Leeds Chiefs signal their intent for NIHL National by adding former Sheffield Steelers forward Kieran Brown

The 19-year-old forward is regarded by many in the UK game as the most talented player for his age.

Hopes were high at one point that Brown would follow in the footsteps of his former Sheffield Steelers’ team-mate Liam Kirk in being picked in the NHL Draft.

But, three years on from being chosen as the latest youngster to be part of the Elite League club’s unique apprenticeship scheme – on which Kirk had embarked the previous year – Brown cut a frustrated figure.

So much so that he requested to be released by the Steelers, a wish he was granted last week to clear the way for him to resurrect his career at the Chiefs.

Brown could probably have had his pick of any team in the second tier – and there will have been a number of EIHL teams keen to have him on board, too – but the fact he has chosen the Chiefs as the place to spend his immediate future, has not gone unnoticed by player-coach Zajac.

“Offensively, Kieran is pretty much the full package but, for me, what has really stood out from speaking to him is his desire and his hunger,” said Zajac.

“I didn’t know him too well before this process started but it has really hit home to me about how much he wants this and how much he wants to be a success here.

“I don’t think anyone can question whether the talent is there but, for me, you can’t question his attitude either. He’s going to be huge for us.”

A product of the nearby Bradford Bulldogs junior programme and having spent two years in North America playing ‘midget’ league hockey, Brown returned to the UK in 2017 to start his Steelers’ apprenticeship under then coach Paul Thompson.

Progress was made in his first season at the club but Thompson’s departure early on in the 2018-19 campaign saw further chances for Brown to gain ice time limited, a theme which continued last season under Aaron Fox, as he spent the majority of the season on a two-way deal with neighbouring Sheffield Steeldogs.

Brown – who posted 34 points, including 10 goals, in 19 games for Steeldogs last season – actually played and scored against Leeds in the West Yorkshire club’s first-ever competitive game last September.

Not surprisingly, Zajac is now delighted to have the youngster on his side of the ice moving forward.

“For me, he is someone with massive potential,” added Zajac.

“And you could see he was really starting to fulfil that last season at the Steeldogs before he got injured, he was right up there with the top points scorers.

“I guarantee he is a guy who the rest of the league would be interested in having on their roster.

“He’s a big step for us as a club and it is a big signal of intent from us. It shows that we are attracting these top players and similar to our goalie Sam Gospel, he is a guy who we can build our team around.

“When the opportunity to sign somebody like Kieran comes up you really have to take it with both hands.”

Zajac believes Brown arrives in Leeds looking to prove he has the tools required to eventually return to and succeed in the EIHL.

“There is definitely another level to his game,” said Zajac. “It’s going to be scary for the rest of the league to be honest and it’s exciting for us.

“I think he feels like he has a point to prove and I feel like we’re going to be in a good position to give him that platform to really show what he can do.”

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