Devils' Richardson Set To Make Elite League History

Cardiff Devils' longest-serving subordinate Mark Richardson will break a singular grounds successful British lucky connected Sunday evening by making nan astir appearances successful nan Elite League.

When nan 39-year-old Richardson takes to nan crystal astatine nan Vindico Arena against Fife Flyers, his tally of EIHL games will scope 1,778, breaking nan grounds of nan Sheffield Steelers legend, Cardiff-born Jonathan Phillips.

Last twelvemonth Richardson collapsed different Phillips grounds erstwhile he became nan astir capped subordinate for Great Britain, reaching 117 games.

"If there's anyone who's going to do it, I'm astir pleased that it is Richie," Phillips said.

"He really is nan eventual professional. He's an absolute 1 of a kind.

"The occurrence Cardiff person had complete nan past 10 years aliases so, Richie has been a immense portion of that.

"The measurement he presents himself, he plays hard, he plays tough, but successful that respectful way.

"He's nan sound of reason. He's personification who could prime up a group conscionable pinch his presence. Being location to dispersed positivity without doing much, conscionable his presence.

"You conscionable can't opportunity capable bully things astir him."

Richardson moved into apical level lucky aged 18 successful 2005, signing for nan Devils wherever Phillips was successful his past play earlier joining Sheffield.

Phillips recalled; "You could spot really bully he was then. He worked his socks disconnected each azygous clip he touched nan ice. You could spot past that he was trying to beryllium a student of nan game.

Two years later Richardson near to subordinate Nottingham Panthers and successful 2009 returned to nan Devils.

Apart from a five-month stint successful Kazakhstan successful 2012 and spending nan Covid cancelled 2020-21 play successful Germany, Richardson has been pinch Cardiff throughout.

"Richie has been an unthinkable subordinate for this nine for astir 2 decades," Cardiff Devils managing head Todd Kelman said.

"He has played a captious domiciled successful each title we person won and has been a awesome ambassador for america disconnected nan ice.

"We are fortunate to person had him play astir each of his EIHL games for nan Devils and we expect to beryllium celebrating much milestones earlier he decides to bent up his skates.

"He is nan eventual pro and nan eventual team-mate."

In his 20 seasons arsenic an Elite League subordinate Richardson has won 10 trophies. One came pinch Nottingham - nan 2008 Challenge Cup - and nan different 9 pinch Cardiff.

As good arsenic winning 2 Elite League championships, 3 Challenge Cups and 3 play-offs, successful January this twelvemonth Richardson lifted nan club's first European trophy erstwhile nan Devils triumphed successful nan IIHF Continental Cup.

For Great Britain, Richardson and Phillips played together from nan clip erstwhile nan nationalist broadside were successful nan little levels of nan world crippled up to competing successful nan apical section of nan World Championships.

Phillips said: "When you played pinch him for GB, you conscionable felt safe pinch him connected nan crystal each azygous time.

"His positioning is ever bang on. He tin conscionable publication players and publication what to do.

"You conscionable couldn't get past him. His method expertise is conscionable unbelievable. Richie concentrates connected nan mini details. He's not personification who is overly fancy.

"I'm not judge a batch of fans would moreover prime up connected immoderate of nan things that he is doing connected a changeless basis.

"I do immoderate activity pinch nan under-16s and under-19s up successful Sheffield and each I talk astir is watching group for illustration Richie and watch really elemental he makes nan crippled look.

"This is simply a reliable convention to play in. In different leagues astir nan world everything revolves astir nan play-offs, truthful immoderate regular play games aren't arsenic reliable arsenic others.

"In nan Elite League you're playing for aliases against a Cardiff, Sheffield, Belfast aliases a Nottingham - teams that are perpetually fighting for nan convention title, truthful it's a 54-game play-off.

"Every azygous nighttime you are playing play-off hockey.

"And for Richie to do that for truthful agelong and truthful consistently is conscionable remarkable."

Cardiff Devils look Fife Flyers successful nan Elite League connected Sunday, 23 November astatine 17:00 GMT.