Greenville, S.C. — As the Greenville club was signing new and returning players to their upcoming season roster, the Greenville Swamp Rabbits had kept a goalie signing dormant for an extended period of time. Until today, August 20, the team announced that they had extended Luke Richardson for a second full season. The young goaltender is making his third season appearance in a Rabbits’ sweater, but marking his second full season with the team.
About Richardson
Richardson, 25, from Barrie, Ontario, first turned pro. During the 2022-23 season with the Belleville Senators of the AHL after completing his fourth season with Queen’s University (USports). In his short three-game campaign with the Senators, Richardson won just one game in overtime. His average record with the team was a 3.99 GAA and .873 SV%. Upon his initial exposure to professional hockey, he was subsequently acquired by the Swamp Rabbits to participate in just two games during the remainder of the regular season. He emerged victorious in both games, achieving a 1.50 GAA and a .952 save percentage. Richardson was also able to play two games during the 2023 Kelly Cup Playoffs against Jacksonville, losing both and posting a 1.84 GAA. The two-game appearances were due to him filling in for Ryan Bednard when Bednard got pulled during both games for letting in too many goals.
Due to his impressive performance during that season for the Swamp Rabbits, Richardson got the approval from then Head Coach and General Manager Andrew Lord to play for next season. During the offseason break of 2023, Richardson signed a standard contract. However, due to competition with two other goalies on the roster, Ryan Bednard and Jacob Ingham, both of whom contracted with the Ontario Reign, Richardson would not be able to play a full season as the Rabbits’ netminder. Nevertheless, he was still able to goaltend in 12 regular season games, posting a career-high of seven wins with a 2.19 GAA and .931 SV%.
During the 2024 Kelly Cup Playoffs against Orlando, Richardson appeared in two games. His first game was during game two at home against the Solar Bears, when he filled in for Ingham after he got pulled by coach Lord to send a message. For 16:15 minutes of ice time in the third period, Richardson recorded 11 saves from 11 shots on goal and was able to give his team the series-tying victory. For his second game against the Solar Bears, Richardson made his first appearance at the Kia Center in Orlando as his team’s starting goalie. Owing to the fact that the series entailed three consecutive games in Orlando, the Rabbits were poised to provide Ingham, their primary goaltender, with needed rest for the demanding playoff series. Consequently, they turned to Richardson with the mantle of playing in the fifth game. During that game, he stood tall and was excellent between the pipes by making 33 saves from 36 shots against him. Inevitably, he was able to help his team secure a much-needed win to once again tie the series against their division rivals.
Richardson’s Amateur Career
Prior to his professional career in North America, Richardson spent the previous four seasons with Queens University of USports. During his final season in 2022-23, he achieved a record of 12 wins in 23 games played, maintaining a 2.36 GAA and a 9.13 SV%. He initially joined Queen’s in the 2019-20 season, participating in 28 games and accumulating a 2.58 GAA, a .908 SV%, and 12 wins. Over the course of four seasons with Queen’s, Richardson appeared in a total of 62 games, resulting in a record of 33-26-1 while maintaining an average GAA of 2.26 and a SV% of .917.
Before advancing to the collegiate level of hockey, he spent four seasons in the OHL with the Kitchener Rangers, and during the 2015-2017 seasons, he alternated between the OHL and GOJHL. Throughout his four-season OHL career, he played in 112 games, achieving a record of 62-40-6 while maintaining a GAA of 3.45 and a SV% of .893. Additionally, he participated in two games in the OHL Cup. During his two seasons in the GOJHL, he played in 47 games, securing 37 wins, and accumulated a GAA of 2.64 and a SV% of .908.
