Ben Bowns: Trail-blazing netminder recalls ‘unbelievable’ career before Cardiff Devils testimonial

The 2013-14 season had been possibly the worst in Devils’ history, churning through three coaches and 40-plus players.

The summer of 2015 brought new owners, who recruited Todd Kelman from Belfast Giants to run the new Cardiff Devils.

Bowns was one of only two players who were offered contracts to stay with the organisation, not that he was immediately aware.

“When the new ownership got announced, I was actually in Fuerteventura, and this was back before you had free data,” remembers Bowns.

“I got a text from my mum saying Todd Kelman’s taken over the Devils, and I thought, ‘Oh, that’s awesome – and then all of a sudden, I’m like, ‘oh no, what if he didn’t want me? I’m a 23-year-old goalie that’s just played two years in Hull, he’s used to winning championships with [netminder] Stephen Murphy in Belfast, so does he really want me?’.”

It was a question he had to stew on.

“We’d gone to the beach that day, so I had no signal, nothing.

“I didn’t enjoy that day one bit, to put it politely… we got back to the villa, hooked up to wi-fi, and all of a sudden a message popped up on Facebook from Neil Francis saying ‘Don’t worry, your contract’s safe, you’re going to be our goalie next season’.”

It was a huge weight off Bowns’ shoulders.

“I think it was the next day or two, Todd gave me a call, and we had to meet the fans and owners in Cardiff.

“When we saw the event, and we saw the crowd, the reception that we all got was amazing, you’re just like ‘wow, we’ve come to something different here now’.”