Royals Receive Four Players from Lehigh Valley, Denis & McMenamin Return from Syracuse Training Camp

Reading, PA - The Reading Royals, proud ECHL affiliate of the Philadelphia Flyers and Lehigh Valley Phantoms, announced that the following players have been loaned to Reading by Lehigh Valley and added to the Training Camp roster:

- Nick Capone, F
- Gianfranco Cassaro, D
- Matt Miller, F
- Sam Sedley, D

Additionally, the following two players have been released from their PTO's with the Syracuse Crunch and added to the Training Camp roster:

- Lou-Felix Denis, F
- Connor McMenamin, F

Royals' 25-Player Training Camp Roster:

Goaltenders (3)
29 Vinnie Purpura
31 Parker Gahagen
80 Keith Petruzzelli

Defensemen (8)
2 C.J. Valerian
3 Tony Malinowski
4 John MacDonald
6 Logan Britt
9 Sam Sedley
15 Emile Chouinard
23 Gianfranco Cassaro
57 Kenny Johnson

Forwards (14)
5 Lou-Felix Denis
7 Nolan Welsh
11 Shawn Kennedy
13 Cameron Cook
14 Nick Capone
16 Shane Sellar
17 Todd Skirving
19 Brock Caufield
20 Matt Miller
21 Noah Prokop
28 Travis Broughman
39 Connor McMenamin
59 Tyler Gratton
71 Dominiks Marcinkevics

 

Capone, 22, is entering his first professional season after four seasons at the University of Connecticut in the NCAA. The 6'2", 216-pound, right-shot forward registered 42 points (18g-24a), 116 penalty minutes and a -3 rating across 118 NCAA career games.

Cassaro, 25, enters his first professional season after five seasons in the NCAA between the University of Massachusetts (2019-21) and the Rochester Institute of Technology (2021-24). The 5'11", 187-pound, left-shot defenseman totaled 81 points (36g-45a), 111 penalty minutes and a +25 rating in 157 NCAA career games.

Miller, 25, played six games for the Phantoms at the end of the 2023-24 season where he recorded a goal and -2 rating. The goal came in the Leo, Indiana native's professional debut against the Providence Bruins on April 5th, 2024. The 6'3", 201-pound, right-shot forward also appeared in two Calder Cup Playoff games for the Phantoms in their second-round playoff series against the eventual Calder Cup Champion Hershey Bears. Miller registered 71 points (38g, 33a), 67 penalty minutes and a -5 rating across 127 NCAA career games with the University of Nebraska-Omaha.

Sedley, 21, enters his first professional season following five seasons at the Owen Sound Attack in the OHL. The 5'10", 154-pound, right-shot defenseman totaled 168 points (21g-147a), 116 penalty minutes and a -20 rating in 236 NCAA career games.

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Reading's Training Camp roster totals 25 players, including 14 forwards, eight defensemen and three goaltenders. The roster includes five returning Royals from the 2023-24 roster: Parker Gahagen, Tony Malinowski, Kenny Johnson, Shane Sellar and Tyler Gratton

With these addition, there are now eight players attending Reading's Training Camp are on AHL contracts with the Lehigh Valley Phantoms: Parker Gahagen, Keith Petruzzelli, Sam Sedley, Gianfranco Cassaro, Matt Miller, Nick Capone, Emile Chouinard and Tyler Gratton

The Royals' Training Camp roster also includes four players on tryout contracts: C.J. Valerian, John MacDonald, Shawn Kennedy and Cameron Cook

There are four 2024-25 contracted Royals who have not yet reported to Royals' Training Camp (currently attending an AHL Training Camp or other): Powell Connor, Yvan Mongo

The Lehigh Valley Phantoms Training Camp roster currently stands at 30 players (Phantoms' Training Camp roster). The deadline for all American Hockey League teams to submit season-opening rosters is Thursday, Oct. 10th at 5:00 p.m.

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Preseason Schedule: 

Jason Binkley’s contingent will play its first preseason game against the Adirondack Thunder on Friday, October 11th at 7:00 p.m. at Cool Insuring Arena. The Royals will host Adirondack for their second of two preseason games on Saturday, October 12th at 7:00 pm at Santander Arena. Admission to the Royals preseason home game on October 12th at Santander Arena is a suggested $5 donation to Slapshot Charities, the official charitable arm of the Reading Royals.

To secure your seats to the home preseason game on October 12th, visit: Preseason Seats

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Regular Season Start:

The 23rd season of Royals hockey starts on the road against the Trois-Rivières Lions on Friday, October 18 at 7:00 p.m. The game marks the 16th time in 23 seasons the Royals have opened their campaign with an away game. The Royals are 8-11-3-0 all-time in season openers with a 5-9-2 record in season openers on the road. 

The season opener begins a three-game weekend road-trip continuing in Worcester against the Railers on Saturday, October 19 at 7:05 p.m. and Sunday, October 20 at 3:05 p.m.

Opening Night on Oct. 26th, presented by Supportive Concepts for Families:

The Royals player their home opener at Santander Arena on Saturday, October 26 at 7:00 p.m. against the Wheeling Nailers. The home opener opens a two-game series with the Nailers which concludes on Sunday, October 27 at 3:00 p.m. The Royals hoist a record of 9-9-1-3 in home openers with their last home opener victory coming against the Norfolk Admirals, 6-4, on October 23 of the 2021-22 season.

In addition to the game, Opening Night will feature a block party immediately outside of Santander Arena on Penn Street. Fans can enjoy family activities and games, music, inflatables, Slapshot and Ice Angel photo opportunities, red carpet introductions of the 2024-25 Royals, and MORE right up to the first puck drop of the season at home!

For tickets to Opening Night, and all 36-home games this season, visit: Single Game Tickets

Follow the Royals on X, Instagram, Facebook and subscribe to the 𝘙𝘰𝘺𝘢𝘭𝘴 𝘒𝘪𝘯𝘨𝘥𝘰𝘮 email list to know when promotions and deals at all 36 homes games this season goes live!

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2024-25 Season Memberships

Royals365 Season Memberships, six-game plans, ten-game plans, and group tickets are available for the 2024-25 season now by visiting the Royals’ box office at Santander Arena or by calling 610-898-7825.

About the Royals

The Reading Royals, proud affiliate of the Philadelphia Flyers and Lehigh Valley Phantoms, are heading into their 23rd season in the ECHL. They won their first Kelly Cup championship in 2013 and have clinched playoff berths in 12 of the previous 14 seasons. They are five-time division champions and were the 2021-22 Eastern Conference champion. The Berks County Convention Center Authority (BCCCA), founded in 1996, owns the Royals and oversees operations at Santander Arena.