CARDIFF, WALES – It was a hot start in pre-season action for the Devils, as they dispatched each team that visited and only had one blip on the road vs Panthers, which was a tale of two halves.
They commanded each game with focus, intensity and patience, despite some gloves off shenanigans. There were also some knocks taken, from Duggan to LTIR and Yaremko who got unprofessionally dump tackled.
That is a risk for having such a long pre-season – 7 games, more than most. Out of that seven, 6 were victories. Each home game was a hell-out also, so much for the price hikes.
Home vs Flames
Their visitors, Guildford Flames, also had a bit of travel, but a far easier challenge in their build up, including NIHL minnows and Devils affiliate, Bristol Pitbulls.
They have some star fire power added this off-season, including Brett Neumann, Chase Gresock and former Devil, fan favourite Cole Sanford.
Here is a reminder of this time as a Devil.
Sanford would be expected to make an impression, as he watches the banner being raised from the playoff win last season, which may add motivation to remind the doubters of his play style and tenure at the club. It isn’t easy to replace a PPG player.
The goal tending would also be a key factor, as Stoever returned in the final few games and is sure to take the starter net more often this season.
He ranked 7th amongst the top 10 goalies and was featured as a prime one to watch for this season.
Whereas for Flames, Justin Fazio, ranked 2nd overall for the EIHL Impact Guide from last season, he is surely a huge factor in their success rate for the season ahead, as the Flames have made strides to improve the quality in front of him.
Despite a poor start for the team last season, he backstopped the club to 5th overall and built a solid foundation as a top goalie, rivalled only by Drew DeRidder of the Storm.
This was closely followed up by Bowns, who had less workload compared to Fazio, as well as less wins, due to Stoever taking over the crease, however, he had huge season nonetheless, with the most shutouts of any goalie.
Another hot shot for the Flames and former Devil, Josh Waller, had a breakout season in Surrey. He was amongst the top Brits and put up his best production in the EIHL to date.
He ranked 1st overall for most improved players of the previous campaign, just ahead of Brandt. The former team mates added extra nuance for their respective clubs last season, making notable strides in their performances.
Riley Brandt put up 4 goals this pre-season, more than what most top line imports across the league had managed – this will be a factor he will be judged against.
Was it a one off last season or was that a sign of things to come?
He can still hold his own in a tilt, checks players out of their skates and uses his pace to fly up the boards and gain the zone for his team.
Ever a talking point, never for the right reasons, a league wide jealousy is never a good look, even for those who truly believe they are students of the game.
As for the match up, both teams have had a very contrasting path to this point. For Flames, the hope would be that open season against the Pitbulls and a big win over the Blaze at home was enough to get the shooting habits forming.
The Devils however, have to back up their perfect home record and cement that championship banner raise – by dispatching a stronger Flames team they had encountered on the last campaign.
Road vs Blaze
The following fixture takes the Devils to their old foes and former club for their coach, the Coventry Blaze, who have had a summer of retuning following heavy losses to their roster.
The cup finalist last season had the better of the Devils in the cup, as opposed to the multiple shutout losses in the league.
No Matt Robson, Alessio Luciani or talisman, Kim Tallberg, they have to retool and hope their new additions can continue the trend that their coach, Kevin Moore has started.
Following a poor collision with Flames’ Willets, with clashes of the knee, they might be without star forward, Grant Mismash, which sparked a battle of the handbags between both of Devils’ opponents this weekend.
Mismash ranked 2nd overall in the impact guide, was a spark plug for his team. who put up 8 points from 13GP in the CC and finished 3rd overall for league points with 54 in 52GP, as well as in the top 10 for regular season goals (22). He also made the Impact Guide First Team All Star line up, which the EIHL neglected to include him.
He is an effective player for his team, so if he is absent, they will miss him sorely.
He, Moore and his team would be vying to gain progression from the group again, hoping to land silverware as a naturl next step following their mired final against Panthers in Nottingham in March.
The Devils however, would want to keep up their pre-season form and claim a victory in the cup vs Blaze to amend for their catastrophic and sudden decline in the group stage from the position they built last season.
