Royals Agree to Terms with Forward Matt Wilkins

Reading, PA – The Reading Royals of the ECHL, affiliate of the Philadelphia Flyers of the National Hockey League, today announced that the team has agreed to terms with forward Matt Wilkins. Wilkins is the second player along with forward Ryan Penny announced as signed by the Royals to an ECHL Standard Players Contract for the 2017-18 season.

Wilkins (5’11/193) (26), who hails from Kimberley, British Columbia, will be entering his second full season of professional play. Last year, he racked up twenty-four points (10g-14a) and fifty penalty minutes in fifty-one games with the Royals. Wilkins, who was the second leading scoring rookie behind Steven Swavely with Reading last year, led all first year pros in the league with five short-handed points—and four SH assists. Wilkins, whose first pro goal proved to be the game winner in the Royals’ second game of the year (a 4-3 win in Wheeling on October 20, 2016), bagged a pair of GWGs for the Royals last season. Wilkins also played in four of the team’s post-season games in the first round North Division Semi-Finals against the Brampton Beast without registering any points or penalty minutes.

Prior to turning pro, Wilkins played four seasons at Union College, where he recorded eighty-five points (29g-56a) and 208 penalty minutes in 146 career collegiate games with the Dutchmen. In his senior season, Wilkins served as the team’s captain and registered twenty-one points (7g-14a) and fifty-six penalty minutes, which placed him fourth on the team in scoring. Wilkins, who was selected as Union’s Rookie of the Year in his freshman season and the team’s Most Improved Player in his junior year, was an integral member of Union’s 2014 NCAA Division I National Championship team.

Full Season Tickets and Mini-Plans for the Royals’ 2017-18 ECHL season are currently available. Call 610-898-7825 for more information or log onto www.royalshockey.com.