Hinks - It's all my fault

After being released by the Cardiff Devils, Rod Hinks has told skysports.com that he does not have anyone to blame but himself.

Hinks was told by Gerad Adams earlier this week that his services were no longer required after he failed to match the expectations of the Devils coach.

The 35-year old Canadian tallied two goals and nine assists for the Devils in 14 games, but it was not enough to keep him in Cardiff Bay.

And in an exclusive interview with skysports.com, Hinks said that he understands why the decision was made.

"It's all on my shoulders really," Hinks said.

"I didn't come in and perform - I didn't come in and play the way I wanted to. I'm probably the hardest person on myself. I don't blame Gerad at all for doing what he had to do."

Mistakes

Despite scoring 11 points and the Devils' recent turnaround in form, Hinks admitted it was a decision that he had seen coming.

"It didn't surprise me," Hinks added. "Near the end I was trying too hard to make something happen and that's when you make mistakes."

Hinks, whose 18-year career has seen him travel throughout Europe, revealed that it would be hard to say goodbye to the city and his team-mates after enjoying himself so much in South Wales.

"I loved it here in Cardiff," he said.

"I liked all of the guys on the team, it's probably been one of the best locker rooms I've been a part of in 14 years, which is very rare and makes it that much harder."

The Devils have hinted that they have already lined up a replacement and could make an announcement later this week.

Determined

Hinks is now weighing his options as he considers his next move.

"I've talked to my agent but I'm not sure what the future holds right now," said Hinks, who is sure to attract attention from other Elite League clubs in the market for an import.

"My girlfriend lives in Germany, and I have a friend who plays in Japan, but I'll have to wait and see whether I play in Europe, the Elite League or elsewhere."

As a long time professional Hinks is no stranger to moving around in the middle of the season and is determined to continue playing.

"I don't think my time has come yet," Hinks said.

"I want to end on a high note. It's a shame that I didn't have more time to prove it to the fans of Cardiff."