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- Sam’S The Man To Complete Cardiff Devils D Corps
Defenceman Sam Jardine, who has twice won the Kelly Cup in North America, is Cardiff Devils latest signing.
The 25-year-old D-man from Lacombe, Alberta comes South Wales fresh from an historic season with the Newfoundland Growlers of the East Coast League where he helped the team capture the province’s first ever professional hockey championship.
“I’m really excited to have Sam join our organisation,” said head coach Andrew Lord.
“He is a great all-around defenceman with many assets and he is the perfect player to balance out our D-core.
“Sam is big, skates well, plays hard, is strong defensively and has an offensive upside.
“This is a huge signing for us with the D-core we already have and I’m proud of the work we put in this summer to find the player we needed.
“Sam does everything the right way and is a super committed pro with great references.
“Marjamaki skates with Sam over the summers and our old boy Ryan Russell used to be at those same skates with him before retiring.
“A big thanks to Tyson Strachan as well for helping us get this across the line as both him and Sam are Ohio State Alumni and Strachs went to bat for us.
“Sam is young and hungry to move up in European hockey and we will do everything we can to help him achieve his goals.
“In the meantime, he is highly motivated to help us win, is a true competitor is a proven winner with two ECHL championships including last season with Newfoundland.
“He was also was a part of the Toronto Marlies organisation affiliate Colorado Eagles when they won the Calder Cup two seasons ago.”
Jardine played his university hockey at Ohio State where he spent three years and played 97 games. In 2011 he was drafted in the sixth round of the NHL draft by the Chicago Blackhawks.
His first pro season (2015-16) gave him a first taste of American League hockey as he dressed for six games with the Rockford IceHogs, the top minor league affiliate of the Blackhawks.
He also played 50 games for the Indy Fuel in the ECHL.
The 6’2” defenceman split his time between the Colorado Eagles (ECHL) and San Antonio Rampage (AHL) the following season.
He played 27 games for San Antonio and 39 for the Eagles, helping them sweep South Carolina in the finals of the Kelly Cup to win his first pro trophy.
In 2017, Sam signed for ECHL team Orlando Solar Bears who were at that point the affiliate team of the Toronto Maple Leafs. Jardine’s deal with the Bears was upgraded to a deal with the Leafs AHL affiliate, Toronto Marlies, and he played one game for the team that season.
Maple Leafs and Solar Bears ended their affiliate after that season, but Sam stayed with the Marlies, who he represented 37 times last season in the AHL while also playing 33 games for the Newfoundland Growlers, the Maple Leafs new affiliate team where he won his second Kelly Cup Championship ring.
In his first three pro years Jardine has played 159 ECHL games and scored 50 points plus 71 in the AHL where he recorded 13 points.
Cardiff Devils recruitment
Signings: (22 players announced – 14 imports, 8 British – maximum 14 imports can ice in any one EIHL game):
Head coach: Andrew Lord
Netminder: Ben Bowns, Thomas Murdy, Jordan Lawday.
Defence: Sean McMonagle (import), Mark Richardson, Mark Louis (import), Gleason Fournier (import), Bryce Reddick (import), Sam Jardine (import)
Forwards: Sean Bentivoglio (import), Masi Marjamaki (import), Blair Riley (import), Stephen Dixon (import), Matthew Myers, Matt Pope (import), Mike McNamee (import), Sam Duggan, Joey Martin (import), Joey Haddad (import), Charles Linglet (import), Josh Batch, Toms Rutkis.
Cardiff Devils pre-season and Champions League schedule:
August
Saturday 10 Cardiff Devils v Fehervar (Viola Arena, Cardiff Bay, 7pm)
Sunday 11: Cardiff Devils v Fehervar (Viola Arena, Cardiff Bay, 6pm)
Saturday 17: Nottingham Panthers v Cardiff Devils (in Nottingham, 7pm)
Sunday 18 Cardiff Devils v Nottingham Panthers (Viola Arena, Cardiff Bay, 6pm)
Sunday 25 Cardiff Devils V MAC Budapest (Viola Arena, Cardiff Bay, 6pm)
Friday 30 Cardiff Devils v Mountfield HK (Champions Hockey League fixture, Viola Arena, 7.30pm)
September
Sunday 1 Cardiff Devils v Graz 99ers (Champions Hockey League fixture, Viola Arena, 6pm)
Thursday 5 Mountfield HK v Cardiff Devils (Champions Hockey League fixture, 5pm)
Saturday 7 Graz 99ers v Cardiff Devils (Champions Hockey League fixture, 6.15pm)
October
Tuesday 8 Frolunda Indians v Devils (Champions Hockey League fixture, 5pm)
Tuesday 15 Devils v Frolunda Indians (Champions Hockey League fixture, Viola Arena, 7.30pm)
Single game tickets for pre-season and Champions Hockey League matches are now available along with the even-game ticket pack.
CLICK HERE TO BOOK ONLINE or call us on 0800 0842 666
The 7-game pack, covering all four pre-season and three CHL home fixtures, offer big discounts and no service charges.
