Veteran Scottish defenceman Mark Garside enters his thirteenth season as a Belfast Giant in 2023-24.
Garside has earned himself ‘legend’ status on these shores since arriving from the Edinburgh Capitals back in 2010 and was fittingly awarded a testimonial match by the Odyssey Trust in 2020, in recognition of outstanding service to the club.
Now the longest serving active Belfast Giant, Garside has the accolades to prove it having played over 670 games in all competitions for the club. Last season’s treble win brought his total haul in Teal to a staggering 13 trophies. He has also collected no less than 5 World Championship medals as a Team GB international.
A versatile defenseman and faceoff specialist who can also play in the centre, Garside revels in the gritty and thankless aspects of the game that many others shy away from. He is also now an invaluable source of knowledge to younger Giants players in the earlier stages of their careers.
Away from the ice, Garside is central to the Giants’ Healthy Lifestyle programme, which focuses on the importance of looking after both physical and mental wellbeing. During the 2021/22 season, the programme reached over 1,800 primary school pupils from across Greater Belfast.
Date Of Birth 21/03/1989
Height 5'9"
Hometown East Kilbride, Scotland, UK
Get Updates