Sam Cooper confident switch to Leeds Knights from Sheffield Steeldogs is 'simply the best'

Sam Cooper makes no bones about why making the switch to Leeds Knights is the ‘best’ move for him.

He believes making the short move up the M1 after two years with NIHL National rivals Sheffield Steeldogs presents the best opportunity to win, the best environment for him to develop as a player and, in Ryan Aldridge, the best coach to help him go on and realise his Great Britain ambitions.

In 14 games against the Knights for the Steeldogs, Cooper didn’t end up on the winning side once - the closest being a 2-2 draw in the first leg of a National Cup semi-final which Leeds went on to comfortably win on aggregate a few days later.

Still only 20-years-old, the Knights are adding a player with time on his side, but one who already has bags of experience in the UK’s second tier.

Born in Portsmouth, it was at Guildford where the 6ft 3ins defenceman first took to the ice as a junior, his senior career starting in Romford during the 2021-22 season, when he also iced six times in the Elite League for Guildford Flames.

A year in North America trying to crack the college system followed before a return to the UK and South Yorkshire.

And while the Steeldogs produced a significant improvement on the first season Cooper spent there, he had little hesitation in moving on once it became clear Leeds were keen to add him to their back line.

“If you look at Leeds’ record, there is nowhere better,” said Cooper. “They have won the league for the last three years and that is something that is going to be so good for me and my development, the pressure to perform every single night.

“Also, I’m still only 20, I’m young and one of my goals for the future is to play for the GB national team like Kieran Brown has done.

“And if you look at what Ryan has done, even going back to Cole Shudra – he stepped away from Sheffield, played in Leeds and now he is on that GB national team.

“I’m coming to Leeds to win - that is what I would like to do and I think we are more than capable of doing that again.”

Knights’ head coach Aldridge persuaded Cooper his future lay at Elland Road following two years with Yorkshire rivals the Steeldogs.

With the loss of key import defenceman Noah McMullin Aldridge is keen to bolster his team’s back end.

And while another import will be necessary, adding 6ft 3ins Cooper is a key part of the puzzle for Aldridge.

“I wanted to be a little bit bigger on the back end, I wanted to be a little bit more mobile on the back end - Sam gives us that,” said Aldridge.

“He really wants to be here and he sees an opportunity to help us win trophies here. He’s been really keen from the first conversation we’ve had with each other."

“I think he’s had offers from elsewhere but I feel he believes he can develop his game really well here.”