Bálint Pákozdi happy to embrace the great expectations that come with Leeds Knights move

For the past four seasons, he has had a key role on a Swindon Wildcats team who have always gone close, but ultimately come up short when it came down to landing NIHL National silverware.

By contrast, the team he switched to on Thursday - his departure from Swindon having been announced two days earlier - has consistently delivered, winning three league championships, as well as a play-off title and a National Cup under head coach Ryan Aldridge.

Last season, the margin of Leeds’ success in the regular season was cut to just the one point by a Milton Keynes Lightning team who went on to gain some sort of revenge when beating the Knights in overtime in the play-off semi-final.

Aldridge and his players acknowledge their third league crown was the toughest one to win yet. It will be even harder next time around.

Having said goodbye to Jordan Buesa on Wednesday - the Scottish forward making himself a firm fans’ favourite in his two years at Elland Road - the announcement of Pákozdi a little over 24 hours later will be welcomed by fans and team-mates alike.

He arrives in West Yorkshire on the back of his most productive season yet in four years at Swindon, posting 17 goals and 45 assists for a 62-point haul in 61 appearances.

Still only aged 26, Budapest-born forward adds plenty of physicality and defensive awareness to an already-promising offensive game.

Having already come under the watchful eye of Aldridge at the Swindon-based Okanagan Hockey Academy between 2013-17 - his career would take him to Under-20 hockey in Sweden before two years in North America - Pákozdi believes his game can develop even further under his former coach.

“Ryan is the best coach in the league - the results prove that,” said Pákozdi, classed as a British player due to his junior training in Swindon. “Leeds have got some of the best British talent around at the moment and it’s just their consistency that has made them so successful.

“They have that consistency that neither Swindon or Milton Keynes could find throughout the whole season.They’ve won the league for three years in a row and that is something that doesn’t go unnoticed and Ryan has obviously played a huge part in that.

“But there is also a lot of credit to the players for sticking at it and finding ways to get through the tough times in the season.

“Leeds are the team that everyone wants to beat - that’s been the case for a while now.

“But I like the pressure of coming to Leeds, I don’t mind that. I’m looking forward to it and hopefully we can keep on winning.”

Aldridge believes he is getting a player who will compete, offer a team-first mentality but who still has room for improvement.

“He’s a great kid, a super human being and a great competitor,” said the Knights’ head coach. “I know him very well from our time at OHA and if I get a chance to bring a player in like Bálint, I’m going to take it.

“He wants to play in Leeds and I very much want him here. He puts up good numbers but has that physical side to his game, too. He plays in the right areas for me. He’s prepared to go to the net, he’s prepared to play tough in those areas.

“He put 50-plus points up for Swindon last year, so that will add more points to our team, too. He’s had four good years at Swindon, he’s no stranger to this league and so knows what is expected.

“He has become a good player since moving on from OHA but I believe he still has areas where he needs to improve - and I’m sure he is still looking to improve.”