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 Scott Tanski. He becomes the eleventh player announced as signed by the Royals to a standard player’s contract for the 2017-18 season.
In addition to Tanski, Reading has also announced the signings of Chase Golighty (d), Michael Huntebrinker (f), Nick Luukko (d), Mark Naclerio (f), Ryan Penny (f), Emil Romig (f), Matt Salhany (f), Adam Schmidt (f), Derek Whitmore (f), and Matt Wilkins (f).
Tanski (6’2/197) (27), who was born in Athabasca, Alberta, will be entering his seventh season of professional play. Last season, he registered nineteen points (11g-8a) and sixteen penalty minutes in forty-seven regular season games with the South Carolina Stingrays of the ECHL. Tanski also added a goal and four penalty minutes in nine post-season games for the Stingrays, who advanced all the way to the Kelly Cup finals before getting knocked off by the Colorado Eagles.
This marks Tanski’s second stint in Reading. He was originally picked up by the Royals on December 1, 2015, in a future considerations transaction with the Orlando Solar Bears. Tanski quickly proved to be an important component of the 2015-16 Royals’ team—both on and off the ice. On it, he racked up nineteen points (10g-9a) and twenty-four penalty minutes in fifty-one regular season games for the Royals. He added a goal in eight post season games for the team, which advanced to the Eastern Conference Semi-finals before getting knocked off in a Game Seven overtime loss to the Wheeling Nailers. Tanski plied his ‘take-no-prisoners’ style off the ice, as well, quickly becoming one of the Royals all-time fan favorites for his untiring efforts in the community. He received the Royals’ Community Service Award at the conclusion of his year—on an almost unanimous vote.
Tanski’s devotion to working off the ice in Reading was basically continuation of his experience in Orlando, where in many ways he was the face of the team within the community from the time the Solar Bears joined the ECHL. In his time with Orlando, he played a team-record 152 games, recording fifty-nine points (27g-32a) and 106 penalty minutes for the organization. In his first season with the team, he received the “Clutch Performer” Award; and, in 2013-14, Tanski received the Michael T. Gibson “Crash of the Year” Award.
Tanski began his pro career in the AHL, playing sixty-eight games with the Connecticut Whale (5g-6a=11pts, 27 PIMs) in 2011-12. Prior to turning pro, Tanski played 219 games with the Brampton Battalion of the Ontario Hockey League (53g-80a=133pts, 130 PIMs). In 2008-09, Tanski and his Battalion teammates made it all the way to the OHL finals before being knocked off by a talent-laden Windsor Spitfire team that would also go on to win the Memorial Cup. In his final year of major junior, Tanski led the Battalion with forty-seven points (18g-29a) in sixty-seven games.
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.