Devils confirm return of forward Brandt
Devils confirm return of forward Brandt
Thu, July 23, 2026 at 6:00 PM UTC
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Cardiff Devils' play-off triumph saw Paul Thompson become the first coach to win Elite League trophies with three different clubs
Cardiff Devils have confirmed the return of forward Riley Brandt for the 2026-27 season.
The 29-year-old has spent his entire professional career with the Welsh side having initially moved to Cardiff during the 2021-22 campaign.
The Canadian enjoyed a fine 2025-26 season, scoring 20 goals and registering 12 assists for 32 points in 62 games.
Discussing the signing, head coach Paul Thompson said: "Riley had a terrific career year points wise with us last season and will be urged for more of the same.
"His popularity here is huge because he's all action and totally committed to his club and to his team-mates.
"But as he showed last season given the responsibility he can play further up the line- up and contribute far more offensively as he has the talent for that, no question."
Thompson added: "He brings the heartbeat and we are all happy he is back in Devils colours once again."
Returning contingent
Josh MacDonald will return for a third season with Cardiff Devils, after finishing second in the Elite League (EIHL) goalscoring charts in 2025-26.
Confirmation that their top goalscorer will remain on Devils' roster leaves last year's Play-Offs champions with just two forward spots to fill for the new campaign starting in September.
The 32-year-old Canadian joined Devils after spending three years in Germany, and scored 31 goals and 58 points from 64 games in the past season.
"Josh returns to us after another highly productive year," said head coach Thompson. "He played a big part in our championship win last season, and I'm looking forward to working with him again."
He will be joined in the side by compatriot and fellow goal threat Kristoff Kontos.
The 32-year-old scored with 21 goals and provided 45 assists for 66 points in 66 games in all competitions last season.
"His vision and playmaking ability is elite," Thompson said about Kontos, who won the 2025 Play-Offs with Nottingham Panthers before moving to Cardiff.
The Devils have now confirmed 17 returning players, along with four newcomers, and announced the departure of forward Brett Perlini.
Perlini, 35, scored 37 goals in 132 games, including a hat-trick in Devils' 2025 Continental Cup final win against Grenoble.
The futures of five more of last season's squad are yet to be confirmed as the Devils - who will be celebrating their 40th season - look to make a bid for a first EIHL regular season title since 2018.
Devils beat Steelers 5-2 to win Play-Offs Final
Four fresh faces
Finnish forward Panu Mieho was the final new recruit added to the Devils roster.
The 31-year-old has played the past two seasons with hometown club IFK Helsinki, where he started his career as a junior.
He also played in Finland with Ilves and in the Swedish league with Timra IK.
Cardiff have also brought in Canadian forward Thomas Caron, 25, from Finnish Liiga side HPK, recruited Jake Sacratini - son of club legend Vezio Sacratini - and added defenceman Nick Welsh from Manchester Storm.
Among players returning for another year at the Vindico Arena is Great Britain forward Ben Davies, who will be playing his 13th season with his hometown club.
In February, 31-year-old Davies became only the fifth player to reach 1,000 EIHL games.
Netminder Ben Bowns returns for an 11th campaign, as does Devils captain Joey Martin. Others to re-sign include stalwarts Mark Richardson and Evan Mosey, netminder Christian Stoever, forwards Nolan Yaremko and Kohen Olischefski, and defencemen Brandon Estes and Tyson Helgesen.
Bayley Harewood has been given his first full-time deal after playing the last five seasons on two-way contracts, mostly with Bristol Pitbulls.
Cardiff have also recruited Jeff Battah as the club's new goaltending and video coach.
The appointment was made on the recommendation of the man he replaces, Euan King, who has left to join the Ice Hockey UK Foundation.
The 46-year-old Canadian has a wide-ranging coaching background across professional, major junior, university and international hockey, and he most recently worked with Rapaces de Gap in France's Ligue Magnus.
The Devils have five pre-season games scheduled starting in August, before the new campaign gets under way at home against Guildford Flames in the Challenge Cup on Saturday, 12 September.
The Devils travel to Coventry Blaze the following day, as they begin the season with six cup games - with matches also against Manchester Storm, Nottingham Panthers and Sheffield Steelers.
Storm are Cardiff's first league opponents, at home on Saturday, 3 October, with Glasgow Clan visiting the Vindico Arena the next day.
The Welsh club's first meeting with last season's League winners, Belfast Giants, is at home on the following weekend.
The Devils face a double-header road trip to Northern Ireland on 27 and 28 February, and conclude the regular season with a home game against Panthers and a visit to Flames on 3 and 4 April.
Cardiff Devils 2026-27 - confirmed so far
Netminders
Ben Bowns (GB)
Christian Stoever (USA)
Defencemen
Brandon Estes (USA)
Gleason Fournier (Canada)
Tyson Helgesen (Canada)
Evan Mosey (GB)
Jimmy Oligny (Canada)
Mark Richardson (GB)
Nick Welsh (Canada)
Forwards
Ryan Barrow (Canada)
Thomas Caron (Canada)
Ben Davies (Great Britain)
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Sam Duggan (GB)
Bayley Harewood (GB)
Kristoff Kontos (Canada)
Josh MacDonald (Canada)
Riley Brandt (Canada)
Joey Martin (Canada)
Panu Mieho (Finland)
Kohen Olischefski (Canada)
Jake Sacratini (GB)
Nolan Yaremko (Canada)
Cardiff Devils 2026-27 pre-season fixtures
Confirmed dates so far
Saturday, 15 August
Cardiff Devils v Odense Bulldogs (19:00 BST)
Sunday, 16 August
Cardiff Devils v Odense Bulldogs (17:00 BST)
Saturday, 22 August
Cardiff Devils v Angers (19:00 BST)
Saturday, 29 August
Cardiff Devils v Sheffield (19:00 BST)
Sunday, 6 September
Cardiff Devils v Nottingham (17:00 BST)
Cardiff Devils 2025-26 roster
Netminders
Ben Bowns (Great Britain)
Christian Stoever (USA)
Defencemen
Brandon Estes (USA)
Gleason Fournier (Canada)
Tyson Helgesen (Canada)
Steven MacLean (Canada)
Evan Mosey (USA)
Jimmy Oligny (Canada)
Mark Richardson (Great Britain)
Forwards
Ryan Barrow (Canada)
Riley Brandt (Canada)
Connor Caponi (USA)
Ben Davies (Great Britain)
Sam Duggan (Great Britain)
Brett Ferguson (Canada)
Bayley Harewood (Great Britain)
Kristoff Kontos (Canada)
Cedric Lacroix (Canada)
Josh MacDonald (Canada)
Joey Martin (Canada)
Kohen Olischefski (Canada)
Brett Perlini (Great Britain)
Cole Sanford (Canada)
Nolan Yaremko (Canada)
Source: “AOL Sports”
