Cardiff Devils assistant coach Luke Piggott to leave club to pursue career in cancer research
Cardiff Devils has announced assistant coach Luke Piggott will be leaving the club to pursue an "opportunity of a lifetime" in cancer research.
The announcement comes following the departure of head coach Andrew Lord who left earlier this month.
Head coach Lord announced that he was leaving to take up an opportunity in North America, coaching another team.
Piggott's new job will based in Lausanne, Switzerland as a senior scientist developing new oncology agents through clinical trials.
For the last decade, he had balanced his full-time work with his role at the Devils.
Joining the Devils for the 2011-12 season, after originally playing for the side for seven years, he ended up playing six full seasons before splitting the season as a player and assistant coach.
He then went behind the bench with Andrew Lord, a role he was in up until the 2019-20 season was cut short in March.
"In my six years, he has played a significant role, far more than the fans would ever really understand. He was like having another captain off the ice," Kelman continued.
"He is a great teammate who took it upon himself to ensure everyone was welcomed into the Devils and to the city when they arrived here.
"I know how much the Devils have meant to him and I would reciprocate that and say he has meant just as much to the Devils. We are really going to miss him.”
As a player, he won two Challenge Cups, two EIHL League Titles, three Conference Titles and the 2018 Playoff Championship. The following season he was behind the bench for the Devils second Playoff Title in a row.