The Cardiff Devils have finally addressed their injury crisis, signing forward Ben Almquist on the Elite League’s transfer deadline day.
Pete Russell’s squad have been through the wringer in recent weeks, with Ben Davies, Riley Brandt, and Hunter Shinkaruk sidelined since late December and Reid Duke unavailable since playing only eight minutes of Cardiff’s 5-3 loss to the Sheffield Steelers on 5 February.
But the addition of Almquist (and the arrival of Brad Schoonbaert a week earlier) provides light at the end of the tunnel for the Devils, who sit fourth, eleven points behind the league-leading Belfast Giants, after a run of inconsistent form in 2025.
“Finding a player at this time of year is not easy, but we are lucky that things worked out with Almquist,” said Russell of his second signing of the month.
“He works hard for the team, has offensive ability and has powerplay talent in his game.
“With the guys we are going to be missing long term, he is a welcome addition to the group and we are looking forward to him being part of it the last two months of the season.”
Who is Cardiff Devils forward Ben Almquist?
Almquist arrives in Cardiff from EliteHockey Ligaen side Lillehammer.
In the EHL (Norway’s premier division), Almquist recorded 35 points (10 goals, 25 assists) in 39 appearances as a first-year professional and departed as Lillehammer’s second-highest scorer.
Before his stint in Norway, Almquist spent five seasons in the NCAA, amassing 57 points (23 goals, 34 assists) in 104 appearances for the University of Minnesota-Duluth and the University of Alaska-Anchorage.
Ben Almquist, Alaska-Anchorage (Image: NCAA)
Almquist led Alaska-Ancorage in scoring as a senior, finishing the campaign with 30 points (14 goals, 16 assists) through 34 games played.
Why have the Cardiff Devils signed Ben Almquist?
The Devils have lost ground in the title race since the turn of the year, with injuries a key factor in their fall to fourth in the Elite League.
Cardiff’s place in the form table says it all — they’re 5-5-0 of late, outperforming only the Guildford Flames, Manchester Storm, and Fife Flyers over the same ten-game span.
While the Devils are through the worst of their post-Christmas wobble, playing without bottom-six stalwarts Davies and Brandt has taken its toll.
Shinkaruk, a marquee summer addition from the DEL’s Iserlohn Roosters and former first-round NHL draft pick, being limited to only four appearances on the season is another sore spot for Cardiff.
Almquist’s arrival will help the Devils navigate their injury woes down the stretch, adding scoring ability and underrated feistiness to their middle-six.
The 1999-born forward played in all situations as a rookie professional for Lillehammer, averaging more than 20 minutes of ice time per appearance, including a 28-minute outing versus Lorenskog on 23 January and a spot on the team’s first powerplay unit.
With ten multi-point game performances, Almquist was a star performer for Lillehammer and should hit the ground running in the Elite League.
The American is expected to suit up for Cardiff this weekend, with a pivotal back-to-back versus the Giants next on the schedule.
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