Forwards Mason Primeau, Sawyer Boulton Loaned to Reading by Lehigh Valley, Defenseman John MacDonald Signed to SPC

Reading, PA - The Reading Royals, proud ECHL affiliate of the Philadelphia Flyers and Lehigh Valley Phantoms, announced that forwards Mason Primeau and Sawyer Boulton have been loaned to Reading by Lehigh Valley.

Additionally, defenseman John MacDonald has been signed to a Standard Player Contract to return to Reading.

Primeau, 23, joins the Royals to begin his fifth professional season under a one-year American Hockey League contract with the Lehigh Valley Phantoms. A native of Toronto, Ontario, Primeau has registered 40 points (15g-25a), 127 penalty minutes and a -25 rating across 151 professional career games.

The 6’5”, 203-pound, left-shot forward has played 133 of his 151 professional career games in the AHL with the Henderson Silver Knights across the last four seasons. Primeau has played 18 games in the ECHL between the Fort Wayne Komets and Savannah Ghost Pirates where he’s recorded 12 points (5g-7a), 27 penalty minutes and a +3 rating.

A fifth round, 141st overall, selection of Vegas Golden Knights in the 2019 NHL Entry Draft, Primeau amassed 65 points (31g-34a) in 174 OHL regular season career games between the Guelph Storm (2017-19) and the North Bay Battalion (2018-19). In the OHL postseason, Primeau recorded five points (1g-4a) in 11 games.

Additionally, Mason Primeau is the son of former NHL veteran Wayne Primeau who played 774 career NHL games with Buffalo, Pittsburgh, Tampa Bay, San Jose, Boston, Calgary. He is also the nephew of former Flyers’ captain Keith Primeau who played six seasons for Philadelphia from 1999-2006.

Boulton, 20, is on an American Hockey League contract with the Lehigh Valley Phantoms to begin his professional career. The Huntington, New York native played in four games for the Phantoms this season where he recorded his first professional career fighting major on November 15th against Springfield. Boulton made his ECHL debut with the Royals on November 6th against Norfolk where he recorded a -1 rating and two shots on goal.

The 6’0”, 209-pound, right-shot forward attended the Philadelphia Flyers 2024 Development Camp, Training Camp and Rookie Series at PPL Center on Sept. 13 and 14. In Game 2 of the Rookie Series, Boulton scored a goal to cap off a tic-tac-toe connection with former Royals Jacob Gaucher and Zayde Wisdom. Additionally, Boulton skated in the third of three preseason games for the Phantoms on a line with current Royals forward Nick Capone.

Prior to signing a two-year AHL contract with Lehigh Valley on July 3, 2024, Boulton played 40 games for the London Knights of the Ontario Hockey League (OHL) during the 2023-24 campaign. He also appeared in 16 OHL playoff games for London en route to lifting the J. Ross Robertson Cup as league champions and earning a spot in the Memorial Cup. Prior to signing with London in October, 2023, Boulton opened the season in the North American Hockey League (NAHL) with the Rochester Jr. Americans where he registered five points (3g-2a) in 10 games.

Sawyer is the son of 654-game NHLer Eric Boulton (2000-2016) and older brother of his former London Knights teammate Ryder Boulton.

MacDonald, 24, re-joins Reading in his fourth professional season after skating in four games for the Royals where he registered two penalty minutes and a -4 rating. The Canonsburg, Pennsylvania native began the 2024-25 campaign with the Roanoke Rail Yard Dawgs in the Southern Professional Hockey League (SPHL) where he recorded four points (2g-2a) and a -2 rating in four games.

The 6'2", 185-pound, left-shot blue liner attended 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.

Previously, MacDonald played 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 return home on Friday, November 22nd to open a two-game home stint with the opener against the Norfolk Admirals at 7:00 PM at Santander Arena before the home stand finale against the Maine Mariners on Saturday, November 23rd at 7:00 PM at Santander Arena.

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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.