Leeds Knights: New defenceman Ross Kennedy comes highly recommended to coach Dave Whistle

NEW FACE: New Leeds Knights Ross Kennedy comes highly recommended, says head coach Dave Whistle. Picture courtesy of Steve Brodie.

The 23-year-old Welshman is the seventh signing of the summer by the NIHL National club and comes highly recommended following his one season with 2019-20 league champions Telford Tigers, where Whistle’s son Brandon was also on the roster.

Kennedy finished the double-winning campaign under coach Tom Watkins as the Tigers’ highest-scoring defenceman with nine goals and 25 assists.

But his Canadian-born team-mate – who had spent the previous season at Sheffield Steelers – proved a sizeable hit himself in Shropshire, finishing the season as the team’s third-highest points scorer with 22 goals and 37 assists in just 37 games.

RECOMMENDATION: Brandon Whistle, above, was impressed with Leeds Knights new signing Ross kennedy when the pair played together at Telford Tigers in the 2019-20 season. Picture courtesy of Steve Brodie.

Knights’ head coach Whistle, who has been in talks with a number of players in recent days, said Kennedy came highly recommended by his younger son.

“I got some really good, first-hand intel on Ross from Brandon from their time together in Telford,” said Whistle. “He had plenty of good things to say about him, about how he plays and the way he handles himself on and off the ice.

“Brandon said Ross was a bigger guy, who shoots the puck real hard, which was why Telford used him a lot on their powerplay.

“It was his first year at that level with Telford and he’s a proven winner there. He’s still young and I’m really glad he’s on board with us.”