Bailey Perre still striving to improve with Leeds Knights in NIHL National

After discussions with head coach Ryan Aldridge, the then 20-year-old defenceman agreed to step down on a two-way deal to develop his game with the organisation’s new Knights 2 team in NIHL North One.

By the time he had turned 21, Perre was back with Aldridge as a top-four defenceman in NIHL National and celebrating the fact the Knights had lifted another two trophies - the league for a third straight year and a first-ever National Cup.

It marked a fifth triumph overall for Perre since he first made the move north from his hometown of Swindon in the autumn of 2022, hooking up once again with Aldridge, the coach he had first played under at Okanagan Hockey Academy.

It should come as no surprise, then, that Perre was on Friday confirmed as the latest member of last year’s double-winning roster to return for the 2025-26 season.

Leeds has become Perre’s second home - he returns to continue studying for a law degree - and he is excited about the challenge facing both himself and the team when they return to defend their crowns in September.

While he may have taken one step back in order to take two steps forward last year, the popular blue liner is aware he needs to continue developing his game.

“Last season was big for me,” said Perre. “Taking the two-way option really helped with my development. I got that confidence I needed and it was a huge learning curve all year.

“It was about taking a step back, working at what I needed to at that (lower) level and then bringing that back to National league level.

“And it achieved what we set out to do - it worked out exactly how we all hoped it would.”

Given he was the first-ever Knights 2 captain - something he had to pass on once he swiftly returned full-time to NIHL National duties - Perre has an affinity with the team and will continue to train with them next season.

“I still want to be a part of it in some way,” explained Perre, “So I’m still going to train with them because I feel that was one of the key parts of my development, having that extra ice time where I could take the time to have a look at my own game more.

“I feel like I’ve got an affiliation with that side of the organisation and it’s going to continue helping me to develop my game.”

Aldridge has invested a lot of time in Perre, ever since their paths first crossed in Swindon.

The fact the youngster was willing to step down to improve was something that still impresses the Knights’ boss.

“It says a lot about his character,” said Aldridge. “There are some players who wouldn’t step down like that to gain confidence, gain more experience - because they think it is below them.

“It was a big thing for him to do. He went down there and learned a lot. He figured out what he was doing, grew into it and every time he came back with us he just got better and better.

"He also gained some confidence. He’s a young lad, an emotional lad who wears his heart on his sleeve and he plays like that.

“He cares about his game, he cares about the team and he cares about everyone around him.

“He went from being our seventh defencemen to being among our top four defencemen quite quickly. He was a massive part of our success once he came back and he will have a big role on the team next year.”