Leeds Knights coach Ryan Aldridge happy with 'underdog' status of three-time champions
IT’S been a while since Leeds Knights were viewed as underdogs. Head coach Ryan Aldridge admits he quite likes the tag.
Ever since the Knights lifted their first piece of silverware under Aldridge - the 2022-23 league title - they have been, quite rightly, perceived by many as the team to beat.
But a season like no other before, one decimated by a steady stream of serious injuries, has led to a reevaluation of the Knights’ position within NIHL National, particularly in relation to the league crown they have owned for the past three seasons and soon to be inherited by current leaders Swindon Wildcats - barring a total collapse from Aaron Nell’s team of course.
Thursday night saw the Knights head into the first leg of their NIHL National Cup final at Elland Road against Sheffield Steeldogs with just the nine forwards, not wholly unusual in the British second tier, except for the fact that three of them - effectively their third line - were all 17-years-old.
Not to take anything away from the youngsters - Edgars Vengis, Daragh Spawforth and Danny Harrison - but the fact they were in such a prominent position was largely down to the aforementioned injury issues endured by Aldridge throughout the 2025-26 campaign.
Without influential forwards Kieran Brown and Innes Gallacher - the latter whose season is over due to a lower-body injury suffered last month - the Knights lacked the strength in depth Thursday night’s opponents didn’t.
The Steeldogs are a team now part of the bigger Sheffield Steelers family, one that is determined to establish a firm pathway from junior hockey right the way through to the Elite League.
Under head coach Slava Koulikov and with a roster containing several talented players on two-way arrangements with the Steelers, they have proved a genuine contender this season.
The Knights produced a competitive, battling performance against their Yorkshire rivals, but will head to Ice Sheffield for the second leg on Wednesday, March 11 trailing 3-1.
It would have been closer but for Bair Gendunov’s penalty shot goal 15 seconds from the final buzzer after Oli Endicott had desperately tried to put him off his stride by hurling his stick into the Steeldogs forward’s path as he darted towards Sam Gospel’s goal.
It means the Knights will go into the game as second-favourites, but Aldridge believes his team were worthy of that status before Thursday’s face-off.
“I think (Thursday night) was the first time that we’ve probably felt like the underdog and I said before (the game) to the team that I like it,” said Aldridge in his post-match press conference.
“We’ve just got to find a way to grit our teeth and pull it out of the bag - and I think if anyone can do that, it’s us.
“I always thought it was going to be tough. We got ourselves right back in it with Jonas’ goal but then we cost ourselves at the end there - that was a soft goal to give away but we live and we learn.
“The tie is still alive. We have to go into that building and have a bit of confidence. So we need to try and get rested as much as possible between now and then and go into their building to try and do something special.”