Royals Sign Canonsburg, PA Native John MacDonald to SPC

Reading, PA - The Reading Royals, proud ECHL affiliate of the Philadelphia Flyers and Lehigh Valley Phantoms, announced that they have signed defenseman John MacDonald to a Standard Player Contract (SPC).

MacDonald, 24, joins Reading in his fourth professional season after beginning the 2024-25 campaign with the Roanoke Rail Yard Dawgs in the Southern Professional Hockey League (SPHL). The Canonsburg, Pennsylvania native recorded four points (2g-2a) and a -2 rating in four games with Roanoke after attending Reading's Training Camp as a tryout invite prior to the start of the 2024-25 season. MacDonald skated in Reading's preseason opener against the Adirondack Thunder on October 11, 2024 where he registered one shot on goal and a +1 rating.

The 6'2", 185-pound, left-shot blue liner has played his previous three professional seasons between the SPHL and Federal Prospects Hockey League (FPHL). Across both leagues, MacDonald has amassed 100 points (23g-77a), 159 penalty minutes and a +11 rating in 141 professional career games. In 43 SPHL career games, MacDonald totaled 26 points (8g-18a), 63 penalty minutes and a +9 rating.

MacDonald played in the FPHL for the Danbury Hat Tricks in parts of the previous three seasons. He finished third on the team in assists and led the club's defenseman in points and goals during the team's 2021-22 and 2022-23 seasons. During Danbury's postseason run to win the 2023 Commissioner's Cup championship, MacDonald led all Hat Tricks' defenseman in points (6). 

Prior to beginning his professional career in 2021 with Danbury, MacDonald played junior hockey in the Eastern Hockey League (EHL) for Team Maryland in the 2019-20 season where he recorded 31 points (4g-24a) and 10 penalty minutes in 39 EHL career games.
 

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Royals Upcoming:

The Royals open a four-game road trip in Trois-Rivères on Wednesday, October 30th at 7:00 PM at the Colisée Vidéotron. The road trip continues in Trois-Rivières on Friday at 7:00 PM before moving to Maine for back-to-back face-offs against the Mariners on Saturday at 6:00 PM and Sunday at 3:00 PM at Cross Insurance Arena.

The Royals return home on Wednesday, November 6th to host the Norfolk Admirals at 7:00 PM at Santander Arena for a Wild Wednesday promotional game. Enjoy $6.10 Orange Zone tickets and $2 beer at select locations around the concourse (must be 21+). College students can also score on a Buy One, Get One ticket deal with a valid .edu email at the box office of Santander Arena on Wild Wednesday game days.

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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 in 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.