Grant Cooper explains 'tough decision' to leave Leeds Knights to pursue Elite League ambition

Fans were left stunned at Tuesday morning’s announcement by the Knights when it was revealed the 26-year-old import forward would be moving on later this month.

The Ontario-born left-hander has had a major impact for the Knights - his first season abroad - leading, his hat-trick in Sunday’s 7-2 home win over Hull Seahawks taking past the 60-point mark for the season.

He leads the NIHL National in terms of scoring after making 28 appearances for a Knights team which is back at the top of the standings, a position they have occupied for the vast majority of the 2022-23 season.

Cooper, who switched to Elland Road after just one year as a pro in North America with the Reading Royals in the ECHL, wouldn’t be drawn on which EIHL team he was set to join, saying only that talks had been held with a number of teams.

Belfast Giants and Glasgow Clan are believed to be two teams interested in signing Cooper.

“It was a really tough decision for me to make,” said Cooper. “Every decision you make, there are always pros and cons and you weigh up your options.

“There are some talks ongoing and it’s kind of just day by day at the moment to see where I’ll end up. It’s always nice to go up into the top league in whatever country and that was always the goal moving here, to try and get my feet wet somewhere then ultimately moving up.

“It’s hockey and I just want to try and get what is best for my career and I only have so many years left. It’s been nice to get an opportunity here in Leeds, though, and I can’t thank Ryan (Aldridge, head coach) and Steve (Nell, team owner) enough.”

Cooper handed in his notice shortly before Christmas and it is expected that he will be available for Leeds for two more weekends before the agreed 30-day period expires.

The Knights have already agreed terms with a replacement import forward and it is anticipated that he will be in the country before Cooper’s notice expires, subject to the usual paperwork formalities involving visas.

Aldridge was always confident Cooper would have a positive impact when he was sifting through the raft of import options last summer.

His cv didn’t scream out that he was going to put up the kind of numbers he has in England, the forward himself admitting his time with Leeds has surpassed his own expectations.

“It’s exceeded what I expected coming in,” added Cooper, who spent four years playing NCAA hockey for Clarkson University before joining Reading. “I just thought I’d come in, bring a two-way game and find the back of the net here and there but, obviously, to play with all these young Brits here such as Cole and Brownie and Brooksy as the other import has been great and Matty Haywood as a veteran is just phenomenal.

“I’m very pleased with how things have gone here, it’s always nice when you can put a couple of points up every night.

“And this is a great group of guys. I’ve said before how young and how fairly new the team is but it is a tight-knit group. They accepted me and Brooksy as imports here and it has always been nice to come into work every day.”