Reading, PA - The Reading Royals, proud ECHL affiliate of the Philadelphia Flyers and Lehigh Valley Phantoms, announced that defenseman Matt Araujo and forward Liam Devlin have been signed to ECHL contracts with the club for the 2025-26 season.

Araujo, 28, is entering his third full professional season following a 2024-25 campaign in the ECHL between the Rapid City Rush and Utah Grizzlies where he totaled four points (2g-2a), 11 penalty minutes and a -4 rating in 40 games. A native of Brookhaven, New York, Araujo opened his pro career in the Southern Professional Hockey League (SPHL) with the Fayetteville Marksmen from 2022-24 where he logged 38 points (8g-30a), 29 PIMs and a +2 rating in 65 games. He was also a SPHL all-rookie team selection in the 2023-24 season when he led all Markmen blue-liners in goals (7) and points (36), as well as the whole club in assists (29).

"I'm excited to be joining Reading for the upcoming season," stated Araujo. "I'm looking forward to seeing (all the fans) on November 8th."

"Matt is a mobile defenceman who has great poise with the puck,” stated Anthony Peters, Head Coach & General Manager. "Bringing in Matt gives us another great option on defence. We are excited for Matt to be a Royal.”

Across 105 pro career games, the 6'2", 196-pound, left-shot defenseman has registered 42 points (10g-32a) and 40 PIMs.

Prior to going pro, Araujo played at SUNY-Plattsburgh in the NCAA D-III from 2018-2023, where he served as team captain for two seasons and logged 54 points (13g-41a) in 107 games. He earned second or third team all-conference selections in all four seasons at Plattsburgh.

Devlin, 24, is entering his first full professional season after skating in one regular season game for Orlando in April of the 2024-25 campaign. A native of Needham, Massachusetts, Devlin signed a SPC with Orlando on March 24, 2025 after a four-season career with the University of New Hampshire (UNH) Wildcats, where he accumulated 83 points (43g-40a), 130 penalty minutes and a -13 rating across 132 NCAA career games.

"Super excited for my first year pro in Reading," stated Devlin. "I can't wait to get Santander Arena rocking."

"Liam skates really well and has very high compete, he plays the game hard,” stated Peters. "Fans will enjoy seeing him out there every night.”

At UNH, the 5'11", 192-pound, left-shot forward was also awarded the Frank "The Fan" Halbert Fan Favorite Award in 2023-24, recognizing his popularity amongst the Wildcats' fanbase. Prior to his NCAA career, Devlin played junior hockey with the Omaha Lancers and Chicago Steel in the United States Hockey League (USHL) where he totaled 29 points (18g-11a), 130 penalty minutes and a +6 rating in 84 USHL career games.

Royals 2025-26 roster:

Forwards (10): Cam Cook, Liam Devlin, Jacob Frasca, Jordan Frasca, Kyle Haskins, Connor McMenamin, Jeremy Michel, Yvan Mongo, Patrick Moynihan, Jordan Simoneau

Defensemen (7): Matt Araujo, Nick Carabin, Victor Hadfield, Artyom Kulakov, Jack Page, Vincent Sévigny, Robbie Stucker

Goalie (1): Vinnie Purpura

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Royals Upcoming:

Nov. 8 Home Opener: The Royals play their home opener, presented by Supportive Concepts For Families, at Santander Arena on Saturday, November 8 at 7:00 p.m. against Trois-Rivières. The home opener opens a two-game series with the Lions which concludes on Sunday, November 9 at 3:00 p.m.

Fans can secure their seat today with a Ticket Plan (10/18-Game Plan or Royals365 Membership).

VIEW ALL TICKET PLANS

Royals single-game ticket information will be announced later this summer. For more on the home opener, click HERE.

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2025-26 Season Memberships

Royals365 Season Memberships, six-game plans, ten-game plans, and group tickets are available for the 2025-26 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 entering their 24th season in the ECHL. They won their first Kelly Cup championship in 2013 and have clinched playoff berths in 13 of their last 15 seasons. They are five-time division champions and were the 2021-22 Eastern Conference regular season champion. The Berks County Convention Center Authority (BCCCA), founded in 1996, owns the Royals and oversees operations at Santander Arena.