Mike Richards (ice hockey)
A tenacious two-way center whose relentless style captained the Flyers and helped anchor two Stanley Cup championships in Los Angeles.
Born 1985 (age 41)·Canadian ice hockey player·Birthday: February 11·Millennials
Biography
Mike Richards played hockey with a chip on his shoulder and a read on the game that few could match. Drafted by Philadelphia, he quickly became the heart of the Flyers, a captain who led as much with a timely goal or a punishing check as with his voice. His peak was a masterclass in two-way play, culminating in a trip to the 2010 Stanley Cup Final. A trade to Los Angeles refocused his career; there, he became the essential gritty complement to the Kings' stars, hoisting the Cup in 2012 and 2014. His playing style took a physical toll, leading to an early end, but his legacy is etched in the championship culture he helped forge on both coasts.
Millennials
1981–1996
The first digital natives. Grew up with the internet, came of age during 9/11 and the 2008 crash. Highly educated, deeply indebted, slower to marry and buy houses. Redefined work, identity, and what it means to be an adult.
Mike was born in 1985, placing them squarely in the Millennials. The events that shaped this generation — the internet revolution, 9/11, and the 2008 financial crisis — shaped the world they entered and the choices available to them.
#1 When Mike Was Born
The biggest hits of 1985
#1 Movie
Back to the Future
Best Picture
Out of Africa
#1 TV Show
Dynasty
Mike's Life & Times
The world at every milestone
1985Born
Live Aid concerts raise money for Ethiopian famine
Gas: $1.12/galHome: $62,900Min wage: $3.35/hrPresident: Ronald Reagan"Careless Whisper" — Wham!Best Picture: Out of Africa
1990Started school
Hubble Space Telescope launched; Germany reunifies
Gas: $1.15/galHome: $79,100Min wage: $3.80/hrPresident: George H.W. Bush"Hold On" — Wilson PhillipsBest Picture: Dances with Wolves
1998Became a teenager
Google founded; Clinton impeachment
Gas: $1.06/galHome: $107,300Min wage: $5.15/hrPresident: Bill Clinton"Too Close" — NextBest Picture: Shakespeare in Love
2001Could drive
September 11 attacks transform the world
Gas: $1.46/galHome: $126,400Min wage: $5.15/hrPresident: George W. Bush"Hanging by a Moment" — LifehouseBest Picture: A Beautiful Mind
2003Could vote
US invades Iraq; Human Genome Project completed
Gas: $1.59/galHome: $146,000Min wage: $5.15/hrPresident: George W. Bush"In Da Club" — 50 CentBest Picture: The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King
2006Turned 21
Twitter launches; Pluto reclassified as dwarf planet
Gas: $2.59/galHome: $174,700Min wage: $5.15/hrPresident: George W. Bush"Bad Day" — Daniel PowterBest Picture: The Departed
2015Turned 30
Paris climate agreement; same-sex marriage legalized in the US
Gas: $2.43/galHome: $171,900Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Barack Obama"Uptown Funk" — Mark Ronson ft. Bruno MarsBest Picture: Spotlight
2025Turned 40
AI agents go mainstream
Gas: $3.10/galHome: $385,000Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Donald Trump"APT." — Rose & Bruno Mars
2026Age 41 today
Gas: $3.91/galPresident: Donald Trump
Key Achievements
- Won two Stanley Cup championships with the Los Angeles Kings in 2012 and 2014.
- Served as captain of the Philadelphia Flyers from 2008 to 2011.
- Won a gold medal with Team Canada at the 2010 Winter Olympics in Vancouver.
- Recorded 75 points in the 2008-09 NHL season, a career high, and was a Selke Trophy finalist as the league's best defensive forward.
Did You Know?
He and Jeff Carter were traded from Philadelphia to Los Angeles in separate deals on the same day in 2011.
He is one of a select group of players to have won an Olympic gold medal and a Stanley Cup in the same year (2012).
He was known for his exceptional performance in playoff shorthanded situations, scoring key goals.
His contract with the Kings was terminated in 2015 due to a breach of conduct, related to a border incident.
“I wasn't the biggest guy, so I had to play hard every single shift.”
