@CarregSmart @JoeyHaddad27 Congrats! We can’t wait to see a photo in June ????????
Hanging from the rafters in Cardiff Bay are seven special jerseys. In the history of the Devils, seven players have contributed so much to the team that they deserved to be recognised for their accomplishments long after they left or hung up their skates. Players come and players go, but nobody will ever replace the Devils on this list. The numbers 7, 9, 10, 14, 19, 26 and 35 will forever be etched in the minds of fans and passed down through each new generation as a part of our proud history.
7: Doug McEwen
Doug McEwen is widely regarded as one of, if not the most, talented Devils ever to ice for the Club. Hugely skilled and an effortless skater, 'MC' could turn and win games with his relentless backchecking, prolific scoring ability and total reliability in all situations.
So revered was McEwen that during the Heineken era he acquired the nickname 'God' from the Devils faithful. Most famous for the 'skating lesson' goal, when he led a chasing, hapless Rocky Saganiuk twice around the Cardiff net before leaving him for dead, skating coast to coast and roofing the puck in possibly the greatest ever Devils goal, Doug McEwen will always be a true legend of the Club and synonymous with our most successful era.
9: John Lawless
John Lawless is quite simply the Father of the Cardiff Devils, and the 'biggest' of all the retired jerseys at the Club.
Though diminuitive in stature his charisma, drive and ability were the measure of anyone in the game and he used these to make the Devils the powerhouse of the Heineken era. On the ice and off he led the Devils, famously stepping out of retirement several times to help the team, and his legendary goal celebration of 'shooting the clock' is the most iconic sight in Devils history.
Lawless was in charge when each of our retired jersey players were signed or developed, and his passion for junior development saw the likes of Nicky Chinn, Neil Francis, Stevie Lyle and Jason Stone – among others – find their place on the Devils roster.
The 'Weasel' (so named for his unlimited ability to agitate the opposition) has returned to Cardiff many times since he left to manage the newly formed Manchester Storm. He has played in testimonial and legends games, and rightly receives the greatest ovation of all when he takes to the ice.
10: Jason Stone
'Stoney' graced the Devils for over two decades and leads all players with 1167 appearances between 1988 and 2010. In his 22 year Devils career, Jason Stone's list of accolades include four league championships, three play-off titles and two Challenge Cup Trophies. In the inaugural season of the Superleague, Stone was picked as the Best British Defenceman en route to the Devils’ League title that same season.
Like his name Stoney was rock solid, dependable and consistent. Not a flashy player, he nevertheless scored several big goals for the Club and could play huge minutes when required.
There are many records associated with the Devils and all those who have graced the ice in South Wales and beyond. It is almost certain however that Stoney's incredible number of appearances will never be equalled, giving him a unique place in the Devils' pantheon.
14: Brian Dickson
Brian Dickson was one of our original players, brought down from Scotland. He was very influential in our early years to bring the Devils success and to bring some structure. He was also one of our first big name British youngsters, paving the way for the likes of Ian and Stephen Cooper. Sadly Brian passed away in a tragic skiing accident. In respect of his contribution and spirit, the Devils planted a tree in Cardiff's castle grounds and retired his #14 jersey.
Shannon Hope's thoughts on Brian: “He was a very talented little athlete and was a very good skier, good on the slopes. Then on the ice for a British kid he was a very smart little forward, maybe not as fiery as John Lawless but for British talent he was a good athlete. He was very entertaining off the ice; Brian lived with us for a while when I first came over here and he was fun to have around. He sort of led the Scottish contingent with Derek King and Brian Wilkie down here, those three usually led a bit of entertainment at the back of the bus.
19: Steve Moria
Steve Moria was a gifted player who made the game, and in particularly scoring goals, look easy. Throughout his entire career 'Mo' tore up the scoring charts. He still holds the record at the University of Alaska-Fairbanks with an astonishing 43 goals and 109 points in just 34 games.
Mo was prolific throughout his entire career - which spanned an incredible 27 years as a professional – but it is his time in Cardiff that made the most impact, brought us the most success, and mean that just like Stoney's appearance record, Mo's scoring for the Devils will likely never be beaten.
His first season in Cardiff heralded the nightmares he would cause netminders for the next four years, as he posted an unbelievable 85 goals and 178 points in a mere 24 games. In his first four seasons with Cardiff he amassed 655 points in 126 games and he is the all-time leading scorer for Cardiff with 778 goals and 1655 points.
Mo was a part of the legendary Superleague winning roster of 1996-97 (along with other retirees McEwen, Hope and Stone) and was a force to be reckoned with in each of the Heineken, Superleague, BNL, EIHL and EPL sections of his career.
26: Brad Voth
Voth's career spanned seven seasons for the Devils, from 2005 to 2012, but his impact on the club and around the Elite League still remains. Every team including the Devils is always looking for that Voth-like player, a rare combination of heavy hitting, intimidating, tough as nails and a scoring touch.
He was the face of the franchise for his 7 years as a Devil and was probably the most feared and most talked about player in the league at that time. In 2007-08, his second year as Captain of the Devils, he scored 30 goals, and racked up 328 minutes in penalties, leading his team in both categories. That isn’t just a rarity in professional ice hockey, that is unheard of. The Devils tough guy, maybe the toughest in the league back then, was also the Devils top goal scorer.
Many fans credit him as the reason they fell in love with the sport and with the Devils. When they didn't understand the game at first, they understood the impact this giant of a man with long flowing blonde hair was having on the game. He created a generation of new Devils fans and gave a face to the franchise during the Devils darkest days when the team was first re-located from the city centre out to the Big Blue Tent.
35: Shannon Hope
Shannon 'Shinedog' Hope was a fine defenceman for the Cardiff Devils with the ability to skate, score, and drop the gloves when necessary.
Shiney was a huge character in the British game during a golden era of entertainment and his ability and willingness to entertain the Devils fans on and off the ice with a hit, goal, fight or great anecdote gives him a special place in the hearts of the Devils fans.
Shannon also represented Great Britain 36 times and was captain of the national side.
Second all-time in PiMs for the Devils (1455), it should not be overlooked that Hope was also a winner, with four league titles and three Play-Off Championships during his 10 seasons in South Wales.