Cardiff Devils Confirmed Signings & Departures 2026/27
What fantastic news, and well played again Devils, welcome home Jake to see the number 28 grace our home ice again is truly a sight for sore eyes, and a sight to behold. To have the Lush name Sacratini in front of us again is truly a gift from above, plus we hopefully get a chance to see Jake’s folks home soon. To have this young man yes this young Welshman returning home is a true blast for the oncoming season, what a great start to the day folks it feels like Xmas all over again. HAPPY HAPPY HAPPY HOCKEY DAYS.
Yeah. Let’s not write the poor kid off before he’s even step foot on the ice. This is a good bit of business for the Devils. Classed as Brit, playing a good standard. It’s a signing no one else thought of and it gives me far more encouragement than the usual shuffling of the pack we see with the Brits - each club fighting over the same Brits every year. This kid is an unknown. He’ll probably need time to adapt but this feels like a good medium/long term investment given his Welsh roots.
God this signing makes me feel old!
I don’t think there’s any doubt that the key point behind this signing is that he’s a player who has gone through the NA system but classes as a brit. The fact that he’s the son of a Devils legend adds an extra angle to the story and was probably a major reason why he chose us over other British teams or continuing his career in the NA lower leagues.
The NCAA III isn't the highest level of college hockey but a number of players have joined the EIHL from it. Most didn’t tear up the league as imports but one who did was Alessio Luciani. His stats were a fair bit better than Sacratini’s but it shows that there is no reason why we should be writing the lad off before he’s played a game.
I don’t think there’s any doubt that the key point behind this signing is that he’s a player who has gone through the NA system but classes as a brit. The fact that he’s the son of a Devils legend adds an extra angle to the story and was probably a major reason why he chose us over other British teams or continuing his career in the NA lower leagues.
The NCAA III isn't the highest level of college hockey but a number of players have joined the EIHL from it. Most didn’t tear up the league as imports but one who did was Alessio Luciani. His stats were a fair bit better than Sacratini’s but it shows that there is no reason why we should be writing the lad off before he’s played a game.
An interesting one. NCAA III is a difficult competition to gauge as there's so many different colleges and conferences that vary in standard. Jake was a stand out player in his college, but his college was one of the weakest in their conference.
Not many players from NCAA III manage to carve out a successful pro career, and I think the above comment of if he was an import he wouldn't have a look in is right. But as a Brit, with the family connections it could be a shrewd move with one eye on the longer term.
Would be interested to know more about his game. At the level he's played at he's been an offensive player, but he will more than likely play 3rd and 4th line with us so will have to offer something else, be it energy, forechecking, physicality, PK minutes. I guess we shall wait and see. If Harewood is not with us full time next year, it must be a bit of a kick in the pants for him this one.
Not many players from NCAA III manage to carve out a successful pro career, and I think the above comment of if he was an import he wouldn't have a look in is right. But as a Brit, with the family connections it could be a shrewd move with one eye on the longer term.
Would be interested to know more about his game. At the level he's played at he's been an offensive player, but he will more than likely play 3rd and 4th line with us so will have to offer something else, be it energy, forechecking, physicality, PK minutes. I guess we shall wait and see. If Harewood is not with us full time next year, it must be a bit of a kick in the pants for him this one.
2025/26 full-season stats for #28 Jake Sacratini (all competitive games for Plattsburgh State Cardinals – NCAA 3)
Age: 24 (25 next week)
Height: 5’9”
Position: RW/C
Shoots: R
Games: 26
Goals: 11
Assists: 14 (10 primary and 4 secondary)
Points: 25
Points per game: 0.96
Games in which he scored points: 14 (53.8% of Plattsburg’s games)
Games in which he scored goals: 9 (34.6% of Plattsburg’s games)
Multi-point games: 7
Multi-goal games: 1
Opening goals: 4
Game winning goals: 0
Go-ahead goals: 4
Game-tying goals: 2
Insurance goals: 0
Empty net goals: 1
Overtime winning goals: 1
Powerplay goals: 3
Powerplay assists: 1
Powerplay points: 4
Short-handed goals: 0
Short-handed assists: 0
Total shots on goal: 73
Scoring percentage: 15.1%
Opposition shots blocked: 4
Penalty minutes: 16
Minor penalties taken: 8 (hit after the whistle, holding, diving, slashing, hooking x2, high-sticks, cross-checking)
Major penalties: 0
Fights: 0
Game misconduct penalties: 0
Powerplay opportunities given up: 4
Opposition powerplay goals scored on his penalties: 0
Penalty Kill of his penalties: 100%
+/- score: +3
Face-off winning percentage: 52.0%
Face-offs won: 39
Face-offs lost: 36
Face-off battles won: 8 out of 23 (games where his face-off win % was above 50%)
Age: 24 (25 next week)
Height: 5’9”
Position: RW/C
Shoots: R
Games: 26
Goals: 11
Assists: 14 (10 primary and 4 secondary)
Points: 25
Points per game: 0.96
Games in which he scored points: 14 (53.8% of Plattsburg’s games)
Games in which he scored goals: 9 (34.6% of Plattsburg’s games)
Multi-point games: 7
Multi-goal games: 1
Opening goals: 4
Game winning goals: 0
Go-ahead goals: 4
Game-tying goals: 2
Insurance goals: 0
Empty net goals: 1
Overtime winning goals: 1
Powerplay goals: 3
Powerplay assists: 1
Powerplay points: 4
Short-handed goals: 0
Short-handed assists: 0
Total shots on goal: 73
Scoring percentage: 15.1%
Opposition shots blocked: 4
Penalty minutes: 16
Minor penalties taken: 8 (hit after the whistle, holding, diving, slashing, hooking x2, high-sticks, cross-checking)
Major penalties: 0
Fights: 0
Game misconduct penalties: 0
Powerplay opportunities given up: 4
Opposition powerplay goals scored on his penalties: 0
Penalty Kill of his penalties: 100%
+/- score: +3
Face-off winning percentage: 52.0%
Face-offs won: 39
Face-offs lost: 36
Face-off battles won: 8 out of 23 (games where his face-off win % was above 50%)
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My thoughts are that we'll start the season with 16 imports and 6 Brits (Bowns, Davies, Duggan, Harewood, Richardson and Sacratini) so we can have one spare - there wasn't really any competition for places amongst the Brits last year once Brodie Kay left. I think Harry Thomas on a two-way with possibly one other from Bristol could also be likely.
Ignore the where, when, what of where he’s played. You are talking about the 12th /13th forward spot on the roster and if Jake is good enough for that. That spot is a Brit player spot so you’re comparing him with Ben Davies, Sam Duggan, Bayley Harewood and if he’s a better option in terms of play and budget. It will be very close on standard of player but on budget Jake is probably cheaper and is younger. Clearly the club know something about the plans, status of other players and have made a sensible move. The one thing I would like to see is whomever slips to being a healthy scratch for anytime he signs a two way in Bristol so they don’t have a season not developing. Better to be playing some hockey than none.