Reading native Swavely named an alternate for 2019 CCM/ECHL All-Star Classic

Princeton, NJ – Forward Steven Swavely has been named an alternate for the 2019 CCM/ECHL All-Star Classic, which will be held Mon., Jan. 21 at 7:00 p.m. at the Huntington Center in Toledo, OH. Currently recalled by Lehigh Valley (AHL), Swavely ranks second on the Royals with 12 goals and 28 points. With the Phantoms, he has generated four assists in nine games. This is the Reading, PA native’s first professional all-star selection.

For the second consecutive year, the CCM/ECHL All-Star Classic will feature a 3-on-3 tournament with four teams competing for the top spot. New in 2019, the host team will make up two of the four teams and face-off against the other two teams made up of All-Star players from the Eastern and Western Conference. These four teams will compete in a 3-on-3 tournament with rally scoring in order to crown a winner. The 2019 CCM/ECHL All-Star Skills Competition will take place in between rounds of the tournament, highlighting the talents of the ECHL Players, and showcasing the future of hockey as they develop in the League.

There have been 67 players from the ECHL All-Star Game have gone on to play in the National Hockey League, including 51 since 2002 when the lineups began having players who coaches felt were prospects to move up to a higher level.

The rosters for the Eastern Conference and Western Conference All-Stars were determined in a vote of coaches, team captains, media relations directors, broadcasters and members of the media.

Eastern Conference All-StarsG – Mitch Gillam, Worcester RailersD – Dajon Mingo, Jacksonville IcemenD – Sean Day, Maine MarinersD – David Kolomatis, Manchester MonarchsF – Mike Szmatula, Adirondack ThunderF – David Pacan, Brampton BeastF – Joe Cox, Florida EverbladesF – Johno May, Greenville Swamp RabbitsF – Giorgio Estephan, Newfoundland GrowlersF – Jonathan Charbonneau, South Carolina Stingrays

AlternatesF – Brett McKenzie, Atlanta GladiatorsD – Jalen Smereck, Norfolk AdmiralsF – Brent Pedersen, Orlando Solar BearsF – Steven Swavely, Reading Royals

Western Conference All-StarsG – Tomas Sholl, Idaho SteelheadsD – Alex Breton, Allen AmericansD – Neil Manning, Indy FuelD – Kevin Spinozzi, Wheeling NailersF – Vasili Glotov, Cincinnati CyclonesF – Justin Hodgman, Fort Wayne KometsF – Justin Taylor, Kalamazoo WingsF – Jared VanWormer, Kansas City MavericksF – Andrew Radjenovic, Rapid City RushF – Steven Iacobellis, Wichita Thunder

Alternates

G – Evan Fitzpatrick, Tulsa OilersF – Caleb Herbert, Utah Grizzlies

The 12th class of the ECHL Hall of Fame will be officially inducted at a luncheon, presented by BFL CANADA and Sutton Special Risk, on Sunday, January 20 at 1 p.m. at the SeaGate Center, in conjunction with the Toledo Hockey Hall of Fame, presented by Cooper Tire.

Anchored by the CCM/ECHL All-Star Classic, there will be multiple activities that showcase the Toledo community including the All-Star Fanfest in Hensville Park and All-Star Winter Brewfest at Fifth Third Field. The Hall of Fame luncheon will be followed by a regular-season matchup between the Walleye and the Fort Wayne Komets at the Huntington Center. 

CCM/ECHL All-Star packages and individual tickets can be purchased by calling (419) 725-9255 or by visiting www.toledowalleye.com/allstar. 

About the ECHLBegan in 1988-89 with five teams in four states, the ECHL has grown into a coast-to-coast league with 27 teams in 20 states and two Canadian provinces for its 31st season in 2018-19. There have been 651 players who have gone on to play in the National Hockey League after playing in the ECHL, including 10 who have made their NHL debuts in the 2018-19 season. The ECHL has affiliations with 25 of the 31 NHL teams in 2018-19, marking the 22nd consecutive season that the league has affiliations with at least 20 teams in the NHL. Further information on the ECHL is available on its website at ECHL.com.

About the RoyalsThe Royals have been owned by serial entrepreneur Jack Gulati since 2014 and are entering their 18th ECHL season. Proudly affiliated with the NHL’s Philadelphia Flyers and AHL’s Lehigh Valley Phantoms, Reading plays in the Santander Arena, located in downtown Reading, PA at 700 Penn Street. The Royals won the Kelly Cup in 2013, have made the playoffs in nine straight seasons and are four-time division champions.Listen to all Royals broadcasts at Mixlr.com/ReadingRoyals or by downloading the Mixlr App from the App Store or Google Play.