Rutkis and Lawday join Devils

THE Cardiff Devils are pleased to announce the signings of Toms Rutkis and Jordan Lawday for the 2019-20 season.

Rutkis will be on a two-way contract with the Swindon Wildcats, where he has played regularly for the last five years. In 32 games with the Wildcats last season, he scored 17 goals and 18 assists for 35 points. He also played 37 games for the Devils in 2018-19, scoring three times and adding two assists.

Although Rutkis was born in Latvia, he has played all his hockey in the UK.

Lawday has agreed to a twoway contract with the Milton Keynes Lightning and is expected to be their starting goalie for the upcoming 2019-20 season.

Last season in Milton Keynes he played in 40 games with a save rate of 91.4 per cent.

Both players trained all season with the Devils last year throughout the week and will be with the Devils throughout the week this season, working around the training schedules of the Wildcats and the Lightning.

Andrew Lord said the following about the two-way agreements with Rutkis and Lawday: “Both players have been training with us throughout the season last year, and we are excited to have them with us for the 201920 season.

“Rutkis is on a verge of cracking into the line-up full time and has had another great summer in the gym and on the ice.

“He has once again improved a ton.

“Lawday is a solid netminder and benefited training with us the last couple of years.

“We are excited to see what he does in Milton Keynes this year.”