Cardiff Fire are delighted to announce the return of defenceman Elis Sheppard for his eleventh season with the club, continuing in his role as Player-Coach for 2026-27.
Elis is a long-standing, key figure of the Fire and has been a consistent leader of the club since its inception. Elis joined the Fire Family from Slough Jets in 2015 as an 18 year-old, winning the league with team in his first two seasons and picking up Young Player of the Year.
In 2019 Elis was made Captain of the Fire, before being appointed Assistant Coach in 2021. In 2022 Elis took on the role as Head Coach, leading the team back into Division One and finishing in the playoff places for the 2024-25 season.
Elis leads the team in all-time number of games played with 237 appearances and holds the team's all-time record as top playmaker with 73 assists in all competitions.
General Manager and Director of Hockey Stevie Lyle said:
When I joined the Fire late last season, I spent my time closely evaluating the players' strengths and areas for growth during practices.
Seeing Elis’s incredible work ethic and drive, both on and off the ice, made re-signing him an incredibly easy decision to kick off our season. He’s a rock-solid defenseman, and my goal is to bring in extra coaching support on game days so he can fully focus on playing and enjoying his game.
I’m excited for this next chapter together as we build a fun, competitive, and winning hockey team.
Player-Coach Elis Sheppard added:
I’m delighted with the opportunity to lead this great club as we transition into a new era, encapsulated by our new logo.
Last season was difficult on many fronts, injuries and commitments outside of hockey had taken its toll on the team throughout the year. I acknowledge that for fans it seemed as though the Fire was extinguishing, but that is further from the truth.
I’d like to thank Stevie for the opportunity and trust in me to lead the team as we look to build a competitive roster at this level.
I’m excited with the direction the club is heading in. The already present professionalism amalgamated with the desire of growth means this is a project I’m excited to be part of.
Everyone at the Fire would like to give a warm welcome back to Coach Shep!