The GOAT is back. Joey Martin, nicknamed ‘Greatest Of All Time’ by Cardiff Devils fans, has committed to the Welsh club for a sixth season.
Canadian goals ace Martin has won nine trophies with Devils, including back-to-back play-off championships, and head coach Andrew Lord says: “There isn’t a player on any team in this league I would take over Joey Martin. He is the complete player, a proven winner.
“He has consistently been one of the best players in the EIHL every season and continues to get better.”
All-Star forward Martin is the first confirmed signing for 2019-20, but Lord will be bringing back a core group from the season just ended to the Viola Arena in Cardiff Bay.
Martin has scored around 350 points in almost 300 matches for Devils and led the team in goals during 2018-19 with 40 in 71 fixtures including 14 power play goals.
He finished with 85 points in all competitions.
Martin has been voted a First Team Elite League All-Star in each of his five seasons, winning EIHL Forward of the Year three times and twice picking up EIHL Player of the Year.
Last season Martin led the Devils in goals with 40 in 71 games played. He also led the team with 14 powerplay goals and his 85 points in all competitions put him 4th overall in EIHL scoring in all competitions.
“The EIHL has improved every year over the last five seasons and Marty has improved with it,” says Lord. “He doesn’t take days off, he works on his game relentlessly throughout the season and constantly wants to get better.
“Joey epitomises what a professional sports person should be on and off the ice. He is a workhorse in training and wants to get better every day.
“He plays his best hockey in the big games and prepares to succeed every day. He is also great with the fans, great with the younger fanbase especially and has time for everyone.
“We are pleased to have him back and he is the first piece of the puzzle in place for us to start building another championship team.”
While Lord started team building for next season, when Devils will be playing European Champions League hockey for the third time, Great Britain are stepping up preparations for the World Championships next month.
Devils have five players in GB’s 25-man squad for the World Championships in Slovakia next month.
Ben Bowns, Thomas Murdy, Mark Richardson, Evan Mosey and Matthew Myers have all been selected, while a sixth Devil, Josh Batch, is staying with the group as injury cover.
Newport-born former Devils player Joe Lewis is among three players given their first World Championship call-ups, along with Tim Billingsley and Ben Lake.
Welshman Lewis now plays for ESV Kaufbeuren in Germany.
Cardiff-born GB captain Jonathan Phillips is also in the squad along with fellow Welshman Ben Davies.
Nottingham Panthers forward Brett Perlini says this weekend’s GB matches against KHL side Torpedo will be a massive test for the squad.
GB host Torpedo on Perlini’s home ice at the Motorpoint Arena in Nottingham on Saturday (7pm), while the two sides meet again on Sunday at the Fly DSA Arena in Sheffield (4pm).
The two games are part of GB’s final preparations in the UK for the World Championship before flying out to continue their training camp in Slovakia.
“We had two tough games last weekend against Italy and Hungary – and these two Torpedo games will be a real test for us,” says Perlini.
“The KHL is a quality league and we had the fantastic experience of playing Riga back in Coventry in February.
“If these two games are anything like the Riga one then the fans are in for a treat again.
“Last season’s promotion was one of the best moments of my career and what we are all about to experience in the top tier of the World Championships next month is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity.”
GB will play in their first top-flight World Championship since 1994 when they face Germany, Canada, Denmark, USA, Finland, Slovakia and France between May 11 and May 20 in Kosice.
Great Britain v Torpedo
Saturday, April 27: Great Britain v Torpedo (7pm, Motorpoint Arena, Nottingham).
Tickets are available online at https://www.motorpointarenanottingham.com at the box office or by calling 0843 373 3000.
Sunday, April 28: Great Britain v Torpedo (4pm, Fly DSA Arena, Sheffield).
Tickets can be purchased https://www.flydsaarena.co.uk/whats-on/great-britain-v-torpedo-nizhny-novgorod-khl-5627 or call the box office on 0114 256 5656.
GB squad
Netminders
Ben Bowns – Cardiff Devils
Thomas Murdy – Cardiff Devils
Jackson Whistle – Sheffield Steelers
Defencemen
Tim Billingsley – Nottingham Panthers
Dallas Ehrhardt – Manchester Storm
Steve Lee – Nottingham Panthers
Evan Mosey – Cardiff Devils
Ben O’Connor – Sheffield Steelers
David Phillips – Sheffield Steelers
Mark Richardson – Cardiff Devils
Paul Swindlehurst – Belfast Giants
Forwards
Ollie Betteridge – Nottingham Panthers
Ben Davies – Guildford Flames
Robert Dowd – Sheffield Steelers
Robert Farmer – Nottingham Panthers
Luke Ferrara – Coventry Blaze
Mike Hammond – Manchester Storm
Liam Kirk – Peterborough Petes
Robert Lachowicz – Nottingham Panthers
Ben Lake – Coventry Blaze
Joey Lewis – ESV Kaufbeuren
Matthew Myers – Cardiff Devils
Brett Perlini – Nottingham Panthers
Jonathan Phillips – Sheffield Steelers
Colin Shields – Belfast Giants