This is a list of seasons completed by the Cardiff Devils ice hockey team, presently of the British Elite League. This list documents the season-by-season records of the Cardiff Devils from their foundation in 1986 to the present day. Beginning in Division Two Midlands, the Devils rose quickly through the ranks of British ice hockey, winning the league title and British Championship in only their fourth season of existence. Since then the club has won a further three league titles and three playoff championships as well as one Autumn Cup and one Challenge Cup.
Since winning promotion to the Premier League in 1989, Cardiff have played all but two seasons at British ice hockey's highest level. Of the ten current members of the Elite League, only the Nottingham Panthers have played more seasons in top flight ice hockey.
Autumn Cup WinnersRegular Season ChampionsPlayoff ChampionsChallenge Cup WinnersFinished bottom of standingsPromoted
SeasonLeagueLevelAutumn CupRegular SeasonCode explanation; GP—Games Played, W—Wins, L—Losses, T—Tied games, OTL—Overtime losses, GF—Goals For, GA—Goals Against, Pts—PointsPost SeasonChallenge CupFinishGPWLTOTLGFGAPts1986–87Division Two Midlands31st141301 –3041627Won Promotion Playoff Semi-final, 10–4 (Grimsby)Lost Promotion Playoff Final, 9–10 (Aviemore)1987–88Division One (South)Due to a reorganisation of the league by the British Ice Hockey Association, Cardiff were promoted into Division One (South) in 1987.23rd2816102 –219196341988–89Division One21st242220 –30011044Won Promotion Playoff, 21–6 (Streatham)1989–90Premier League1Finished first in qualifying groupThe Autumn Cup qualifying stages were a round robin stage made up of two English groups and one Scottish. Cardiff were placed in the English South group. The winner of the Scottish group moved into the final while the winners of the two English groups played an English final to determine the second finalist.Lost in English Final, 14–18 (Durham)1st322831 –30414657Finished first in qualifying groupBetween 1984 and 2006, the teams qualifying for the play-offs played a preliminary round robin group stage. Teams were divided into two groups with the top two in each advancing to the semi-finals (in 2002 and 2003 a single qualifying group was used with the top four advancing to the semi-finals). The semi-finals and final were one-off games played at a predetermined venue, the exception being in 1998 when the semi-finals were played as a best-of-three series. Between 1984 and 1990 and again in 2004 and 2005, the top six teams qualified for the play-offs. Between 1991 and 2001 and again in 2006, the top eight teams qualified. In 2002 and 2003 when the membership of the league was 7 and 5 respectively, all teams qualified for the play-offs.Won in Semi-final, 5–1 (Fife)Won British Championship, 7–6 (Murrayfield)1990–91Premier League1Finished first in qualifying groupIn 1990–91, the English and Scottish sections used in the preliminary stages of the Autumn Cup were dropped in favour of four groups. The winner of each group advanced to a two-legged semi-final, the winners moving on to the final. In 1992–93, the competition was extended with the top two from each group moving into a quarter final round.Lost in Semi-final, 8–15 (Durham)2nd3621132 –27423744Finished first in qualifying groupLost in Semi-final, 4–7 (Peterborough)1991–92Premier League1Finished first in qualifying groupLost in Semi-final, 10–13 (Nottingham)3rd3620133 –23520443Finished third in qualifying group1992–93Premier League1Finished second in qualifying groupWon in quarter-final, 14–8 (Peterborough)Won in Semi-final, 9–4 (Nottingham)Won Autumn Cup, 10–4 (Whitley)1st362862 –31918758Finished first in qualifying groupWon in Semi-final, 9–0 (Murrayfield)Won British Championship, 7–4 (Humberside)1993–94Premier League1Finished first in qualifying groupWon in quarter-final, 14–12 (Slough)Won in Semi-final, 11–9 (Nottingham)Lost