In this episode, I speak with Paul Adey — former Nottingham Panthers and Sheffield Steelers forward, and later Head Coach of the Nottingham Panthers and Belfast Giants.
Born in Montreal, Paul grew up on outdoor rinks before playing three seasons in the QMJHL and then moving to the tough International Hockey League. In 1987, he headed to Europe, signing for Briançon in France, where the club reached the playoff final.
Paul arrived in the UK in 1988, signing for the Nottingham Panthers under Alex Dampier. With imports limited, he thrived — posting 153 points in his first season and playing a key role in Nottingham's iconic Wembley Heineken Playoff Championship win. Over 11 seasons, Paul became a Panthers legend, recording 612 games, 828 goals and 781 assists, and seeing his #22 jersey retired in 2003.
After a spell in Italy, Paul joined the Sheffield Steelers for 2000–01, helping the club complete a historic Grand Slam before retiring.
Coaching followed, with Paul returning to Nottingham to lead the Panthers to their first Challenge Cup in 2003–04, before later guiding the Belfast Giants to an Elite League Championship. Today, Paul works in media with Notts TV and Premier Sports, while remaining open to future coaching roles.
