Welshman Alex Symonds Fires Up His Ice Hockey Career

Alex Symonds is feeling right at home in South Wales.

The Newport-born defenceman has signed for Cardiff Fire, who will compete in the second tier of British ice hockey in 2017-18.

National League Fire are bringing Symonds, a product of the Devils junior development programme, back to Cardiff.

Head coach Mark Cuddihy has now signed three players with Symonds joining Sam Smith and Callum Buglass.

Symonds made his Elite League debut for Devils at the age of 16 in 2005 and then played 38 matches in the following season, helping Devils win the EIHL cup and British Cup.

He made more than 50 appearances for Devils in 2007-08 and was also selected for the Great Britain under-20 team.

The former Ebbw Vale School pupil moved on to Telford Tigers before returning to Devils a year later, helping coach Gerad Adams and his team set a World record of 21 consecutive victories.

Symons, who celebrated his 29th birthday this week, has also played for Slough Jets, playing a key role as they won the English Premier League play-offs, Swindon Wildcats and Basingstoke Bison.

He split his time between Swindon and Basingstoke over the next four seasons, playing more than 150 matches and helping Bison win the EPL title in 2016.

He has played over 200 games at the highest level in the UK plus 276 EPL games.

“Alex is a big, big signing for us,” says Cuddihy. “I’ve known Alex for 10 years, but never worked with him directly before.

“He’s always been in the Elite set up straight from juniors or playing key roles in the EPL and therefore out of our reach. I’ve always hoped that one day he would sign with us and the new second tier NIHL has allowed us to pursue him.

“He was right up there on the list of players I wanted following our promotion and I’m absolutely delighted he’s agreed to sign for us.

“Alex competes hard every single night and gives the team the chance to win hockey games.He will play a huge roll for us next season and is excited about the opportunity of that responsibility.

“He will help the team and our younger players immensely. I’m proud Fire have been able to sign a player of Alex’s calibre. It’s a big coup for us.”

Cuddihy and his team will compete in an eight-team National Hockey League South Division along with Bracknell Bees, Basingstoke Bison, Invicta Dynamos, London Raiders, Milton Keynes Thunder, Peterborough Phantoms, Streatham and Swindon Wildcats.