Reading, PA - The Reading Royals, proud ECHL affiliate of the Philadelphia Flyers and Lehigh Valley Phantoms, announced that forward Sawyer Boulton has been loaned to Reading by Lehigh Valley. Additionally, defenseman Ben Meehan has been recalled by Lehigh Valley from his loan to Reading.

Boulton, 21, has registered a fighting major for five penalty minutes in one game with Lehigh Valley to open the 2025-26 season, his second pro season. As a rookie, the Huntington, New York native totaled two points (2g) and 102 penalty minutes between Lehigh Valley where he was 1-0-1 with 51 penalty minutes in 18 games, and Reading where he was 1-0-1 with 51 penalty minutes in 13 games.

Boulton scored his first professional career goal with Reading on November 23rd, 2024 against Maine. He recorded his first professional career fighting major with Lehigh Valley on November 15th against Springfield.

The 6’0”, 209-pound, right-shot forward attended the Philadelphia Flyers 2024 & 2025 Development Camp, Training Camp and Rookie Series at PPL Center in each of the last two Septembers. In Game 2 of the 2024 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 one of Lehigh Valley's three preseason games each of the last two seasons. He did so this year at Hershey on October 1st on a line with Reading forwards Nolan Burke and Jeremy Michel.

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.

Meehan, 24, has recorded one point (1g) and a +1 rating in four games with Reading, including his first professional career goal scored as the overtime game-winner in Reading's 8-7 overtime win at Greensboro on Oct. 25th. A fifth round, 140th overall, selection by the Los Angeles Kings in the 2020 NHL Entry Draft, the Walpole, Massachusetts native played two games for Lehigh Valley to open the 2025-26 campaign, his first-full professional season, where he had no points and a -1 rating. 

Meehan signed an AHL deal with the Phantoms on July 23, 2025 following a two-game stint with the Iowa Wild of the AHL in the spring of the 2024-25 season after concluding a five-season NCAA career at UMASS-Lowell.

Royals Upcoming:

The 24th season of Royals hockey continues on the road against the Worcester Railers on October 31st and November 1st followed by an afternoon face-off against the Maine Mariners on November 2nd

​​The Royals are at home on November 8th for Opening Night, presented by Supportive Concepts For Families, at Santander Arena 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.

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

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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 latest 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.