Steven Moore happily embracing fresh challenge with Leeds Chiefs

Leeds Chiefs' forward Steven Moore, in action against Sheffield Steeldogs at Ice Sheffield earlier this season. Picture: Bruce Rollinson

Leeds Chiefs close the gap on NIHL National playoff rivals

Coming towards the end of a seventh enjoyable season at Solway Sharks, the Ayr-born winger was assuming he would be returning to Dumfries Ice Bowl for another campaign of NIHL One hockey.

But, for several months, talks had been taking place with a view to creating a more competitive second tier of British hockey, an attempt to return to something similar to the English Premier League, which had been dissolved by the English Ice Hockey Association at the end of the 2016-17 season.

Those discussions ultimately led to the formation of NIHL National, comprising eight teams from a NIHL One’s north and south ‘conferences’ together with Milton Keynes Lightning – returning from a disappointing two-year stint in the Elite League – and a brand new team playing out of a new rink being built by Planet Ice in Leeds.

That team would eventually become Leeds Chiefs and it is where Moore’s future was being mapped out.

Having been contacted in the early part of last summer by Chiefs’ player-coach Sam Zajac, Moore didn’t take much convincing that he was being offered a rare opportunity he would be foolish to turn down.

“I’d got to a point in my life where I had a choice to make,” said 26-year-old Moore. “I could have settled down and done the same stuff back home and continued playing at Solway.

Steven Moore battles with future boss Sam Zajac during an NIHL clash between Whitley Bay and Solway Sharks last season. Picture courtesy of Colin Lawson.

“But I felt I had to try something different – it was the right time for me to do that.

“To be honest, I’d never had a chance like this before – it was the first time a team from down south had offered me any kind of reasonable deal, so I was excited about it.”

Exciting it may have been throughout last summer, but it has been far from plain sailing for Moore and his new team-mates. The Chiefs won’t move into the new rink until January 31, a situation that has effectively seen them play all their games on the road, with several other Planet Ice rinks utilised as ‘home’ venues.

The lack of ice has also meant limited practice opportunities, with Blackburn Ice Arena used for the team’s one and only weekly practice session.

Come the end of the month, however, all that should change, hopefully leaving enough time for bottom-of-the-table Leeds to make a push for the playoffs in their first-ever season.

“Every player – no matter who they are or where they are from – wants to play at the highest level they can,” added Moore, who has posted four goals and 11 assists in 29 appearances this season.

“And I’d rather be playing at this level, not winning so many games and not scoring as many goals as I have before.

“That is what makes it a big challenge for me and I feel it makes me, not just a better player, but a better person, too.

“I do feel like I’m improving every weekend – not massive improvements, but little details here and there.

“Off the ice, too, I feel like I’ve matured a lot, living away from home and having to do everything myself – it’s enjoyable living in a big city like Leeds, being on this team – this is where I want to be at.”