Defenceman Dylan Hehir will no longer be patrolling the Whitley blue line, having signed for Leeds Knights on a permanent basis.
20-year-old Hehir came through the junior ranks at Billingham Stars, turning out for the senior team on a regular basis from 2018, before moving to Warriors last season. His impressive debut campaign led to him being named Defenceman of the Year by the coaching staff and voted Hillheads Player of the Year by the fans.
Whitley Warriors General Manager Paul Matthews is understandably sad to lose a player of such talent from the roster but understands the reasons behind the move.
“He’s a young kid with loads of potential, and wanting to play at a higher level is what you want young players striving for,” Matthews told us. “He has been a joy to work with in his time at Whitley and he goes to Leeds with our blessing.”
Hehir was already on a two-way contract with Knights and will continue to link up with his brother Ethan at the Elland Road rink.
“Dylan is another one of those players that came highly recommended to me when I asked about talent in the north, ” Leeds Head Coach Ryan Aldridge said. “He was a great asset for Whitley last year, and I’m looking forward to working with someone of his calibre.”
Good luck to Dylan from everyone at Whitley Warriors!