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The Inferno
Cardiff Devils Mount Puckmore
28th Nov 2010 | Posted by Gareth Thomas
Puck Daddy over at Yahoo! sports has been running a series over the summer months called "Mount Puckmore". Simple concept, which four players over the history of a franchise would you immortalise on a Mount Rushmore style monument. Check out the series, is is a good read.
Right, you back? Ok, lets carry on.
Isn't it strange that I still consider the Cardiff Devils as a new club. We are 24 years old now, and one of the elders of the sport in this country. Not many teams now have consistent heritage that the Devils can boast. Even the modern Panthers with their much flashed "50 years" can more easily trace their routes to the late 70s Sheffield Lancers.
So through that heritage, who are the four? So many great names, so few slots. With that in mind, my list are the players who have best defined who the Devils are; given the team its joie de vivre if you like. None of these choices will be universally liked, in fact I would be shocked if anyone agrees with the whole list - but it is the list I am putting out there, and I have thought long and hard about it. So, into the breach.
John Lawless 1986-1995
This is probably the one choice I don't think I will get questioned on. Without Lawless the Devils would not be. We may have another team, but he took an idea to found a new ice hockey team in that small, pokey little ice rink and created one of the power houses in UK Ice Hockey. An inspirational leader, great coach and gritty player (averaging over 2 points a game throughout his career), he is the character we are always looking to replace both on and off the ice.
All Devils fans, if they know it or not, are looking for the Lawless in our set-up. That gritty forward, usually 2'0" who will score, get a ton of assists and get under the skin of the opposition, and that inspirational coach that can build a solid team that pull out results they have no right to on paper.
He created the club, made the club successful and is the set of shoulders we all stand on.
Steve Moria 1988-2001
Sometimes stats say it all. Another player who is well over the two points a game career average, Moria is the forward that probably defined the Devils through the glory days. Play-offs, cups, league, Moria was probably on the game sheet, and probably set the record in the league for goals or points that season.
With a real passion for the game, when he left the Devils after 11 seasons (on and off) you may have expected him to hang up his skates. We certainly did, and raised his shirt to the rafters. But he is still out there getting over 2 points a game as player coach of the Bison at the EPL.
Nicky Chinn 1988-2000
Since their inception, Cardiff have had a strong junior development program. Nicky was the home grown British player that Devils fans love - gritty with an eye for goal, Nicky stepped up for the Devils when he was just 16, he eventually posted 9 seasons for the Devils. Although he broke his service with a stay in Sheffield, he will always be that Cardiff boy who can throw a hit and score a goal.
Since his tenure, we are still waiting for a Cardiff born player who can have the impact he had for the team. Still not retired, he has followed his long time coach Moria to Bison, and is now the team captain whilst managing over a point a game, making him still a top Brit.
Brad Voth 2005-2011 (and hopefully longer)
After the fun of the late 90s, and the decimation of the Devils under Bob Philips in 2001, it feels like the glory days have past. The stability that was central to the team Lawless started seems to have gone. But through that, we have Mr Cardiff Devils for the Elite generation. Brad, whilst brought in to be our tough guy, made an impact on the fans straight away.
A power forward who can throw the big hit, and drop the gloves, posts numbers that are unheard of for role players in other teams. For that the fans love him. In Brad we see the classic Devils teams of the 80s and 90s, and that is only enhanced by the fact that he has stayed with us. At six seasons, Voth is blazing new trails in Elite Devils longevity. When he skates out, he is bringing with him our hopes for a return to the Lawless days, slowly changing teams and sliverware in the cabinet.
So, what next
Now let the arguing commence. I know that this list is highly subjective, and if you ask 100 fans you will have 110 lists. But, for me these are the players that would be immortalised as the face of the Devils. Sure, I could have had Hope, Pope, Francis, Stoney, McEwen, Lyle - all worthy candidates, but this isn't just about facts and figures, but about the people you think embody the Devils.
For me, the Devils are tough, fast, skilled hockey. The ability to score a goal from no-where, and give the oppoisition no chance to play. Score a classic North South goal, and give the netminder a ear full on the way past. Here is hoping that there are many more years, and many more great players, to make writing the next article even harder.
