Defenceman Richardson signs new Cardiff Devils deal

Veteran defenceman Mark Richardson has re-signed for Cardiff Devils for the 2026-27 season.

Great Britain international Richardson, 39, has spent 18 seasons at the Devils across three spells, having first joined in 2005-06.

Richardson played in 66 of Devils' 68 competitive games in 2025-26 as they won the Play-Off Championship.

He won three Challenge Cups, two league titles and four play-off titles and also led them to play-off success in 2022 and the IIHF Continental Cup in 2025.

Head coach Paul Thompson said: "He is one of the best pros I've ever worked with, and I thought he had an outstanding season last year.

"I'm looking forward to him once again playing a major part in the season ahead.

"Age is only a number, and he showed that all last season with his experience and stellar performances."

Richardson joins fellow defencemen Gleason Fournier and Evan Mosey in agreeing to stay with Devils.

Devils have also signed defenceman Nick Welsh from Manchester Storm, while Bayley Harewood has been given a full-time deal after playing the last five seasons on two-way contracts, mostly with Bristol Pitbulls.

Many EIHL players sign single-season contracts - but the majority of Devils' play-off winning squad will be expected to return for the coming season starting in September.

However, after a partially successful first season as head coach, there will be great interest in the changes Thompson makes to his squad with the aim of winning a first regular season league title since 2018.

Defencemen

Evan Mosey (GB)

Jimmy Oligny (Canada)

Nick Welsh (Canada)

Gleason Fournier (Canada)

Mark Richardson (GB)

Forwards

Joey Martin (Canada)

Jake Sacratini (GB)

Ryan Barrow (Canada)

The overall number of players a team can use in one season is 25 - excluding injured reserve replacements and 'two-way players'.

Clubs can register as many 'two-way players' as they wish but they must be homegrown, under the age of 25 and contracted primarily to an EIH (English Ice Hockey) or SIH (Scottish Ice Hockey) based team competing in a league lower than the EIHL.

A gameday roster can have a maximum of 20 players - 18 skaters and 2 goalies - with no more than 15 non-homegrown players.

All teams must have at least one British goaltender registered to their overall roster.

Netminders

Ben Bowns (Great Britain)

Christian Stoever (USA)

Defencemen

Brandon Estes (USA)

Gleason Fournier (Canada)

Tyson Helgesen (Canada)

Steven MacLean (Canada)

Evan Mosey (USA)

Jimmy Oligny (Canada)

Mark Richardson (Great Britain)

Forwards

Ryan Barrow (Canada)

Riley Brandt (Canada)

Connor Caponi (USA)

Ben Davies (Great Britain)

Sam Duggan (Great Britain)

Brett Ferguson (Canada)

Bayley Harewood (Great Britain)

Kristoff Kontos (Canada)

Cedric Lacroix (Canada)

Josh MacDonald (Canada)

Joey Martin (Canada)

Kohen Olischefski (Canada)

Brett Perlini (Great Britain)

Cole Sanford (Canada)

Nolan Yaremko (Canada)