ICE HOCKEY
Devils say a fond farewell to Piggott
AFTER seven years as a player and another three as assistant coach, Luke Piggott is moving on from the Cardiff Devils.
Piggott, who works full-time in cancer research, has been offered a job outside of hockey in Lausanne, Switzerland, as a senior scientist developing new oncology agents through clinical trials.
For the last decade, he has balanced his work in cancer research with his role as a player and then a coach with Devils, but the opportunity given to him in Switzerland was just too good to pass up.
Piggott originally played for Cardiff’s ENL side for seven years before getting the opportunity to move up to play for the Devils in the 2011-12 season.
He ended up playing six full seasons for the Devils before splitting the 2017-18 season as a player/assistant coach.
In 2017-18, he went full-time behind the bench with head coach Andrew Lord, a role he was in up until the 2019-20 season was cut short in March.
As a player, he won two Challenge Cups, two EIHL titles, three Conference titles and the 2018 Play-off Championship. The following season he was behind the bench for the Devils’ second Play-off title in a row.
Devils’ mmanaging director Todd Kelman said: “In my six yearshere, Luke has played a significant role, far more than the fans would ever really understand.
“He was like having another captain off the ice. He is a great teammate who took it upon himself to ensure everyone was welcomed into the Devils and to the city when they arrived here.
“We are all sad to see Luke go, but this is really the opportunity of a lifetime in his career outside of hockey.
“I know how much the Devils have meant to him and I would say he has meant just as much to the Devils. We are really going to miss him.”