract27 Ollie Booth L Nottingham, England 2025 from Milton Keynes Lightning Two-way29 Dan Norton L Doncaster, England 2025 from Leeds Knights 2 Two-way31 Sam Gospel L Nottingham, England 2021 from Manchester Storm 25/26
DefencemenNo.Nat.PlayerShootsDate of birthPlace of birthAcquiredContract3 Bailey Perre R Swindon, England 2022 from Swindon Wildcats 25/268 Bowdyn Neely R Calgary, Canada 2023 from South Shore Kings 26/2711 Sam Dunn* R Bewdley, Canada 2025 from Anglet 25/2613 Jonas Bennett L Sheffield, England 2025 from Leeds Junior Knights Two-way18 Liam Hine L Blackburn, England 2025 from Blackburn Hawks Two-way43 Sam Cooper R Portsmouth, England 2025 from Sheffield Steeldogs 25/2644 Jordan Griffin R Crewe, England 2020 from Sheffield Steelers 25/26
ForwardsNo.Nat.PlayerShootsDate of birthPlace of birthAcquiredContract12 Kieran Brown 'C' L Bradford, England 2021 from Widnes Wild 25/2616 Edgars Vengis L Ogre, Latvia 2024 from Leeds Junior Knights Two-Way19 Innes Gallacher R Kilmarnock, Scotland 2023 from Kilmarnock Thunder 25/2633 Finley Bradon R Darlington, England 2022 from Billingham Stars 26/2736 Danny Harrison R Bradford, England 2025 from Bradford Bulldogs Two-way41 Oliver Endicott L Swindon, England 2022 from IPK U20 25/2672 Daragh Spawforth R Bradford, England 2025 from Blackburn Hawks Two-way73 Matt Bissonnette* L Beaconsfield, Canada 2024 from Sheffield Steeldogs 25/2678 Liam Peyton* L Orleans, Canada 2025 from Trois-Rivières Lions 25/2691 Arturs Mickevics* R Talsi, Latvia 2025 from Rapaces de Gap 25/2693 Balint Pakozdi L Budapest, Hungary 2025 from Swindon Wildcats 25/2696 Owen Sobchak* L Niagara Falls, Canada 2026 from Hull Seahawks 25/26
Team StaffNat.NamePositionAcquiredPlace of birthJoined from Ryan Aldridge Head coach 2022 Swindon, England Okanagan Hockey Academy U18, England U18 Stephen NellGeneral manager/Owner2021 England Swindon Wildcats, NIHL Jason ThomasEquipment/Team Manager2019 Swindon, England Verity ThomasPartnership Manager2024 England
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Season-by-season record
As of 19 April 2026
As Leeds Chiefs: Season League GP W L OTL PTS GF GA League Position Cup Playoffs 2019-20 National Ice Hockey League 49 13 34 2 28 145 229 10th of 10 N/A N/A 2021-22 National Ice Hockey League 48 27 19 2 56 186 172 4th of 9 DNQ QF As Leeds Knights: Season League GP W L OTL PTS GF GA League Position Cup Playoffs 2022-23 National Ice Hockey League 56 46 5 5 97 310 144 1st of 11 (C) F Champions 2023-24 National Ice Hockey League 54 46 7 1 93 266 132 1st of 11 (C) SF F 2024-25 National Ice Hockey League 54 41 11 2 84 253 135 1st of 11 (C) Champions SF 2025-26 National Ice Hockey League 54 33 18 3 69 210 166 3rd of 11 F Champions
Note: GP = Games played; W = Wins; L = Losses; T = Ties; OTL = Overtime Losses; PTS = Points; GF = Goals For; GA = Goals Against
References
External links NEWS