Former Montreal draft pick Hayden Hawkey signs SPC

The Reading Royals, proud affiliate of the Philadelphia Flyers, announced Saturday that goaltender Hayden Hawkey has signed an ECHL standard player contract. This comes after Philadelphia reassigned Kirill Ustimenko from Reading to the Lehigh Valley Phantoms.

Hawkey was a 2014 sixth-round draft pick of the Montreal Canadiens. In the summer of 2018, Hawkey was traded to the Edmonton Oilers for a fifth-round pick. Following a stint with the Washington Capitals’ training camp in Sept. 2019, he signed a tryout contract with the Stockton Heat. Hawkey was then released and played for the ECHL’s Kansas City Mavericks. He only appeared in three games for Kansas City before being released.

He has played in 23 career ECHL games across 2019-20 and 2020-21 for four teams, all in the Western Conference (Kansas City, Wheeling, Allen and Tulsa). He has a career save percentage of .881 and a goals-against average of 3.55. 

The 26-year-old is from Parker, Colo. After recording the highest save percentage (.926) and goals-against average (1.99) in his rookie USHL campaign in 2013-14 with Omaha, he was named the leagues’ Goaltender of the Year. He was also honored with First All-Star Team and All-Rookie Team nominations.

He attended Providence College after two seasons with Omaha. Across 125 collegiate games, Hawkey held a .918 save percentage and 2.02 goals-against average. He was named to the Hockey East Second All-Star Team and the New England D1 All-Stars squad in his junior year and was a Hockey East All-Star Team Honorable Mention in his senior year.

Reading Royals season, flex memberships and group tickets are available for the 2021-22 season by visiting the Royals’ box office at Santander Arena or by calling 610-898-7825.

About the RoyalsThe Reading Royals, proud affiliate of the Philadelphia Flyers and Lehigh Valley Phantoms, are entering their 20th season in the ECHL. They won their first Kelly Cup championship in 2013 and have clinched playoff berths in 10 of the previous 11 seasons. They are four-time division champions. The Berks County Convention Center Authority (BCCCA), founded in 1996, owns the Royals and oversees operations at Santander Arena.