Leeds Knights: Adam Barnes happy to remain on board as hockey takes hold at Elland Road

The troubles encountered by Leeds Chiefs in their short life are well-chronicled, in spite of the best efforts of those involved with the on-ice product during what was a very trying debut season in NIHL National that was cut short by the pandemic.

Just over 13 months after the Chiefs’ last game in March 2020, it was the dawn of a new era. Swindon Wildcats’ owner Steve Nell taking over the Elland Road franchise, boasting a proven track record of how to run a second-tier hockey team back down in Wiltshire.

Fast forward just over another 13 months and the transformation has been remarkable and one of the main reasons Barnes was only too happy to agree to another season in West Yorkshire.

In fact, if the pace of progress continues over the coming years as it has done under Nell so far, the 22-year-old forward would be quite happy to stick around for the long haul.

“Steve is one of the best team owners in the league and I would have been stupid to not come back for another year,” said Barnes. “I feel everything about the team is heading in the right direction.

“I could easily see myself being here for a number of years if they want me. The organisation and how far it has come in one year under Steve is so impressive and I think this is going to be the team in this league to play for going forward, judging by how well it has gone so far in such a short space of time.”

Having Nell signing the cheques was just one reason why Barnes was keen to hang, his prolific partnership with top line team-mate Kieran Brown - the two first played alongside one another when they came through the Bradford Bulldogs’ junior system together - an his respect for head coach Ryan Aldridge also proving key factors.

While Brown rightly took all the plaudits for a remarkable season which brought him 146 points in 66 games, Barnes’s contribution was equally as crucial, particularly in a team who suffered from a paucity of secondary scoring, one thing Aldridge is keen to address next time out.

Barnes ended his season with 92 points - including 34 goals - from 64 games, enough to put him in the top 10 points-scorers for the division.

It will come as no surprise that Aldridge intends to pair Brown and Barnes together again next season, his only other decision being who will centre his top line.

One thing Barnes will be keen to put right is the way the 2021-22 season ended for the Knights, with seven straight defeats an a winless play-off campaign.

“It did hurt the way the season ended on a bad losing streak like that,” added Barnes. “But that should add fuel to the fire for next season an that we’re going to come back and put together a serious run to the play-offs, make that final four weekend. That has to be the goal.”

Aldridge is looking forward to Barnes showing his quality once again net season.

“He’s an immensely talented player,” said Aldridge.

“He had a great hot streak towards the end of the year and he can be a game-changer, he really can.

“When he went on that run towards the end of the season he was borderline invincible and you thought he was going to score every night.

“So we’re looking for more of that and a little more consistency from him.”