Royals Sign Forward Riley Armstrong

Reading, PA – The Reading Royals of the ECHL, affiliate of the Philadelphia Flyers of the National Hockey League, today announced that the team has signed forward Riley Armstrong to an ECHL Standard Players Contract. In a separate transaction, the Royals also acquired defenseman Kevin Young from the Allen Americans in exchange for forward Jonathan Parker.

Riley Armstrong

The Royals asserted a successful waiver claim for Armstrong (5’11/187) (31), who hails from Saskatoon, Saskatchewan, on October 12 after he was released by the Utah Grizzlies. Armstrong, who is entering his twelfth season of pro, most recently plied his trade in Europe, last year splitting his season between Sweden and Germany. Armstrong, who first inked an NHL entry level contract with the San Jose Sharks in 2004, has played a total of 584 pro games, during which he has racked up a total of 324 points (152g-172a) and 1009 penalty minutes. 404 of his pro games have been played with six different teams in the American Hockey League (86g-81a=167pts, 561 PIMs), most notably the Worcester Sharks for whom he played 208 games over three consecutive seasons (2006-09). In his final stint with Worcester, 2008-09, he led the team with 25 goals and earned a call-up to San Jose with whom he made his NHL debut on November 29, 2008. Armstrong, who the brother of long-time NHLer Colby Armstrong, has had two principal stints in the ECHL, including the 2012-13 season when he served as the team captain for the Utah Grizzlies and racked up thirty-seven points (16g-21a) and 120 penalty minutes in 38 games.

Kevin Young

Young (6’2/196) (33), an eleventh year pro who hails from White Rock, British Columbia, played in all three of the Americans’ games so far this year without registering any points or penalty minutes. He is coming off a Kelly Cup  championship season with the Americans in 2013-14, during which he finished second on the team—and tied eighth in the league—in defenseman scoring with 44 points (8g-36a) in seventy-one games played. Young added twelve points in twenty-five playoff games for Allen. That marked Young’s second pro championship, as he was also a member of the Bossier-Shreveport Mudbug team that captured the CHL Ray Miron Cup in 2011. Young followed that with a couple of long playoff runs with the Wichita Thunder in the CHL, including the 2012-13 season when he racked up fifty-nine points (24g-35a) in sixty-six games with the Thunder, earning him the CHL’s Most Outstanding Defenseman Award. Prior to turning pro, Young, who has played 416 total pro games (97g-228a=325pts, 496 pims), played four seasons of major junior—three in the WHL and one in the OHL,--where he registered 134 points (31g-103a) and 287 PIMs in 270 total games. Young then played a couple of years of Canadian University hockey at the University of New Brunswick, where he earned the CIS Rookie of the Year Award in 2003-04.

The Royals next take the ice on Friday (October 23), when the team will travel to First Arena in Elmira, New York, to face the Elmira Jackals @ 7:05 pm. The game day broadcast will start at 6:35 on CBS Sports Radio 1240 am / 98.5 in Reading with the pre-game warmup show presented by Highmark Blue Shield. Please note that Friday’s game will not be televised on BCTV because of their annual Octoberfest fundraiser. If possible, Royals’ fans are encouraged to participate in the fundraising auction. Streaming video will be available on ECHL.TV on a pay-per-view basis. Free internet audio is available at www.royalshockey.com.

Reading opens the home portion of the team’s schedule on Saturday, October 24, (7:00 pm) when the 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.