in Final, 2–6 (Murrayfield)1st443590 –42222078Finished first in qualifying groupWon in Semi-final, 9–5 (Fife)Won British Championship, 12–1 (Sheffield)1994–95Premier League1Finished first in qualifying groupWon in quarter-final, 19–5 (Durham)Won in Semi-final, 12–8 (Sheffield)Lost in Final, 2–7 (Nottingham)2nd443284 –36621768Finished second in qualifying groupLost in Semi-final, 4–5 (Sheffield)1995–96Premier League1Finished first in qualifying groupLost in quarter-final, 7–9 (Sheffield)2nd362673 –27114055Finished third in qualifying group1996–97Super League1Finished first in qualifying groupLost in quarter-final, 4–5 (Nottingham)1st423083120813064Finished first in qualifying groupLost in Semi-final, 2–5 (Sheffield)1997–98Super League1Finished first in qualifying groupWon in quarter-final, 8–4 (Sheffield)Won in Semi-final, 8–5 (Newcastle) Lost in Final, 1–2 (Ayr)3rd2815922997934Finished first in qualifying groupWon in Semi-final, 2–0 (Sheffield)The 1998 playoff semi-finals were played as a best of three series.Lost in Final, 2–3 (Ayr)Finished sixth in qualifying groupAll eight teams competed in a single round robin group stage, playing one home game and one away game against each other. The top four advanced to two-legged semi-finals with the winners facing each other in a one off final.1998–99Super League1Finished third in qualifying groupIn 1998–99, teams from the Super League were divided into two groups of eight. Their final placing within the group determined their second round opponent from the British National League (who had their own group stage).Won in Second Round, 22–0 (Fife)Lost in quarter-final, 4–8 (London)2nd4227100514410259Finished second in qualifying groupWon in Semi-final, 5–0 (Manchester)Won British Championship, 2–1 (Nottingham)Finished third in qualifying groupBetween 1998 and 1999 and 2000–01 and again in 2003–04, certain designated league fixtures doubled up as Challenge Cup qualifiers. Results counted towards a team's league standing and their standing within a separate Challenge Cup table. The top four teams moved into a two-legged semi-final, with the winners facing each other in a one-off final.Lost in Semi-final, 5–6 (Nottingham)1999–00Super League1Finished first in qualifying groupWon in quarter-final, 13–2 (Nottingham)Lost in Semi-final, 0–4 (Manchester)7th4217194213614940Finished third in qualifying groupFinished seventh in qualifying group2000–01Super LeagueDuring the 2000–01 season, 3 points were awarded for a regulation time win1Finished third in qualifying group2nd482916 –316713085Finished third in qualifying groupFinished seventh in qualifying group2001–02British League212th445381 –9031211Did not qualify2002–03British League25th3620151 –13310441Finished second in qualifying groupSemi-final and final were played as best-of-three series. British National League teams did not contest the British ChampionshipWon in Semi-final, 2–1 (Dundee)Lost in Final, 0–2 (Coventry)2003–04Elite League15th5623246315516255Finished second in qualifying groupLost in Semi-final, 0–2 (Sheffield)Finished third in qualifying groupSince 2003–04 all semi-finals and finals of the Challenge Cup have been played on a two-legged basisLost in Semi-final, 2–4 (Sheffield)2004–05Elite League13rd5030154115212165Finished first in qualifying groupLost in Semi-final, 1–3 (Nottingham)Finished first in qualifying groupWon in Semi-final, 5–3 (Sheffield)Lost in Final, 5–11 (Coventry)2005–06Elite League15th4218176111012243Finished first in qualifying groupLost in Semi-final, 1–2 (Sheffield)Finished first in qualifying groupWon in Semi-final, 3–2 (Newcastle)Won Challenge Cup, 5–4 (Coventry)2006–07Elite League13rd543217 –517515269Won in quarter-final, 4–3 (Manchester)In 2006–07, the top eight teams qualified for the play-offs which were played on a knockout basis. The quarter finals were played over two legs with a team's quarter final opponent determined on their