It goes to show, that even with such a bizarre set up, nothing is for certain. Giants lost three to Stars and still got through, Devils lead the way until a 3 game skid, mainly thanks to Blaze.
With ‘Stickergate’ jarring a few minds, the hope is that the talking would be about the product on the ice, not the improvements made to the interior decor of the Skydome.
Keys for the Weekend
Devils have started each game strong and found ways to bounce straight back if they concede a goal. This has been the making of a pedigree the fanbase have been desperate to see and starved of witnessing.
From the recent interview on Devils TV, the coach outlined that pressure is the team to continue building their quality with the expectations upon them. They have a taste for success again, now they want more.
1. Stay out of the box
This should seem straightforward, however easier said than done, even if it was pre-season. The team got caught out more than once when shorthanded, even conceding on a man advantage. Staying out of the box is crucial, seeing as for example, Blaze had one of the most potent power plays last season and Devils struggled there in the cup.
It is a momentum killer, which for the coach and his team, is a symbiotic relationship with the stands, if the home crowd is on your side, you will lift above any opposition, if the momentum is killed, the team might fall flat.
2. Manage the puck
This is a rare platform for more concerted analysis, as not many speak of this skillset – puck management. Passing takes (and tekkers) might attract comments and viewpoints, but it is rarely broken down quite like here.
This has been a crucially fundamental issue with the team for the past few seasons, giveaways, easy turnovers and stupidly blind back hand passes.
Again, a momentum killer, but also a cause for concern where non-professionals find this part of the game more manageable.
The way some goals against occur is not from direct play via the opposition and their set up, skillset and quality. It is a fumble here, wayward pass there, blind yeeting of a rubber biscuit or just plain laziness whilst in possession.
Not just from the OZ or NZ – but all three zones.
The coach isn’t playing, that isn’t his job. However, he must be outright baffled and miffed when he sees it – no matter the level. At this level of pro hockey, it is non-negotiable.
Retain the puck, you keep possession and pressure naturally builds in your favour. Use it wisely, not freely. Considering the upcoming opposition of Gresock, Sanford, Gleason for example, those are game winners and game turners at any time.
3. Finish each game strong
This is more a blueprint for early season objective building and team culture establishment – it is not however, reserved for choice games.
It is every game.
Something the team have been building toward not just pre-season, but from Mid-March last season, which feeds into a stronger, championship DNA mindset.
Finish strong and ahead of the opposition.
Ones to Watch
Chase Gresock; the former Blaze player finished 2nd overall for regular season points in 2024/25, with 62, tied first for goals (32) and in the cup, 3rd overall with 16 points and top 10 for goals (7), behind Sanford (11).
He was a known target for the Devils, will they rue not pursuing him further, instead opting for Caron?
Josh MacDonald; I typically do not like to go for the obvious when picking a player to watch as education is more important that bucking a trend or calling a spade a spade. However, 10 points in 7GP with 4 goals and a hat-trick to boot isn’t something to dial back.
He went missing for the start of the season, but found a way to land 2nd overall in regular season for goals (27) and played more physically then before.
This is a season for him to put the league on notice and to make this team his own – question is, will he step up to the plate more consistently?
Matt Gleason; Fittingly, Gleason was one of the ‘ones to watch’ from the Impact Guide, as he had a solid breakout season and caught the eye of many, some of which expected a new destination this season.
With 20 goals in regular season and 44 points, he certainly made himself noticed, he also got 10 points from 13GP in the cup, meaning he will chip in on a consistently high standard.
The biggest question now rolls back to an old adage, will he face a second season slump?
Links
Paul Thompson Interview with Devils TV; https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kaqeqXA4cYY
EIHL Statistics; https://www.eliteleague.co.uk/stats
EIHL Impact Guide; https://hockeysteve.co.uk/2026/04/10/hockeysteve-eihl-impact-guide/
EIHL Face-Off Podcast; https://x.com/EIHLFaceOff
EIHL Face-Off Podcast Season Predictions Survey; https://qualtricsxmh6pqpqnfw.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_6QeqlQBTdOyZa7k
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