Royals Sign Forward Kevin Sundher

Reading, PA – The Reading Royals of the ECHL, affiliate of the Philadelphia Flyers of the NHL, today announced that the team has signed forward Kevin Sundher to an ECHL Standard Players Contract. In a separate transaction, the Royals also signed goaltender Tate Maris to an ECHL Tryout Agreement.

The Royals have announced thirteen players as signed to ECHL Standard Players Contracts for the 2015-16 season. In addition to Sundher, Reading has announced the signing of forwards Adam Berkle, Justin Crandall, Robbie Czarnik, Jonathan Parker, Mike Pereira, Joe Rehkamp, Cam Reid, and Ian Watters; and defensemen Jordan Heywood, Derik Johnson, Curtis Leonard and Sam Windle. Reading has signed six players to Tryout Agreements. In addition to Maris, Reading has invited the following players to training camp: forwards Peter Angelopoulos, Tyler Gjurich, and Stephen Tellier; defenseman Clinton Atkinson; and goaltender Louie George.

Last season, Sundher (6’0/186) (23), who hails from Surrey, British Columbia, split his season between the Rochester Americans of the American Hockey League and the Elmira Jackals of the ECHL. In thirty-one games with the Americans, Sundher, who was a third round pick of the Buffalo Sabres in 2010, registered five points (1g-4a) and twelve penalty minutes. On several occasions last season, Sundher was assigned by the Sabres from the Americans to the Jackals. He ended up playing nine games with Elmira and registered four points (1g-3a), which included scoring his first goal in the ECHL—a power play goal against the Royals in a 5-1 win for Reading on March 2. Sundher, who will be entering his fourth year of pro, has logged a total of 129 games (11g-27a=38pts) in the AHL, all with Rochester. Prior to turning pro, Sundher racked up 252 points (94g-158a) in 273 total games over four-plus seasons in the Western Hockey League. In his final year of major junior, Sundher stormed out of the gates to rack up sixty-four points (22g-42a) in forty games for the Victoria Royals, earning a three-year the entry level contract with the Sabres, which he signed in December of 2011.

Maris (5’9/184) (26), who hails from Denver, Colorado, appeared in one game for the Colorado Eagles of the ECHL last year. In that game, Maris, who played collegiately at the University of North Dakota, made fourteen saves on seventeen shots in a 5-3 win for the Eagles over the Bakersfield Condors on January 9, 2015.

The Fifteenth Anniversary Season of Royals’ hockey kicks off with back-to-back games against the South Carolina Stingrays at North Charleston Coliseum on Saturday (October 17) and Sunday (October 18). Reading opens the home portion of the team’s schedule on Saturday, October 24, (7:00 pm) when the Elmira Jackals visit Santander Arena. The home opener will be preceded by a Block Party complete with a FREE concert by the Gin Blossoms. Season Tickets for the 2015-16 Reading Royals ECHL season are currently available. Call 610-898-7825 for more information or log onto www.royalshockey.com.