Royals Sign Nick Cafarelli, F to ATO; Matt Brown, F & Sam Sedley, D Recalled by Lehigh Valley

Reading, PA - The Reading Royals, proud ECHL affiliate of the Philadelphia Flyers and Lehigh Valley Phantoms, announced that forward Nick Cafarelli has been signed to an Amateur Tryout Contract (ATO). 

Additionally, forward Matt Brown and defenseman Sam Sedley have been recalled by Lehigh Valley from their loans to Reading.

Cafarelli, 23, signs his first professional career contract with Reading out of Rochester Institute of Technology (NCAA) where he registered eight points (1g-7a), 34 penalty minutes and a -6 rating in 33 games during the 2024-25 campaign. The Middleton, Massachusetts native tied for second on the Tigers in goals (7) and finished fourth on the team in penalty minutes (34).

The 6'1", 201-pound, left-shot forward totaled 43 points (14g-29a), 114 penalty minutes and a -8 rating in 113 NCAA career games between the University of New Hampshire (2020-24) and R.I.T (2024-25).

Prior to beginning his NCAA career with the University of New Hampshire in 2020-21, Cafarelli played one season in the British Columbia Hockey League (BCHL) for the Wenatchee Wild (2019-20) where he recorded 40 points (17g-23a) in 42 BCHL career games.

Brown, 25, has recorded a team-high 16 goals, along with 29 points, eight penalty minutes and a -9 rating across 39 games for the Royals this season. Under an American Hockey League contract with Lehigh Valley, Brown skated in six games for Lehigh Valley to open the 2024-25 campaign where he registered a +1 rating to open the 2024-25 season. The second-year pro forward was loaned to Reading by Lehigh Valley on three occasions during the 2023-24 season, where he registered 41 points (13g-28a), 12 penalty minutes and a +5 rating in 38 games as a Royal. Additionally, Brown led the Royals in multi-point games (13) and finished second on the team in assists (28) and third in points (41).

A native of Wood Ridge, New Jersey, Brown represented the Royals at the 2024 All-Star Classic in January. He recorded a multi-point game (2a) in his Royals debut on November 3rd, 2023 in Toledo after being loaned to Reading by Lehigh Valley on October 31st.

With Lehigh Valley, the Boston University alum recorded two assists, two penalty minutes and a -4 rating in 13 games for the Phantoms last season. He tallied an assist in his professional debut with the Phantoms on October 14 against the Cleveland Monsters.

Sedley, 21, has registered 30 points (4g-26a), 27 penalty minutes and a -4 rating in 48 games with Reading this season. The St. Mary's, Ontario native has skated in two games for Lehigh Valley during his rooke campaign, where he's registered one shot on goal and a -1 rating. During his first of now three recalls by Lehigh Valley this season, on November 25th, 5'10", 154-pound, right-shot defenseman made his AHL debut with Lehigh Valley against the Hershey Bears on November 29th.

Sedley played his prior four seasons in the OHL with the Owen Sounds Attack where he set a team record as the highest-scoring defenseman in Owen Sound history with 168 points (21g-147a) in 236 career games. He posted career highs in goals (9) assists(54) and points (63).

Additionally, Sedley attended the last two Flyers Development Camps in the summer and the last two Flyers Rookie Camps and Training Camps.

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Royals Upcoming:

The Royals conclude their two-game road series against Maine on Saturday, March 8th at 6:00 PM at Cross Insurance Arena.

The Royals return home for a two-game series against Trois-Rivières on Friday, March 14th and Saturday, March 15th at 7:00 PM. The series opens a five-game home stand that continues with three games against Norfolk on Friday, March 21st and Saturday, March 22nd at 7:00 PM before concluding on Sunday March 23rd at 3:00 PM.

For tickets to all home games this season, visit: Single Game Tickets

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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.