The UK connections who convinced Noah McMullin that Leeds Knights was the right place for him

The 25-year-old defenceman is one of three imports signed up to ice for the NIHL National league and play-off champions next time out.

But he will arrive at Elland Road boasting his own winning pedigree, winning three championships in his junior career back in Nova Scotia, Canada.

The most recent of those successes came in his final year at Yarmouth Mariners in the Maritime Junior Hockey League in 2019-20.

On his team that year was fellow Knights’ import signing Matt Barron, the pair then going on to play alongside one another for Ontario Tech University before going their separate ways.

McMullin heads to ‘The Castle’ from Ontario Tech, Barron from a first season as a pro, largely spent in the East Coast league on loan at Trois-Rivières Lions, the same team former Knights’ import forward Zach Brooks briefly played for before making the move to the UK last summer.

McMullin has long had an eye on making the move to Europe after his time at university concluded and, once he had got his own references on what the UK hockey scene offered, wasted little time in signing on the dotted line once he was aware of the Knights Interest.

“I had always wanted to go and play in Europe after I was done playing university hockey here,” said McMullin. “I thought it would be nice to get the chance to travel, while continuing my hockey career.

“I had some former team-mates from Ontario Tech who had played in the Elite League - Kyle Lock and Alex Yuill at Guildford and Jake Bricknell at Manchester - and they all spoke very highly of the UK and how it was a good place to come and play hockey.

“I thought Leeds would be a great landing spot and I’m excited to be a part of it.”

When he set out in search of an import defender, Aldridge admitted he was looking for a bigger body than what he has landed in 5ft 9ins McMullin.

But once he was made aware of McMullin - initially by Barron’s coaching father Laurie - he knew he had to amend his requirements.

“If I’m being honest, I was looking for a bigger defenceman to start with,” said Aldridge. “But none of those bigger defencemen had the skill level I was also after.

“We’re obviously an offensive team and I like to play offensive hockey. Noah is going to fit right into that.

“He fits into the style of hockey, the way I like the ‘D’ to play. I think British ‘D’ are a little bit more reserved when it comes to jumping into the play at times and I hope that he’ll be able to teach them - or show them - how it is done, just through the way he plays.”

McMullin, who also played alongside 2022-23 Raiders IHC import forward Matthieu Gomercic while at Ontario Tech, believes he has the game that Aldridge is looking for.

“I regard myself as a puck-moving defenceman,” he added. “I pride myself on playing very hard in the defensive end, especially with my size, being a little under-sized I make up for it with a good stick and quick feet and moving pucks out and then jumping in and contributing to the offence.”