Cardiff Fire are thrilled to announce the re-signing of defenceman Tom Stephens for the 2026-27 season.
Tom made his debut for the Fire in the Welsh Cup against Deeside Dragons, marking his appearance with being awarded with the first โFire-Man of the Match' award of the 2024-25 season for his impressive display.
Tom started his hockey career as a junior in Milton Keynes, captaining his under 18 team for two seasons. Still as a junior, he made the step up to senior hockey during the 2019-20 season for Milton Keynes Thunder.
At just 22 years old, Tom has amassed an impressive 145 NIHL1 games and brings a lot of D1 experience for such a young player.
Head Coach Elis Sheppard on the signing of Tom:
Iโm delighted that Tom has decided to continue his career in Cardiff.
To have someone of Tomโs ability to bolster our blue line really provides stability to our D core. He is a presence on the blue line and with his long reach he is an excellent shut down defencemen. He thrives in 1v1 situations and remains calm under pressure.
Tom is still only young, but has been a servant to the league over many seasons and that type of experience is worth its weight in gold.
Everyone at the Fire would like to give a warm welcome back to Stevo! #19
Photos by James Assinder