Royals Re-Sign Solag Bakich, Add 6'6" Forward Spencer Kennedy For 2023-24 Season

Reading, PA - The Reading Royals, proud ECHL affiliate of the Philadelphia Flyers and Lehigh Valley Phantoms, announced on Monday that forward Solag Bakich has re-signed and forward Spencer Kennedy has signed with the club for the 2023-24 season.“I am excited to get back to work in Reading with coach Henry, coach Binkley and the rest of the boys to build on the success we achieved last year," Bakich said. 

“I’m really looking forward our home opener on October 28,” Kennedy said. “I can’t wait to get our season going and win some hockey games.”Bakich joins Alec Butcher, Tyler Heidt, Brendan Hoffmann, Yvan Mongo, Devon Paliani and Shane Sellar as seven re-signed players for the upcoming season. Kennedy joins fellow forward Austin Master as the two newly signed players for the 2023-24 season roster. Master signed his first professional contract with Reading on Tuesday, June 27.Solag Bakich, 25, returns to Reading for his first full professional season after signing his first professional contract with the Royals on March 18 of the 2022-23 season. The 25-year-old Dallas, Texas native posted 10 points (3g, 7a) and 13 penalty minutes in 12 regular season games. He appeared in eight Kelly Cup Playoff games for the Royals where he added four points (1g, 3a) and six penalty minutes. Prior to Reading, the 6'0", 194-pound left-shot forward played four seasons at Notre Dame University (2019-23) in the NCAA. Bakich totaled 33 points (13g, 20a) in 108 career games with the Fighting Irish. Before Notre Dame, Bakich played three seasons in the United States Hockey League (USHL) between the Des Moines Buccaneers, Sioux City Musketeers, and Waterloo Black Hawks.

Spencer Kennedy, 22, joins the Royals for his second professional season after playing his first professional season in the Southern Professional Hockey League for the Roanoke Rail Yard Dawgs. The Lethbridge, Alberta native posted three points (3g) and 131 penalty minutes in 19 regular season games for Roanoke. Kennedy led the Rail Yard Dawgs and finished seventh in the SPHL in total penalty minutes (second among rookies).The 6'6", 220-pound right-shot forward joined the Rail Yard Dawgs after playing two seasons in the Alberta Colleges Athletic Conference for the Portage College Voyageurs. With the Voyageurs, Kennedy totaled 10 points (4g, 6a) and 170 penalty minutes in 28 career games.Before attending Portage College, Kennedy played junior hockey in the Kootenay International Junior Hockey League for the Kimberley Dynamiters, the Saskatchewan Hockey League for the La Ronge Ice Wolves, and the Northern Ontario Hockey League for the Blind River Beavers. Across his junior hockey career, Kennedy totaled 87 points (35g, 52a) and 52 penalty minutes in 89 games.

Coach Quotes: "We’re excited to have Solag back for the 23/24 season. He gained some very valuable experience in the time he was with our group after his college career. We look forward to him playing a bigger role for the Royals" - Head Coach James Henry."Spencer made a strong impression last season at the SPHL level. We’re excited to add him to our team and help him develop into a better professional hockey player" - Head Coach James Henry.2023-24 roster: Forwards (8): Solag Bakich, Alec Butcher, Brendan Hoffmann, Spencer Kennedy, Austin Master, Yvan Mongo, Devon Paliani, Shane SellarDefensemen (1): Tyler Heidt

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2023-24 Season Memberships

Reading Royals Season Memberships, six-game plans, ten-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.

About the Royals

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.