Devils appoint Paul Thompson as head coach
Photo: Dean Woolley
Cardiff Devils have confirmed the appointment of Paul Thompson as their new head coach.
Thompson has spent the past four seasons in Denmark and heads to Cardiff as a reigning Metal Ligaen Champion, having led Odense to their first ever championship just a week ago.
He is well known to the Elite League having spent 10 years as head coach of the Coventry Blaze starting from the inaugural season of the Elite League. He won four League titles with the Blaze, one Playoff Championship, two Knockout Cups and three Challenge Cups and was voted EIHL Coach of the Year three times.
Thompson left the Blaze ahead of the 2013/14 season and coached in Sweden’s Allsvenskan with IF Troja-Ljungby before moving to Aalborg in Denmark for the 2014/15 season.
In 2015 he headed back to the EIHL to take charge of the Sheffield Steelers, winning the league title. A year later, he won the playoffs in double overtime - to date the longest ever EIHL game.
Thompson later went on to have spells in the DEL and Italy before heading back to Denmark.
"Paul Thompson is one of the most successful coaches in the history of this league and we are very pleased to have him in Cardiff," said Devils Mnaging Director Todd Kelman.
"I am very aware of the historic rivalry between the Devils and the teams Paul coached. Before my time, the Blaze and the Devils had one of the fiercest rivalries in the league and when I got to Cardiff, those first few years we were battling with the Steelers for every title.
"Even before I came to Cardiff, when I was in Belfast, we battled with the Blaze for hardware nearly every season. Believe me, I cursed his name a lot over the years, but I think rivalry is always wrapped in respect. You don’t hate a team that you always beat. You hate the teams that you battle against and compete for trophies against.
"What he has done in Denmark is impressive, taking a smaller budget team all the way to a championship, the first in the history of their club. I watched their entire playoff run and I was impressed with the style they played – fast, relentless hockey that was hard to defend.
"The bottom line is, we’re on the same team now. We are happy to have him and looking forward to getting him to Cardiff.”