league standing (1st vs 8th, 2nd vs 7th, 3rd vs 6th and 4th vs 5th). The semi-final and final remained as one-off games played over a single weekend.Won in Semi-final, 3–2 (Coventry)Lost in Final, 1–2 (Nottingham)Finished second in qualifying group2007–08Elite League16th542625 –316417455Won in quarter-final, 7–6 (Nottingham)Lost in Semi-final, 1–2 (Sheffield)Finished second in qualifying groupLost in Semi-final, 4–6 (Sheffield)2008–09Elite League15th542819 –717414363Won in quarter-final, 6–5 (Belfast)Lost in Semi-final, 2–5 (Sheffield)Finished fourth in qualifying group2009–10Elite League14th563122 –319315865Won in quarter-final, 9–5 (Sheffield)Won in Semi-final, 6–3 (Coventry)Lost in Final, 2–2 (0-1 pens) (Belfast)2010–11Elite League12nd544210 –226914187Won in quarter-final, 8–4 (Hull)Won in Semi-final, 4–1 (Belfast)Lost in Final, 4–5 (Nottingham)Finished second in qualifying groupLost in Semi-final, 2–5 (Belfast)2011–12Elite League14th543612 –619115874Won in quarter-final, 7–4 (Coventry)Won in Semi-final, 4–3 (OT) (Belfast)Lost in Final, 0–2 (Nottingham)Finished second in qualifying groupLost in Semi-final, 5–6 (Belfast)2012–13Elite League15th522123 –816016850Won in quarter-final, 12–9 (Braehead)Lost in Semi-final, 3–6 (Nottingham)Lost in Third Place game, 5–11 (Coventry)Finished fifth in qualifying group2013–14Elite League19th522424 –416218252Did not qualifyFinished second in qualifying groupLost in Semi-final, 4–10 (Belfast)2014–15Elite League13rd523414 –421015172Lost in quarter-final, 3-8 (Belfast)Finished second in qualifying groupWon in quarter-final, 8–5 (Belfast)Won in Semi-final, 9–4 (Coventry)Won Challenge Cup, 2–1 (Sheffield)2015–16Elite League12nd523315 –417913970Won in quarter-final, 6–5 (Dundee)Lost in Semi-final, 2–6 (Coventry)Won in Third Place game, 6–0 (Fife)Finished second in qualifying groupWon in quarter-final, 10–6 (Dundee)Won in Semi-final, 8–4 (Belfast)Lost in Final, 0–1 (OT) (Nottingham)2016–17Elite League11st523910 –320013670Won in quarter-final, 6–3 (Manchester)Won in Semi-final, 4–2 (Dundee)Lost in Final, 5–6 (Sheffield)Finished third in qualifying groupWon Challenge Cup, 3–2 (Sheffield)2017–18Elite League11st564112 –323414985Won in quarter-final, 8–5 (Coventry)Won in Semi-final, 4–0 (Fife)Won British Championship, 3–1 (Sheffield)Finished second in qualifying groupWon in Semi-final, (Sheffield)Lost in Final, 3–6 (Belfast)2018–19Elite League12nd604311 –623514692Won in quarter-final, 11–8 (Sheffield)Won in Semi-final, 9–4 (Nottingham)Won British Championship, 2–1 (Belfast)Finished first in qualifying group2019–20Elite League1 –463113 –216213864Not played Finished second in qualifying groupWon in Semi-final, 9–8 (Nottingham)Lost in Final, 3–4 (Sheffield)2021–22Elite League13rd5430154518813174Won in quarter-final, 5–4 (Glasgow)Won in Semi-final, 3–2 (Guildford)Won British Championship, 6–3 (Belfast)Won in Quarter-final, 8–5 (Dundee)Won in Semi-final, 5–0 (Sheffield)Lost in Final, 2–3 (Belfast)2022–23Elite League14th5429146519214275Won in quarter-final, 6–3 (Coventry)Won in Semi-final, 3–2 (Sheffield)Lost in Final, 1–4 (Belfast)Lost in Quarter-final, 4–10 (Sheffield)2023–24Elite League12nd543714321015177Won in quarter-final, 7–4 (Dundee)Lost in Semi-final, 1–2 (Belfast)Won in Third Place game, 7–5 (Guildford)Lost in Quarter-final, 5–6 (Glasgow)2024–25Elite League14th543218417814368Won in quarter-final, 8–3 (Coventry)Won in Semi-final, 5–0 (Belfast)Lost in Final, 3–4 (Nottingham)Won in Semi-final, 7–6 (Sheffield)Lost in Final, 0–4 (Belfast)2025–26Elite League12nd543514519512275Won in quarter-final, 6–2 (Coventry)Won in Semi-final, 3–1 (Glasgow)Won British Championship, 5–2 (Sheffield)Finished fourth in group stageRegular season totals2nd17781079534551008079590823426 Regular season titles
Footnotes
References
An ongoing history of the Nottingham Panthers by Peter Walch The Internet Hockey Database Hockey Results & Tables – Malcolm Preen