ECHL: Reading Royals: A Talk With Tyson Fawcett

Reaching 10 years in professional hockey is a milestone, Tyson Fawcett has hit that 10 year mark. With this milestone, he decided to come back to his roots of professional hockey and play with the Reading Royals of the ECHL.

EIHL and Overseas Talk

Prior to coming back, Fawcett played 4 years in the EIHL with the Manchester Storm from 2019-2023. Fawcett held the “A” in 2020-2021 and 2022-2023 seasons. He played a total of 168 games and tallied 41 goals with 47 assists over the 168 games.

• Hockey Culture In Europe

“It depends where you play. In England, the biggest difference is that it’s a lot older over there. Here it is faster, younger, and more skill coming up through the system. You get 14 imports over in England, than say Germany, where you only get two or three.”

• Travel On Away Games

“It was kind of an awakening. We did everything day of game. Manchester was actually pretty central, so it wasn’t too bad. Our furthest trip was 5 hours, to Dundee, the Scottish Team. The only time we stay overnight was in Belfast, and it was a 40 minute flight. So other than that, it was kind of like all the other teams were pretty central.”

• Food In Europe

“There’s a couple good Italian spots. There was one called Tre Chio. They basically fly Italians in there and they run it. They work, all speak Italian, it’s authentic Italian food. Any brunch spot, I’m a big brunch guy.”

• Lessons From Overseas

“From a hockey standpoint, I just always play my game. Same high energy type of game. You learn some things, playing with older guys over there. You take little tricks and stuff that they show you and teach you. Other than that, my clothing style changed with the tighter pants and the high ankle showing.”

• Favorite Arena (Besides Manchester)

“I would honestly have to say Glasgow is pretty cool. They have a really nice rink and I enjoyed going there.”

ECHL Changes Over The Years

Fawcett started his professional career in the 2014-2015 season, with the now defunct ECHL Club, Brampton Beast. In the 2015-2016 season, he moved on to play for the Evansville Icemen, which is now the Jacksonville Icemen. During that season, Fawcett had career highs of 22 goals and 20 assists in his second season. In the 2016-2017 season, He started the season with the Elmira Jackals where he held the “A” for 37 games before moving on to the Tulsa Oilers. During the 16-17 season, Fawcett earned a 2 game call up to the AHL Team, Rochester Americans. In the 2017-2018 season, Fawcett started the season with the Fort Wayne Komets for nine games and ended up being traded to the Jacksonville Icemen. Fawcett was on three teams in his last season before heading to the EIHL, Jacksonville Icemen, Reading Royals, and Atlanta Gladiators.

“The road trips I did early on, I think it was my first year in the ECHL, was Brampton’s first year in the league, divisions were like, we were in Allen and Tulsa, our bus trips were 28 hours, we wouldn’t fly. The travel was really intense. I was used to that. The hockey is more now, heavy weight style. You would have like one or two heavy weights. Some of the divisions are different now and it’s better hockey. Faster pace and players have a chance to go up a little easier in the roster, where as back in the day, it was more physical and not fast paced.

Game Day Mindset

Every player is different in how they set themselves up for a game day. Some are very superstitious, some go with the flow, and some nap for 3 hours before getting ready. Whatever routine they have, sets them up for success during the game.

“If we have a morning skate, ill come in and do morning skate. Stretch, cold tub, and head back. Ill make a huge breakfast and just chill out. I don’t really nap. I try to keep busy, like go for walks, stay outside, go shopping a little but keep moving. Ill come back, get ready for the game, and come to the arena. We have to be two hours before and then we have our meetings. I just try to be a little warm before I’m out on the ice and just go from there. I’ve been doing this for so long now, you kind of just try to keep the mind fresh and don’t overthink things and just kind of have fun with it.”

In Game Headspace

Getting into the game is the biggest part of the players playing their style of game. In the ECHL, you never know how the game will go, even if it’s the best team in the league.

“Doing whatever I can to help the team win. Not everyone can score goals or not, so I just kind fill wherever there is a void. If I need to stick up for a teammate, ill fight and drop the gloves. If I need to block the shot, or score some goals, ill try and do that. I’m a pretty high energy player and just try to bring energy on the ice and my work ethic. Hopefully, my teammates look up to that.

Strengths On & Off The Ice

When a player has been in the league as long as Fawcett has been, there are strengths that they hone into. For Fawcett, he learns off the younger players.

“My work ethic to be honest, I’ve been able to stay in the game for so long because I constantly try to get better. I think I know being a veteran, guys get stuck in their ways. Ill go to some young guys if I think they are doing something well and be like “what do you do here?”, or “how do you do that?”, and I hope they come to me. So I think just always willing to adapt, learn, and work hard.”

Wanting To Play

All players have different stories about wanting to play professionally. Some players, it’s ingrained from an early age. Others, it takes time to realize. No matter what, the work ethic is instilled. Fawcett started from an early age wanting to do this for a career.

“I was pretty young. I started skating when I was two or three years old. The earliest you can play organized hockey is four years old. My dad used to train some of the Detroit Red Wings how to fight. So when I was little, they’re always in my basement. I was growing up, looking at that, being like “I wanna do that.” So definitely, from a really young age, it’s always been hockey.”

Biggest Accomplishment

Prior to playing professionally, Fawcett played two years in the OHL for the Barrie Colts, where he wore the “A” in 2013-2014 season. His biggest accomplishment came while playing for the Barrie Colts, and he talks about the length of his career thus far.

“I have to say winning the Eastern Conference in the OHL was pretty fun. I feel like you don’t realize how hard it is win a championship, so that is an accomplishment I’m pretty proud of. Even just playing professionally as long as I have, being the size that I am. You don’t see a lot of guys my size playing and playing for as long as I have. So, the longevity of my career and playing at my size, I’m pretty proud of that.”

What Fawcett Would Do If He Didn’t Play Hockey

Fawcett is already a pretty feisty player on the ice. He speaks on what sport he would play if he weren’t playing hockey professionally.

“Honestly, that would be tough. It would either be box lacrosse, I played that a lot growing up, or boxing or MMA. My dad fought in the IFC, it’s like the UFC now. My brother boxes too. So I was around that.”

During this season with the Reading Royals, Fawcett has played in 24 games. He has notched 1 goals with 8 assists.