Forty Years of the Devils: Dundee and Belfast Await in Anniversary Weekend
CARDIFF DEVILS are in the middle of one of the biggest weekends in the club’s history.
The 40th anniversary celebrations began on Friday night with a sold-out Evening with the Legends, bringing former players, coaches and club figures back together to reflect on four decades of Devils ice hockey.
Now the focus switches firmly to the rink.
Dundee Stars visit the Vindico Arena on Saturday night, before one of Cardiff’s biggest rivals, Belfast Giants, arrive on Sunday afternoon.
And with Saturday already sold out and Sunday heading the same way, the anniversary weekend also provides another reminder of just how difficult Devils tickets are becoming to obtain.
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What time is Cardiff Devils v Dundee Stars?
Face-off is at 7pm on Saturday, October 10 at the Vindico Arena.
The game is sold out.
Saturday’s anniversary celebrations begin well before the puck drops.
Former Devils Brad Voth, Gerad Adams, Matthew Myers and Phil Hill are appearing at a special pre-game Q&A, while Ross Thompson — son of current head coach Paul Thompson — will provide live music in the bar after the game.
Fans also have another opportunity to meet current players earlier in the day.
Sam Duggan and Tyson Helgesen will be at Motorpoint Newport between 1pm and 4pm, signing autographs and posing for photographs.
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Sunday brings the Belfast Giants
There is little time to recover.
The Devils are back on home ice against Belfast Giants at 5pm on Sunday, October 11.
At the latest official update going into the weekend, there were fewer than 30 tickets remaining, making another sell-out highly likely.
Belfast need little introduction to regular Devils followers.
Matches between Cardiff and the Giants have developed into one of the most significant rivalries in British ice hockey, so having Belfast as the opposition for the closing game of anniversary weekend seems particularly appropriate.
Sunday also brings another pre-game Q&A, featuring owners Brian Parker and Steve King alongside former Devils Andrew Hotham and Joey Haddad.
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How can I watch if I cannot get a ticket?
With Cardiff home games regularly selling out, this is becoming an increasingly important question.
The Devils provide live online coverage of their home games through Devils TV.
That means supporters unable to secure a seat at the Vindico Arena can still watch the action online.
The club also offers a season-long livestream package alongside individual match webcasts.
For away games, supporters can generally follow the Devils through the home club’s own webcast service.
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Demand continues to grow
Saturday’s Dundee fixture is already gone. Sunday’s Belfast game was almost sold out at the latest update. And upcoming games are heading in the same direction.
Coventry Blaze on October 17 had fewer than 20 tickets remaining, while Sheffield Steelers on October 24 were down to fewer than ten.
That kind of demand has become a regular feature of Devils home fixtures.
Supporters missing out this weekend therefore need to think ahead.
Tickets are already available for games later in October and into November.
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Dundee return — with a Country twist
There is another opportunity to see Dundee Stars in Cardiff relatively soon.
They return to the Vindico Arena on Friday, November 6, with face-off at 7pm.
And this time the occasion has been confirmed by the Devils as Country Night.
So expect the usual ice hockey atmosphere to be joined by cowboy hats, boots, checked shirts and perhaps a little more denim than normally seen around the rink.
The Devils have embraced themed nights enthusiastically in recent seasons, and Country Night should provide another opportunity for supporters to join in with something slightly different.
For anyone unable to get into Saturday’s sold-out Dundee game, it is also a useful reminder to book early.
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Forty years and still growing
The anniversary weekend is inevitably about remembering where the Cardiff Devils have come from.
Friday night brought together names from different periods of the club’s history, from John Lawless and Shannon Hope to Steve Moria, Vezio Sacratini and Steve Thornton.
Saturday and Sunday, however, demonstrate something equally important.
This is not simply a club celebrating its past.
The arena is full. Tickets are becoming increasingly difficult to obtain. New supporters are discovering the sport.
And the modern Devils remain one of the most visible and successful ice hockey organisations in Britain.
Forty years after the club was formed in 1986, that may be the most significant anniversary message of all.
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Did Ewe Know?
Cardiff Devils’ original home was the Wales National Ice Rink in Cardiff city centre. Four decades later, the club is routinely selling out the Vindico Arena — a striking measure of how far the Devils have travelled since 1986.