Cardiff Devils’ boss Andrew Lord believes the standard of the Elite League has greatly improved over the past few seasons and will soon pass other leagues around Europe.

Lord joined the Devils as a player in 2013, before taking over as player/coach the following season.

He has guided the club to three successive top three finishes and the Challenge Cup in 2014/15, and says the league has got stronger year-on-year.

“You can see on any given night any given team can beat anyone and the pace of play is phenomenal,” Lord told Steelers TV.

“I think back to where the league was when I came in four years ago to where it is now – it’s worlds away. The coaching, the systems, the adjustments on the fly, the pace of play and the depth of the rosters.

“The tough thing for us coaches is everyone expects the six-loss season or the ten-loss season, but I think it’s just so competitive now.

“Hockey around the world has improved so much with the training, the fitness and all the little elements like the coaching and it’s filtered into this league and I think it’s phenomenal.

“I think in the next couple of years we’re going to see the notoriety of this league go through the roof and I think that’s great.

“I think it’s really going to start to pass some of the other European leagues and I’m just pumped to be a part of it.”

(Image permission: Richard Murray)