The Reading Royals, proud ECHL affiliate of the Philadelphia Flyers and Lehigh Valley Phantoms, have announced their initial roster and public practices for Training Camp.
The team officially opened camp on the morning of Sunday, Oct. 8, at Santander Arena with the team’s first practice open to the public. All fans can enter Santander Arena for camp on Sunday, Oct. 8, and Monday, Oct. 9, at 10:30 a.m. through the Lions’s Den Team Store entrance at the corner of 8th St. and Penn St. Both practices will end at 11:30 a.m.
Training Camp Roster:
- Goaltenders (2)
1 Jake Kucharski
34 Eric Dop – invite - Defensemen (5)
4 Tyler Heidt
7 Trevor Thurston
18 Troy Murray – invite
28 Adam Brubacher
81 Mike Chen - Forwards (7)
9 Brendan Hoffmann
11 Alec Butcher
13 Houston Wilson – invite
17 Tyson Fawcett
20 Austin Master
59 Spencer Kennedy
91 Yvan Mongo
There are 14 players on the Royals Training Camp roster including 12 skaters and two goaltenders. This includes six players who were on the Royals 2022-23 roster. The five returning Royals so far include forwards Alec Butcher, Brendan Hoffmann, Houston Wilson, and Yvan Mongo as well as defensemen Mike Chen and Tyler Heidt.
Butcher registered 49 points (21g, 28a) and an 8 +/- last season including four points (1g, 3a) and a 6 +/- in 11 Kelly Cup Playoff games.
Hoffmann notched 32 points (13g, 19a) and 56 penalty minutes a in a strong rookie campaign to establish himself as an enforcer for the club. The 6’3″, 223-pound second year forward turns 22-years-old on Oct. 10.
The training camp roster also includes three tryout invites. The camp invites include forward Houston Wilson, defenseman Troy Murray and second-year pro goaltender Eric Dop.
The Lehigh Valley Phantoms Training Camp roster currently stands at 33 players so Royals fans can expect more arrivals as the week progresses.
James Henry’s contingent will play its first preseason game on Thursday night when they host the Adirondack Thunder at Santander Arena at 7 p.m. The Royals will conclude the preseason on the road on Friday, Oct. 13 against Adirondack at Cool Insuring Arena at 7 p.m.
The 22nd season of Reading Royals hockey begins on Thursday, Oct. 20 with a season opener clash against the Newfoundland Growlers at 5:30 p.m. at the Mary Brown’s Centre. The Royals host the Trois-Rivières Lions in their first home game of the season at 7 p.m. on Saturday, Oct. 28. The Royals’ Opening Night presented by Supportive Concepts For Families features a pregame block party on Penn St. from 3-6 p.m. as well as a post-game firework show.
To secure your tickets to the home opener and all 36 home games this season, visit: royals hockey.com/tickets
Reading Royals Season Memberships, six-game plans, 10-game plans, and group tickets are available for the 2023-24 season now by visiting the Royals’ box office at Santander Arena or by calling 610-898-7825.
The Reading Royals, proud affiliate of the Philadelphia Flyers and Lehigh Valley Phantoms, are preparing for their 22nd season in the ECHL. They won their first Kelly Cup championship in 2013 and have clinched playoff berths in 12 of the previous 13 seasons. They are five-time division champions and were the 2021-22 Eastern Conference champion. The Berks County Convention Center Authority (BCCCA), founded in 1996, owns the Royals and oversees operations at Santander Arena.
