As Raider’s roster gets closer to completion for the 23-24 season we are delighted to welcome to Romford the third of our NBT (Non-British Trained) players, as they are now known. Another player new to the UK which always adds to the excitement of seeing how great over-seas form converts to the game in the UK.
Just 23 years of age, Nick Leyer is a free scoring 5 foot 9 inch, 185 lb forward who hails from St. Albert, Alberta, Canada. He joins Raiders having spent the second half of last season playing for Kalix in Swedish HockeyEttan (Second Division). His coaching reports and hockey highlights show that Raiders will be getting an energetic forward with good speed who is not afraid to get in the dirty areas and plays a great 2 way game.
Aged 16 years, Nick started playing for Spruce Grove Saints in Alberta Junior Hockey League (AJHL), where in three and a half years he made `197 appearances, scoring 59 goals and 72 assists for 131 points, whilst accumulating 352 penalty minutes, helping the club to the AJHL Championship in 2017-18, where Nick scored 14 goals and 25 assists for 39 points.
Nick then moved to Janesville Jets based in Beloit, Wisconsin playing in the North America Hockey League where in 38 appearances, Nick scored 13 goals and 11 assists for 24 points.
Nick moved to Northern Alberta Institute of Technology (NAIT) playing in ACAC (Alberta Collegiate Athletic Conference), where in 18 months he made 31 appearances, he scored 13 goals and 19 assists for 32 points, before moved to Sweden to join Kalix.
Sean Easton has a great deal of optimism for Nick’s debut in the British scene as he reveals the outcome of his pre-signing research.
“Nick came to us highly recommend, after speaking to 3 of his past coaches they all have nothing but great things to say about Nick’s game and his off-ice abilities.”
“Having watched a lot of video we can expect Nick to play both ends of the ice, offer great speed and he’s hungry to score a goal every shift.”
“We have been talking to Nick all summer and he is clearly very motivated to come to the UK and play for the Raiders.”
Nick certainly backs up that belief during the months long comms and in the written word as he explained:-
“I would like to say that I am super-excited to get over to Romford and meet all my new teammates and staff along with getting the season underway.
“I look forward to producing for my team and helping out in every way possible and also win a championship later on in the future. It’s been a dream of mine to play over in the UK ever since I started playing junior and I couldn’t be happier!”
We are certain the G&B are going to take immediately to Nick and give him a great welcome to the Raiders.
Elite prospects https://www.eliteprospects.com/player/282526/nick-leyer
