Paul Thompson

Paul Thompson (born 5 April 1965) is a British ice hockey coach and general manager. He has been head coach of the Cardiff Devils in the Elite Ice Hockey League (EIHL) since 2025. He has won the most games as an EIHL coach, and received nine Coach of the Year trophies. His teams have won three Challenge Cups, two British Knockout Cups, and he is the first coach to win five Elite League titles. In the 2004–2005 season, Thompson completed the British Hockey Grand Slam; winning the Challenge Cup, the EIHL title, and the EIHL playoff championship. He served as the general manager and head coach of the Sheffield Steelers from 2015 to 2018, and previously coached 19 seasons with the Coventry Blaze organisation. He was head coach of the Great Britain men's national ice hockey team from 2006 to 2011, has coached professional teams in Denmark, Germany, Italy and Sweden; and was the head coach of the Odense Bulldogs between 2021 and 2025. He is known by the nickname "Thommo".

Early life Thompson was born on 5 April 1965, in Singapore, Malaysia. He had a brief playing career as a defenceman from 1987 to 1994, with the Solihull Barons, and the Sheffield Steelers. In 84 games, he scored 2 goals, and 17 assists. In his partial season coaching in Division 1, the Barons finished twelfth place. His first chance at coaching in the English Premier Ice Hockey League came in 1996–1997, with the Solihull Blaze. Thompson guided the team to a second-place finish in the season, but financial problems prevented the team from continuing into the playoffs. The team voluntarily dropped down to Division 1 in the NIHL for the 1997–1998 season, and then won the division, the league, and the playoffs, earning Thompson his first title as a coach. The Blaze returned to the EPIHL for the 1998–1999 season, and won the EPIHL championship and the playoffs. Solihull moved up to the British National League for the 1999–2000 season, placed seventh, and lost in the first round of the playoffs. Thompson won BNL Coach of the Year, his first of many awards.

Coventry years In the 2000–2001 season, Solihull became the Coventry Blaze. Thompson improved the team to 4th in the league, but lost in the playoff round-robin. Thompson won the Coach of the Year Trophy awarded by the Ice Hockey Journalists UK. In the 2001–2002 season, Thompson again improved the team to a second-place finish, and reached the finals of the BNL playoffs. In the 2002–2003 season, Thompson coached Coventry to both the BNL season championship, and the playoff championship, and won another Coach of the Year Trophy. The 2004–2005 season, was Thompson's most successful with the Blaze. He led Coventry to the EIHL championship, the EIHL playoff championship, and the EIHL Challenge Cup championship. Thompson also won another Coach of the Year Trophy. In the 2006–2007 season, Thompson led Coventry to a third consecutive EIHL Challenge Cup championship, won the EIHL championship, and lost in the playoff semifinals to miss out on another grand slam, however the Blaze won the British Knockout Cup. Thompson was awarded another IHJUK Coach of the Year for his efforts. Thompson was named both the IHJUK Coach of the Year, Thompson and Coventry won the EIHL championship in the 2009–2010 season, but lost in the playoff semifinals, and in the Hocktoberfest finals He won his eighth Coach of The Year award. He improved the team to 5th place in the 2011–2012 season, but still lost in the first round of the playoffs. In the 2012–2013 season, he again improved the team to 4th in the league, and reached the second round of the playoffs.

Later career Thompson was the longest tenured head coach in British ice hockey when he announced his intentions to coach abroad in Europe for a new experience. Thompson stated he could have remained in Sweden, but wanted to move onto something else. After two years in Europe, Thompson returned to Great Britain, feeling that he learned a lot about hockey while abroad. In the 2015–2016 season, Thompson led Sheffield to the EIHL championship, but were upset in the first round of the playoffs, by his old team Coventry. Thompson was awarded a ninth Coach of the Year Trophy, in his return to the EIHL. On 12 April 2017, Thompson signed a two-year contract extension. In the 2017–2018 season, he led Sheffield to a third-place finish in the league, and reached the finals of the playoffs losing to the Cardiff Devils. Thompson resigned from his positions on 1 October 2018, citing personal reasons.

In November 2018, Thompson signed a one-year contract as head coach of the Schwenninger Wild Wings in the Deutsche Eishockey Liga, with a club option for a second year. In the 2018–2019 season, he led the Wild Wings to 49 points but placed 14th and last overall. In his second season with the Wild Wings, Thompson was fired on 16 December 2019, with the team in 14th place and last overall with only six wins in 26 games.

In October 2020, Thompson became head coach of the Unterland Cavaliers in Serie B of the Italian Hockey League.

Thompson was appointed as the head coach of the Odense Bulldogs in the Metal Ligaen in March 2021, on a contract until the end of the 2022–23 season.

In May 2025, the Cardiff Devils announced Thompson as their head coach.

Results and honours As of 2018, Thompson is the winningest coach in the Elite Ice Hockey League, and has received nine Coach of the Year trophies in his career. His teams have won three Challenge Cups, two British Knockout Cups, and he is the first coach to win five Elite League titles. Season!!Team!!League!!Role(s)!!Results!!Awards / notes

12th place, Division 1Out of playoffs but earned a silver medal, when Kazakhstan scored a late goal against the host team Ukraine. Thompson planned on returning in 2012, but later resigned, and was replaced with Tony Hand.

Thompson headed a development forum for Ice Hockey UK, and led a proposal to create a domestic Under-20 League to develop the national talent pool. He believes that league structure used by the Danish Ice Hockey Union can be used for the Elite League, based on his experience coaching in the Metal Ligean.

International results

Personal life Thompson is married, and has a son who played junior ice hockey.

In 2004, Thompson co-authored the book Benched: Blazing a Trail Through British Ice Hockey, a biography about his life in ice hockey.

In 2008, he received a Lifetime Achievement Award from Coventry, Solihull & Warwickshire sports, and an honorary Doctor of Science by Coventry University.