The Cardiff Devils were forced into a rebuild this summer, with Pete Russell stepping away from the organisation and Paul Thompson appointed to take his place behind the bench.
Consequentially, there has been no shortage of player and staff turnover in the capital of Wales, as Thompson — fresh off the back of a championship-winning season in Denmark — seeks to alter the fabric of his third Elite League team.
Before he even touched down in Cardiff, the former Team Great Britain head coach knew that change was coming on the blueline.
Joshua Batch’s looming retirement decision would create a homegrown vacancy in Cardiff’s defence crops, with no obvious candidate to fill the hole.
But the Devils found and signed their man on Tuesday [24 June], committing hot prospect Brodie Kay to a one-year deal.
Who is Cardiff Devils defenceman Brodie Kay?
Kay joins the Devils from the Fife Flyers, following two seasons with the Elite League side.
Brodie Kay, Cardiff Devils (Image: Derek Young)
The 18-year-old, a product of the youth development programme in Fife, has one assist and 66 top-flight appearances to his name, with 30 points (10 goals, 20 assists) in 46 Scottish National League games also on his record.
Kay is an established point-per-game producer for Team GB’s various youth national teams, starring at the recent Division 2A Under-20 World Championship with five assists in five games.
Analysis: Why Cardiff Devils and Brodie Kay are the perfect match
Kay shouldn’t expect to play an abundance of hockey this season.
But Cardiff is still the perfect place for him to develop his game.
Brodie Kay, Cardiff Devils (Image: Derek Young)
Playing for Thompson alongside Devils and Team GB stalwart Mark Richardson is the dream landing spot for any young homegrown defenceman — especially after two seasons as part of an under-resourced squad in Fife.
Sheltered from top-line opposition, Kay has the opportunity to grow into his 6-foot-1 frame and learn all facets of the game from more experienced teammates.
“Brodie has gained some invaluable experience over the last two seasons with Fife in the Elite League,” explained Thompson.
“Niklas [Hovivuori] and I watched many hours of Brodie’s game and feel he really has the potential to take the next step in his development [as] a young, British defenceman who wants to learn. We look forward to working with him daily and further developing his skill base to become another great player for the Cardiff Devils.”
Kay’s average ice time chart makes for an interesting read — 00:23 through 23 games in 2023-24, rising to 13:54 through 43 games a season later.
While playing on a deeper roster will limit Kay’s involvement, his shift-by-shift experiences will be more valuable.
Rather than facing attack after attack, he’ll have the puck on his stick on the breakout and opportunities to make plays in the offensive zone.
It’s the perfect match — the Devils fill the roster spot left by Batch, providing Kay the opportunity to learn from Thompson and Richardson.
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