Join in the discussion over on the forum.
Right, you back? Ok, lets carry on.
Cardiff Devils Mount Puckmore
(font page image courtesy of Wikipedia)Isn't it strange that I still consider the Cardiff Devils as a new club. We are 24 years old now, and one of the elders of the sport in this country. Not many teams now have consistent heritage that the Devils can boast. Even the modern Panthers with their much flashed "50 years" can more easily trace their routes to the late 70s Sheffield Lancers.
So through that heritage, who are the four? So many great names, so few slots. With that in mind, my list are the players who have best defined who the Devils are; given the team its joie de vivre if you like. None of these choices will be universally liked, in fact I would be shocked if anyone agrees with the whole list - but it is the list I am putting out there, and I have thought long and hard about it. So, into the breach.
John Lawless 1986-1995
This is probably the one choice I don't think I will get questioned on. Without Lawless the Devils would not be. We may have another team, but he took an idea to found a new ice hockey team in that small, pokey little ice rink and created one of the power houses in UK Ice Hockey. An inspirational leader, great coach and gritty player (averaging over 2 points a game throughout his career), he is the character we are always looking to replace both on and off the ice.
All Devils fans, if they know it or not, are looking for the Lawless in our set-up. That gritty forward, usually 2'0" who will score, get a ton of assists and get under the skin of the opposition, and that inspirational coach that can build a solid team that pull out results they have no right to on paper.
He created the club, made the club successful and is the set of shoulders we all stand on.
Steve Moria 1988-2001
Sometimes stats say it all. Another player who is well over the two points a game career average, Moria is the forward that probably defined the Devils through the glory days. Play-offs, cups, league, Moria was probably on the game sheet, and probably set the record in the league for goals or points that season.
With a real passion for the game, when he left the Devils after 11 seasons (on and off) you may have expected him to hang up his skates. We certainly did, and raised his shirt to the rafters. But he is still out there getting over 2 points a game as player coach of the Bison at the EPL.
Nicky Chinn 1988-2000
Since their inception, Cardiff have had a strong junior development program. Nicky was the home grown British player that Devils fans love - gritty with an eye for goal, Nicky stepped up for the Devils when he was just 16, he eventually posted 9 seasons for the Devils. Although he broke his service with a stay in Sheffield, he will always be that Cardiff boy who can throw a hit and score a goal.
Since his tenure, we are still waiting for a Cardiff born player who can have the impact he had for the team. Still not retired, he has followed his long time coach Moria to Bison, and is now the team captain whilst managing over a point a game, making him still a top Brit.
Brad Voth 2005-2011 (and hopefully longer)
After the fun of the late 90s, and the decimation of the Devils under Bob Philips in 2001, it feels like the glory days have past. The stability that was central to the team Lawless started seems to have gone. But through that, we have Mr Cardiff Devils for the Elite generation. Brad, whilst brought in to be our tough guy, made an impact on the fans straight away.
A power forward who can throw the big hit, and drop the gloves, posts numbers that are unheard of for role players in other teams. For that the fans love him. In Brad we see the classic Devils teams of the 80s and 90s, and that is only enhanced by the fact that he has stayed with us. At six seasons, Voth is blazing new trails in Elite Devils longevity. When he skates out, he is bringing with him our hopes for a return to the Lawless days, slowly changing teams and sliverware in the cabinet.
So, what next
Now let the arguing commence. I know that this list is highly subjective, and if you ask 100 fans you will have 110 lists. But, for me these are the players that would be immortalised as the face of the Devils. Sure, I could have had Hope, Pope, Francis, Stoney, McEwen, Lyle - all worthy candidates, but this isn't just about facts and figures, but about the people you think embody the Devils.
For me, the Devils are tough, fast, skilled hockey. The ability to score a goal from no-where, and give the oppoisition no chance to play. Score a classic North South goal, and give the netminder a ear full on the way past. Here is hoping that there are many more years, and many more great players, to make writing the next article even harder.
Join in the discussion over on the forum.
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