ECHL: Reading Royals’ Season Preview

With the Reading Royals’ season just shy of a month away, it seems only fitting to see what the Lions have cooking this upcoming season.

Like the rest of the ECHL, the Royals are getting ready for the 2023-24 season with a roster full of returning players and fan favorites, with some new faces joining the purple squad. As of September 24th, the Reading Royals have 11 forwards signed to their roster, which include:

Brendan Hoffmann, Alec Butcher, Shane Sellar, Tyson Fawcett, Kyle Olson, Austin Master, Solag Bakich, Spencer Kennedy, Devon Palian, Mason McCarty, and Yvan Mongo

As for the defensemen for the Royals, the Royals have three signed:

Tyler Heidt, Trevor Thurston, and Mike Chen

So far, only one goalie is signed to the Royals, but the team is no stranger to seeing Phantoms’ goalies make their ventures down to Reading throughout the season as well. The goalie signed thus far is Jacob Kucharski. The Royals have three others playing up with the Lehigh Valley Phantoms that may make their return to Reading after Flyers’ Training Camp, and those players include:

Mason Millman, Jacob Gaucher, and Zayde Wisdom

Fans have much to look forward to this season, with the preseason starting Thursday, October 12th, against the Adirondack Thunder. The two teams play fourteen times this season, including the two preseason games to start the year. Over the years, these two teams have had their fair share of wins and losses, with last year’s stats making the teams appear quite similar on paper. However, though the teams appear similar at first glance, the stats don’t tell the whole story, as both teams’ fans saw their fair share of hardship throughout the season. The stats, though, give some light on what might be to come for this upcoming season for the duo. The two team’s stats for the 2022-23 season were as follows:

Goals: Reading 262 Adirondack 237

Shorthanded Goals: Reading 10 Adirondack 7

Power Play Percentage: Reading 19% Adirondack 21%

Penalty Kill Percentage: Reading 82% Adirondack 80%

The Thunder, however, are not the only team the Royals have their eyes on this season. The official start to the season the Royals will spend in St. John’s, Newfoundland, to face the Growlers, the playoff eliminating team for the Royals two years in a row. The Royals are hoping to make a change this season against the Growlers, with much of the team they faced last year playing now elsewhere across the league and some even moving to play overseas. The Growlers’ coaching staff has even made a change this year, with most of them moving up in the organization to take their skills where they’re needed most. With this in mind, it’s very possible that the Royals may be in for a whole new experience with the Growlers this season that they will have to maneuver at the start of the season.

When the Royals return to Reading for their Home Opener on Saturday, October 28th, they’ll be facing the Trois-Rivières Lions. Last season, the Royals dominated the Lions during the regular season and strive to continue the trend going into their first game at home. The take away from last season from these two teams were as follows:

Goals: Reading 262 Trois-Rivières 216

Shorthanded Goals: Reading 10 Trois-Rivières 7

Power Play Percentage: Reading 19% Trois-Rivières 20%

Penalty Kill Percentage: Reading 82% Trois-Rivières 77%

The Royals will play these three divisional opponents often throughout the season but also play against quite a few teams from across the league as well. This season, the Royals will play the Toledo Walleye in Toledo, the Kalamazoo Wings at home, the Idaho Steelheads in Idaho, and the Orlando Solar Bears at home to finish out the regular season. The Royals will also play a few games home and away against long-time rival, the Wheeling Nailers, as well as the Norfolk Admirals, Worcester Railers, and Maine Mariners this season.

The greatest takeaway this Royals team has going into the season is a strong carry-over of returning players who made their mark in Reading last season. Last season was an interesting time for the Royals as it was Coach James Henry’s first time as head coach, and it was quite the adjustment to see the change from Kirk MacDonald’s style of play to Henry’s, but in his first season alone, Henry proved he could get the job done and brought the Royals to the second round of playoffs. Henry crafted a strong collection of talent last season, and seeing as he’s bringing much of that talent back to Reading with a few new faces as well as fans hoping to see another long run in the playoffs.

Some theme night games to look forward to this season are:

Opening Night – Oct. 28th

Halloween – Oct. 29th

Pucks & Paws – Nov. 18th

Teddy Bear Toss – Dec. 9th

New Year’s Eve – Dec. 31st

Flyers Night – Jan. 13th

Pride Night – Jan. 24th

Pink in the Rink – Feb. 3rd

Autism Acceptance – Feb. 4th

Superhero Night – Mar. 2nd

Motor Sports – Mar. 22nd

Fandemonium – Apr. 13th