Netminder Bowns re-signs with Cardiff Devils

Netminder Ben Bowns first joined Cardiff Devils in 2014

Netminder Ben Bowns will play a ninth season for Cardiff Devils after re-signing for the next campaign.

The 33-year-old Great Britain star will compete with Mac Carruth as Devils' frontline stopper.

Bowns was part of the GB squad that competed in the 2024 IIHF World Championships this month, where he won his 75th cap against Denmark.

Devils’ head coach Pete Russell said: “I have coached Ben a great deal over the years with the national team, but last season I was able to coach him for a full season for the very first time.

“I got to see first-hand just how valuable he is to the Devils and has been for nearly a decade.

“He is coming off a great season in terms of personal stats, but he wants this team to win, that is why he came back to Cardiff two seasons ago.

“We have built our team from the net out so far, and I think between Ben and Mac (Carruth) we will have a chance to win every night.

“I expect the two of them to work well together and compete for the net every night."

Rotherham-born Bowns was first signed by Devils in 2014 and during his first six-year spell at the Elite League side he helped them win six titles - two Elite League crowns, two Play-Off Championships and two Challenge Cups.

He was the Elite League's netminder of the year in three of his six seasons, saving more than 90% of shots in each of those six seasons.

Bowns is the first British born netminder to play in the Champions Hockey League (CHL).

After stand-out performances in Devils’ home and away victories over Graz 99ers in the 2019-20 CHL, the Austrian team signed Bowns for the following season.

In October 2020, Bowns sustained a serious knee injury with Graz. but returned to play for them briefly towards the end of the 2020-21 season.

Bowns then had a spell for Nottingham Panthers in a Covid-affected 2021 before joining Slovakian side HK Dukla Trencin for the 2021-22 season.

He returned to Devils for his second spell in the summer of 2022.