D Eric Knodel named to All-ECHL Second Team

Third consecutive season with all-league honor

Reading, PA – The ECHL named Reading Royals defenseman Eric Knodel to the All-ECHL Second Team Friday, the third consecutive campaign he’s received an all-league recognition. The sixth-year professional finished fourth among league defensemen with 32 assists and was sixth with 39 points (44 GP). He topped the Royals with a plus-26 rating and led ECHL blueliners with 21 power-play points.It’s the third straight year a Royals player has made an All-ECHL team, a first in team history. Forward Chris McCarthy was named to the All-ECHL Second Team in 2018-19. Defenseman Nolan Zajac and forward Matt Willows were recognized on the second team in 2017-18.Knodel was named to the All-ECHL First Team and awarded the ECHL’s Defenseman of the Year award in 2018-19 with Cincinnati, leading league blueliners with 17 goals and 53 points. The season before, the left-handed shot made the All-ECHL Second Team with 13 goals and 52 points.The 29-year-old signed an AHL contract with the Lehigh Valley Phantoms in July 2019. He posted four assists in ten games with Lehigh Valley, including a two-helper game vs. Syracuse Jan. 15.Toronto drafted the West Chester, PA native in the fifth round (128 ov.) of the 2009 NHL Entry Level Draft.2019-20 All-ECHL First TeamG – Tomas Sholl, Idaho Steelheads (41 gp, 28-8-5, 2.14 GAA, .924 save pct.)D – Alex Breton, Allen Americans (61 gp, 11g, 44a, 55 pts.)D – Logan Roe, Florida Everblades (45 gp, 12g, 26a, 48 pts.)F – Josh Kestner, Toledo Walleye (58 gp, 33g, 40a, 73 pts.)F – Tyler Sheehy, Allen Americans (47 gp, 26g, 44a, 70 pts.)F – David Vallorani, Brampton Beast (62 gp, 31g, 40a, 71 pts.)2019-20 All-ECHL Second TeamG – Parker Milner, South Carolina Stingrays (30 gp, 20-6-3, 2.20 GAA, .923 save pct.)D – Eric Knodel, Reading Royals (44 gp, 7g, 32a, 39 pts.)D – Miles Liberati, Tulsa Oilers (56 gp, 11g, 35a, 46 pts.)F – Brady Ferguson, Newfoundland Growlers (57 gp, 24g, 39a, 63 pts.)F – Tim McGauley, Utah Grizzlies (49 gp, 20g, 42a, 62 pts.)F – Jesse Schultz, Cincinnati Cyclones (62 gp, 25g, 39a, 64 pts.)