Leeds Knights: How Matt Barron and Noah McMullin left lasting impact at The Castle

But, after two hugely successful years in West Yorkshire, a spell that brought two NIHL National league titles and a first-ever National Cup for the team, the import duo are retiring from playing heading home to Canada permanently, taking up career opportunities they feel are too good to turn down.

While neither will continue to showcase their talent and skills on the ice, both will remain in the game in a coaching capacity.

For Barron, that means working under coaching dad Laurie for what Knights’ head coach Aldridge believes will be the start of a very successful coaching career. McMullin, meanwhile, will be forging a new career in golf course management – his other great sporting love – while keeping his hand in coaching with his older brother at U-14 AAA level.

Combined with the retirement of veteran centre Matt Haywood - whose last game came in Saturday’s thrilling, yet heartbreaking 5-4 overtime defeat to Milton Keynes Lightning in the play-off semi-final in Coventry - head coach Aldridge has a busy summer ahead trying to fill three big holes on his roster.

There will no doubt be changes elsewhere, too. Aldridge said in Coventry the Knights would undergo a summer “rebuild” that will contrast sharply with the minor tweaks he made last year but it is nothing new to a man who has delivered three years of unrivalled success in the second tier of the UK game and is a challenge he will embrace.

“I can’t remember the last time I was so depressed at the end of the season,” said Aldridge this week. “And I think a big part of it was the realisation on Monday morning that three very good people are not coming back to our line-up next season.”

The door remains open to Barron and McMullin should they ever decide to return to playing, while Aldridge is utilising their hockey knowledge and contacts in the search for their replacements.

“I’m talking to them about players that could potentially replace them,” added Aldridge. “They are such good people, they are giving me their opinions, asking questions for me and speaking to people about these players.

“With Matty, he was the player I thought I was getting and probably this year exceeded expectations. I feel he figured the league out and that was reflected in his points.

“He would probably put most of that down to his linemates - but he has to take a lot of credit for it as well.

“But it was the person, too. I knew the type of person I was getting because I knew the family – he’s just an incredible person.

“I tried to get him to stay but he has an opportunity to be a coach, he wants to be a coach and he is going to be a great coach.

“With Noah, he was just such a great competitor and, like Matty, played through the pain barrier for us.

“He has a tremendous will to win and I think him and me probably see things through the same eyes. We’d see things happen and give each other a look as if we were thinking the same thing. Again, another great human being.”

Barron moves into the coaching side of the game having become one of the more senior and respected voices on the Knights team in his two years there - even though he is still only 26.

“There is a ton of young, talented players here and it is only going to get better for them if they keep doing the right things.

“Obviously, on most teams I wouldn’t be one of the older guys but here I have been, so I’ve just been trying to help out wherever I can in that respect.

“And I’ve enjoyed that. When I first came out of university hockey I was one of the younger guys in the pro ranks and then I came over here to be one of the older guys and to say a few words of wisdom that people had previously been saying to me, so that was kind of cool.”

Having known Aldridge through his father prior to joining Leeds, Barron knew what he was getting into two years ago, but working with the former Swindon and Basingstoke coach exceeded his expectations.

“He let me be me from the start,” added Barron. “I don’t even know where to start with Ryan because he’s an unbelievable human being, I don’t want to get too choked up or anything but he has meant the world and is just the nicest guy to play for.”

Back in 2023, it was Barron who put pen-to-paper first and he was only to happy to recommend McMullin when Aldridge came back to him to ask about team-mate he had won a Maritime Junior Hockey League championship with at Yarmouth Mariners.

"I couldn’t say enough good things about Noah,” said Barron. “He was injured early on, which didn’t help but once he got his feet wet the fans quickly got to see what I had been seeing for the last five or six years – a phenomenal defenceman, just the nicest guy and an anchor for us.

“It seemed like he was out there all game, every game – he’s a heck of a player.

Given the success enjoyed over their two years in England, there were many highlight moments for the pair. For McMullin, one of his favourites came on the night they won 3-1 at Milton Keynes Lightning in March, a result which effectively sealed a third straight league title for the Knights.

“It wasn’t to win the league but my parents were in town and it was a huge relief because we know we needed to win that one to stand any chance of winning the league,” said McMullin. “So it was pretty emotional after that game, it was just like a big weight off our shoulders.

“Leeds is a town that revolves a lot around sport and the people are very supportive of it and very passionate – the fans here have been unbelievable.

“I’m very grateful for my time here, all my team-mates were awesome and I can’t say enough good things about them.

“The same with Ryan. He expects a lot from you but that’s warranted. I’m very grateful to him. He’s a great person and he gave me an opportunity to live my dreams, so I’ll always be thankful for that.”