Ice hockey: Threat to Devils signing

Jan 31 2008 by Our Correspondent, Western Mail

ICE hockey Canada are threatening to block defenceman Dion Darling’s return for Cardiff Devils.

The 6ft 3ins former Montreal Canadiens NHL draft pick flew in this week to join the Devils team, but there is a doubt over his first match at home to Nottingham Panthers.

Darling, who played for Cardiff last season, has joined the Devils to help them through an injury crisis and play a key part in their quest for Elite League play-off championship glory.

Ice hockey Canada, though, are refusing to relent and sanction his move. That effectively puts Darling’s return match in doubt.

Bentley, the team he was playing senior hockey for in Canada, have releaed Darling and Hockey Albert are also happy for him to play in the Elite League.

Hockey Canada, though, are out of line with virtually every other country within the International Ice Hockey Federation structure.

The deadline for new signings is January 31 for most countries, but Canada have set January 10 as their dealine – and that’s the problem.

Darling must be registered to play for Cardiff by midnight tonight.

But Hockey Canada insists it’s too late for Darling to sign for Cardiff, even though he has already arrived in South Wales and is currently training with the Devils team.

“We are in an appeals process right now,” said Devils’ player-coach Gerad Adams. “Everything we can do is being done to get this sorted out – and league officials are helping us.”

Former Devils, Sheffield Steelers and Nottingham Panthers defenceman Darling flew in well before the home match against Nottingham at the Cardiff Bay rink on Sunday (6pm) to ensure he would be fully recovered from the flight.

Cardiff are hoping Darling, plus goalie Phil Osaer and Adams, will all be fit for the match against Nottingham

Off the ice, talks are continuing on a proposed takeover of the Cardiff Devils.

Former Cardiff Devils defenceman Shannon Hope is heading up the bid, backed by a Welsh-based businessman.

The deal is worth around £250,000 and would be completed at the end of this season.

Yesterday, a spokesman for the Phillips family, who currently have control of the club, said the takeover was “100 per cent off.”

But a press release which was due to say that has been delayed for a second time and talks, it seems, have continued in private.

Whether the takeover goes ahead or not, the Cardiff Devils, it seems, are secure.

Maraini Phillips, who runs Cardiff Devils, said, “The club is in good shape for the rest of this season and beyond.”