Leeds Chiefs looking to get ahead of the game for 2020-21

Leeds Chiefs are looking to start putting their roster together for the 2020-21 season in the coming weeks. Picture courtesy of gw-images.com

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Most teams had already nailed down the core of their squads for the 2019-20 campaign.

Understandably, Zajac does not want to find himself in the same position again and, over the next few weeks, will begin setting out his stall on who he wants back for 2020-21. As well as who he might want to add.

Reassuringly for the current Chiefs’ crop, Zajac is hopeful of retaining a large core second time around, although he acknowledges – given the very nature of second-tier hockey in the UK – that some of those players may not wish to return and will move on elsewhere, either to other teams or to take up opportunities outside the game.

“Over the next couple of months, we’re going to start trying to lock guys down for next year,” said Zajac. “As soon as we get into the rink we’ll start speaking to guys and see where their heads are at. I also need to sit down with the owners and see what budget we’re looking at.

“I’d like to get the ball rolling in the next few weeks and get ahead of the curve because we don’t want to go into next season having to recruit a whole new team like we had to last year – it is just too much to do.

“But there will definitely be a solid core coming back. I know we need to add numbers, too, but there are a lot of guys who we’d like to get back for another season, those who have shown so much willing this season and have just kept going through all the tough times and the various stresses and strains that we’ve had.

“We’ve got a good group here, yes, we need to make tweaks here and there, but it will mostly be positives.”

It would be foolish to ignore what a trying season this has been for all concerned at the Chiefs, both on and off the ice. The opening of the Elland Road rink at the end of this month is, as has been well-documented, long overdue.

It has restricted team practises to just the one, 90-minute session per week in Blackburn, somewhat scant compared to the majority, if not all, of their league rivals who enjoy at least twice that much training time.

The rink’s delay has also taken its toll on players with regard to the amount of travelling time they have had to endure each weekend, the Chiefs effectively playing their entire season on the road, with derby dates at Sheffield Steeldogs representing the closest thing geographically to a ‘home’ match.

PLANNING AHEAD: Leeds Chiefs'player-coach, Sam Zajac. Picture courtesy of Kevin Slyfield.

Coventry, Solihull, Basingstoke, Peterborough, Blackburn and Widnes have all at one point or another become adopted homes for the Chiefs in the past four months. Come January 31, however, it will be a huge relief for all concerned to be able to have just the one rink they can truly call home.

And while neither Zajac or his players readily use such trying circumstances as an excuse for their on-ice struggles – the Chiefs are bottom of the standings and 12 points off a playoff place with 21 games to go – it has undoubtedly been a factor, as has running short-benched for most of the season, either through numerous player exits or injury.

Once the Chiefs are settled in at their home rink, training at least twice a week and not getting home in the early hours of the morning every Sunday and Monday because of the constant road trips, he hopes his original band of brothers can start to realise the potential he believes they have on a more regular basis.

“As well as trying to make sure we get into the play-offs, the next two-three months will in one sense also be like a trial for next season for everyone,” added Zajac.

Planet ICe Leeds opens its doors on Friday, January 31. Picture courtesy of Planet Ice.

“We want to make sure we are on more of a level playing field, get on the ice as much as other teams are, cut down the travelling and get some more numbers in.

“So as soon as we get in that rink and get another couple of guys in, get guys back from injury, then all the excuses will be gone and it will then be a case of saying: ‘Right, now show us what you’ve got’.

“I’m sure there will be some guys who don’t want to come back next year and that is obviously fine. But, hopefully, the ones that we want to keep also want to stay and can see that we’re trying to build something special here.”