Cardiff Devils: Welsh side give five-year deal to coach Andrew Lord

Andrew Lord has a business management degree

Cardiff Devils have handed coach Andrew Lord a new five-year contract to remain in the Welsh capital.

Lord's new agreement gives him the option to move to another league "if the right opportunity comes".

The most successful coach in Devils history, Lord will be given an ownership stake in the club if he stays for two more seasons.

Lord has been Devils head coach since 2014 so if he sees out his contract it will mean a decade in Cardiff.

"Andrew Lord has been head coach here in Cardiff since our ownership group took over in the summer of 2014 and we have seen a five-year period of success on and off the ice," managing director Todd Kelman said.

"If I could have Andrew Lord working with me for the next 20 years, I would happily do that. He brings passion, detail and motivation every day to the rink and that hasn't changed since the day he took the job.

"We wanted to lock him in long term but also be fair and give an ambitious young coach the window to advance if the right opportunity comes up."

Lord has led the Devils to two League Championships, two Challenge Cup victories, three Conference titles and back to back Playoff Championships.