Welshman Jamie Living The Play-Off Dream With Cardiff Devils

Welshman Jamie Elson is living the dream with newly-crowned Elite League champions Cardiff Devils.

Elson, from Cardiff, was a young Devils fan when they won the ice hockey play-offs at Wembley in 1990, a match shown live on BBC Grandstand and won by Cardiff after more than 24 shots in a penalty shootout.

Today, he is a key part of the coaching team and Canadian player-coach Andrew Lord’s right-hand man.

The two men have worked closely together, Elson in charge of the bench when Lord is on the ice in matches, and steered Devils to a trophy treble by winning the League, Challenge Cup and Erhardt Conference.

Now they aim to complete a British Grand Slam by lifting the play-off championship in Nottingham this weekend.

Devils play Dundee Stars in the first semi-final on Saturday, while Sheffield Steelers and Belfast Giants clash in the second game (5pm).

“It’s been an unbelievable season,” says Elson. “I find it impossible to describe how I feel, having been there as a boy in the stands at Wembley and when the Devils were winning championships, triples and doubles.

“As a kid who loved the team Devils had great success and the fans took it for granted. If we didn’t win the team quickly bounced back and won again.

“But it’s 20 years since we last won the League title.

“When you go a long time without a League title you realise how special those old times were.

“I’ve always had a desire to be part of the club and part of the jigsaw that brings success back to Cardiff Devils. It feels incredible to have achieved a trophy treble this season – and we’ll be fully prepared for the play-offs this weekend.”

Elson has worked as a coach over the last 12 years, having developed through Cardiff Devils junior teams and in 2013-14 he led the under-18s to a league and play-offs double.

He coached at England age group level before joining the Elite League club full-time, taking charge of junior development alongside a strong schools and community programme.

Elson has been working solely with the Devils Elite League team since 2014 on a daily basis, supporting Lord in on-ice training, video analysis, player recruitment and during matches.

“Lordo has brought passion, desire and so much more to Cardiff Devils,” he says. “They are factors Devils teams were built on by coaches like John Lawless and Paul Heavey.

“They really connected with the fan base and led from the front, either on the ice or from the bench. They really got what it means to be Devils coach.

‘Lordo, too, has got it from day one. It was a tough season before Todd Kelman came in three years ago, but it was clear then Lordo was a leader who took defeat personally.

“When it was said that summer he would be Devils coach I knew it was the right choice. He leads and is so often the best player on the ice.

“Over the last three years Lordo has barely then a day off. Todd Kelman has said that if Andrew Lord is the most valuable player in Elite League in terms of everything he brings.

“I couldn’t agree more.”

Hundreds of Devils fans will be in Nottingham for the play-off finals weekend with the two semi-final winners clashing in Sunday’s final (4pm).