6'5" Canadian completes forward unit
The final forward signing for the 2022-23 season is ‘The Big Cat’ Josh Brittain. He comes to Cardiff from the IceHL where he played for Orli Znojmo last season in the same league that Joey Martin played in for Graz 99ers.
Originally from Milton, Ontario in Canada, Brittain is a former 3rd round NHL draft pick of the Anaheim Ducks, selected in 2008 after his second season in the OHL (Ontario Hockey League) with the Kingston Frontenacs.
Pictured above: Brittain in a foot race against a Bolzano defender last season (Photo Imago / Eibner Europa)
After turning pro with the Syracuse Crunch in 2010-11, Brittain spent 7 seasons bouncing between the AHL and the ECHL before making the move to Europe for the 2017-18 season when he signed with HC Banska Bystrica in Slovakia. He had a great season in Slovakia, finishing with 20 goals and 18 assists in 49 games and winning the Slovakian Extraliga Championship.
He moved on to play in Germany for a year with DEL2 side Deggendorfer HSC, then back to the USA with the Allen Americans, then a year in Sweden before signing last year in Orli Znojmo.
Pictured above: Brittain with Orli Znojmo last season in the IceHL (photo IMAGO / GEPA pictures)
Brittain and Brodie Dupont briefly played together in 2016-17 with the Norfolk Admirals so the Devils Head Coach knows what kind of player he is getting in Cardiff this season.
“Josh is a perfect role player for this league. He plays both centre and wing, he can hit, he’s a big body and is hard to move out in front of the net. He’s also one of the best face-off guys I have ever played with.
“He can play up and down the line-up and whether it is killing penalties, playing powerplay, taking the draw in the last minute of a game, I know what I am getting with him.
“He is a great team guy. I know his teammates are going to love him and so will our fans.”
