Andrew Hotham

Milky

Active Member
Thread starter #1
Not sure if everyone noticed it but at the end of the game after the awards, Andrew Hotham skated over to one of the doors, took off his helmet and gloves, called his girlfriend Ashleigh onto the ice, hugged her and started crying.

To me that looked like a final farewell release of emotion and I think we may very well have seen the last of him on home ice.

If he does retire this summer then I can honestly say it has been a privilege and an honour to watch one of the greatest players ever to wear a Devils shirt. Although not perfect, (if he was he'd be playing at a higher level) in my mind he has been absolutely class both on and off the ice and one of the main reasons for our success over the last four years. We will miss him so much when he is gone.

Just reward as well that he scored an absolute worldy for us to win the league away at Belfast.

Thank you Andrew, you will always be a Devil.
 

Hedd Wyn John

Well-Known Member
#2
Not sure if everyone noticed it but at the end of the game after the awards, Andrew Hotham skated over to one of the doors, took off his helmet and gloves, called his girlfriend Ashleigh onto the ice, hugged her and started crying.

To me that looked like a final farewell release of emotion and I think we may very well have seen the last of him on home ice.

If he does retire this summer then I can honestly say it has been a privilege and an honour to watch one of the greatest players ever to wear a Devils shirt. Although not perfect, (if he was he'd be playing at a higher level) in my mind he has been absolutely class both on and off the ice and one of the main reasons for our success over the last four years. We will miss him so much when he is gone.

Just reward as well that he scored an absolute worldy for us to win the league away at Belfast.

Thank you Andrew, you will always be a Devil.
A big loss if true, always gives 110%, works like a machine and scores fantastic goals. Will leave a big hole to fill that’s for sure.
 

ASHIPP

Well-Known Member
#4
I said to my Dad during Andrew's excellent performance, 'What the hell are we going to do without him when he retires'......let's hope and pray this isn't the case.
To find a player with that level skill and those qualities will be virtually impossible. His importance to the Club's sucess bas been immeasurable.
 
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Gaz G

Well-Known Member
#6
You can normally tell when a player is going to leave by the way they act/behave when they do the last lap of honour.

Here's hoping he is staying and maybe proposed to her or something along those lines.
 

Ocko

Well-Known Member
#7
Absolutely gutted if that was his last game in IAW.

Best defensemen we've ever had for my money, Tyson Teplisky is close but Hoth has more to his game. We've never had a D man that puts up top forward level points, not only that he's also been one of our top tough guys and plays insane minutes.

For some reason he has a lot of critics but when he's gone we will find it almost impossible to replace him and then they'll appreciate how good he is.
 

solelace84

Active Member
#9
At this level, I don't think any player is impossible to replace. No doubt Lordo will have an extremely tough job finding a guy that possesses all of the attributes that make Hoth so valuable to us, but there are plenty of Andrew Hothams out there - Lordo just has to find the right one with the right price tag! Players come and players go, but for me the team will feel very different without Hoth and it will be sad to see him go. If he is leaving after this season, I wish him all the best for the future! He is certainly going out on a high, no matter what happens at playoff (sham) weekend.
 

august04

Well-Known Member
#11
Oh well, that’s my theory out then!
I’m hoping any retirement scenario would have involved his team mates more and that didn’t really last night. Unless they didn’t know of course.
 

Kevlar68

Well-Known Member
#12
I can't see Devils management just letting him leave with a whisper after being such a great servant to the club. Surely he would deserve a great send off?
 

rocketbob

Well-Known Member
#13
Maybe the plan is to do something at the awards show. I for one would be absolutely gutted to see Hotham go and an grateful for all that he has given to the Devils over his time in Cardiff both on and off the ice.

Sent from my SM-G950F using Tapatalk
 

Rich Best

Well-Known Member
#14
At this level, I don't think any player is impossible to replace. No doubt Lordo will have an extremely tough job finding a guy that possesses all of the attributes that make Hoth so valuable to us, but there are plenty of Andrew Hothams out there - Lordo just has to find the right one with the right price tag! Players come and players go, but for me the team will feel very different without Hoth and it will be sad to see him go. If he is leaving after this season, I wish him all the best for the future! He is certainly going out on a high, no matter what happens at playoff (sham) weekend.
I disagree completely with this -> there are plenty of Andrew Hothams out there

There aren't, we have never had a hotham and never likely to again. Weller was the closest in terms of overall impact. Best we can hope for is getting a good downgrade and then strengthening in other areas.
 
#15
Just before the lap of honor from Devils players, Todd, asked for Myers to go to the players bench as they have been trying to get a message to Todd, after some going back to fought etc nothing never happen apart from a photo at the end. Maybe the plan was to get Andrew a home crowd send off, but Hotham didnt want to do it as still games to play and dont want add pressure with his last games ??
 

solelace84

Active Member
#16
I disagree completely with this -> there are plenty of Andrew Hothams out there

There aren't, we have never had a hotham and never likely to again. Weller was the closest in terms of overall impact. Best we can hope for is getting a good downgrade and then strengthening in other areas.
I'm not saying it will be easy to replace him by any stretch - guys like Hotham are hard to come by in our league. But, there are plenty of guys like him out there in the wider hockey world, it's just whether or not they can be convinced to come here :p We have been extremely lucky to have Hoth for as long as we have, which is a testament to the club more than anything, because it's not like he went without better offers during off season's passed.

I do agree with you that if we can't "replace" him, then the dynamic of the team changes, and we perhaps go for another stay-at-home D guy, and add some more fire power up front.

If ever there was an example required to blow the "Jack of all trades, master of none" idiom out of the water, Andrew Hotham is it. Master of all!
 

Ocko

Well-Known Member
#17
I don't think there are many Andrew Hothams out there. You can replicate his points, but you'll find it very hard to get that level of commitment - someone willing and able to play those kind of minutes, toughness, leadership and just the way he plays the game. Very, very big shoes to fill.
 

voth26

Well-Known Member
#18
While waiting with my grandson last night to have photos etc with the players, a little boy asked Hotham straight out if he was leaving next season, which was quite funny. Hotham answered him by saying maybe so read into that what you will??
 

matbur

Well-Known Member
#19
They're already engaged and getting married in the summer.
Great groundwork for the Inferno, keep digging! :D

Seriously though, he had a belter of a game last night. He also seems a great character off the ice and would imagine he's a big presence in 'the room' too. He's shown himself to be a real asset to the Devils as a player and a person, really hope we can keep hold of him.
 
#20
Delighted with the win last night, but reading the comments about Andrew Hotham potentially leaving has taken the shine off it a little for me. He has without doubt been a major factor in our success the last few years and will leave an enormous gap in our team . All too often he has been the difference between winning/losing, Devils having a good or great game. You cannot put a value on what he has given us and if at all possible, we should move heaven and earth to try to keep him. However, if he has decided to call it a day with us or in playing, I would like to give him my deepest thanks, you won't be forgotten in Cardiff Andrew.
 
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