Leeds Knights: Solid bond allowing Knights to stay among leading contenders
IF THERE is one reason behind Leeds Knights’ ability to be among the NIHL National front-runners once again this season, it is the close-knit nature of the playing group, according to import forward Liam Peyton.
The 25-year-old has enjoyed a positive impact since arriving in West Yorkshire in late August, the bustling, ever-present forward making his presence felt both on and off the ice.
To date, he has contributed 10 goals and 11 assists in his 23 games for the Knights and while he has added both a physical and leadership quality that has been needed perhaps more than initially expected as the Knights have battled through some injury adversity in the opening months of the campaign.
It is the bonds forged off the ice, however, that have enabled the Knights to continue as a cohesive unit, despite a larger-than-normal turnaround in the roster overseen by head coach Ryan Aldridge in the summer.
An admirer of the skill and compete level around him on the ice and the Knights’ bench, Peyton believes the togetherness of the team has got them through some tough times during the current campaign and will stand them in good stead when it comes to the business end of the season from February onwards.
“It is a very close group that we have and I think when you look at the success over the past handful of years that Leeds have had, all of that comes down to the bonds you build and being close to your team-mates,” said Peyton, who heads to Milton Keynes Lightning on Saturday night with his Knights team-mates before returning to host leaders Swindon Wildcats on Sunday at Elland Road.
“Without making those connections and those relationships, it’s hard to be a winning group.
"Bu every night, every guy wants to come out and battle for the guy next to them and try to make sure that we are coming home with the two points after each game, not for themselves but for everyone else around them in that room.”