Swavely, Drake, Michel, Yates, Gooch head to Royals from Lehigh Valley

Reading, PA – The Reading Royals and Lehigh Valley Phantoms announced the following roster transactions Friday.- Forward Steven Swavely, defenseman David Drake and defenseman Rob Michel have been returned on loan to Reading from Lehigh Valley.- Forwards Trevor Yates and Trevor Gooch have rejoined the Royals after being released from professional try-out contracts with the Phantoms.The Reading native Swavely is entering his fourth full professional season and all have been spent in the Flyers organization. He was named an alternate for the 2018 CCM ECHL All-Star Classic and scored 14 goals and 30 points in 27 games for the Royals last season.Drake, a 2013 seventh round pick of the Flyers, starts his second full professional season after posting eight points (1g) in 64 games with Reading last campaign.Michel, a rookie, is a native of Camillus, NY and was the captain of the University of Maine in 2018-19. Over four NCAA seasons, he generated 53 points (17g) and 137 penalty minutes (137 GP). Michel agreed to an AHL deal with the Phantoms this month.Yates signed an ECHL deal with the Royals in August. He scored six goals and 15 points in 15 games for Wheeling last season, one of four teams he suited up for as a rookie. The 24-year-old was born in Kassel, Germany and grew up in Beaconsfield, QC.  Gooch, a Mantua, NJ native, starts his first full professional campaign in 2019-20. At Colorado College, he enjoyed his best offensive NCAA season as a senior (11g, 23 pts., 41 GP).The 2019-20 Reading Royals season is presented by Tower Health UPMC Health Plan.The first Royals’ home game on Oct. 19 vs. Maine features a massive block party, games, food, drinks and a special “Downtown Alive” concert on Penn Street before the home opener. Reading’s new five-game mini-plan includes a meal for every game, a Reading Royals Hat, an exclusive fan experience, an autographed team picture and a guaranteed giveaway for each of the 5 games. Purchase your seat or seats today by calling 610-898-7825 or by visiting https://bit.ly/2LSHBp8.Single-game tickets and mini-plans are on sale by visiting royalshockey.com/promotions, calling 610-898-7825 and visiting Santander Arena and The Weidenhammer Box Office at 700 Penn Street, Reading, PA.The Royals open the preseason Oct. 4 vs. Adirondack at 7:00 p.m. at Santander Arena, with free admission for all fans that donate a canned food item.About the RoyalsThe Royals are entering their 19th ECHL season and are proudly affiliated with the NHL’s Philadelphia Flyers and AHL’s Lehigh Valley Phantoms. The Royals won the Kelly Cup in 2013, have made the playoffs 14 times, and are four-time division champions. The Berks County Convention Center Authority (BCCCA), founded in 1996, owns the Royals and oversees operations at Santander Arena and the Santander Arena Performing Arts Center.Listen to all Royals broadcasts at Mixlr.com/ReadingRoyals or by downloading the Mixlr App from the App Store or Google Play. All Royals away games are broadcasted on BCTV (Ch. 15 Comcast, Ch. 19 Service Electric) and Mixlr.