Richardson set to make history this weekend
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- Published Date 19 Nov 2025
Mark Richardson is set to make history on Saturday in Manchester when he plays in his 1,177th Elite League game, tying the record for most games played in league history currently held by former Sheffield Steeler and Cardiff Devil Jonathan Phillips.
He can potentially break the record on Sunday at home against the Fife Flyers.
Richardson played his first ever Elite League game for the Devils way back in 2005. He made the move to the Nottingham Panthers for the 2007-08 season and then split the following season between the Panthers and the Basingstoke Bison before making the move back to Cardiff for the 2009-10 season.
He has spent almost all of the last 17 years of his professional career with the Devils, other than a 13 game stint in Kazakhstan in 2012 and the Covid cancelled 2020-21 season in Germany. Pictured above: Richardson with the Playoff Trophy in 2022Below is the All-Time Games Played leaders in EIHL history:
- Jonathan Phillips - 1,177
- Mark Richardson - 1,176
- Matthew Myers - 1,115
- Robert Lachowicz - 1,013
- Ben Davies - 976
To put this into perspective, this is like playing 20 years straight averaging 59 games a season, a mind-boggling feat in the sport of ice hockey.Pictured above: Richardson celebrating the continental cup win in 2025Devils' Managing Director Todd Kelman spoke about this achievement:
"Richy is already a legend in British Ice Hockey. He recently broke the record for most games played as a Cardiff Devil and now is set to become the all-time leader in games played in EIHL history.
"He has been an incredible player for this club for nearly two decades. He has played a vital role in every championship we have won and been a great ambassador for us off the ice. He is the ultimate pro and the ultimate teammate.
"We are lucky to have had him play nearly all of his 1,176 EIHL games for the Devils and we expect to be celebrating more milestones before he ever decides to hang up his skates."