Reading, PA – The Reading Royals, proud ECHL affiliate of the Philadelphia Flyers and Lehigh Valley Phantoms, announced, in conjunction with ECHL on Wednesday, that forward Massimo Rizzo has been selected to the 2026 Warrior/ECHL All-Star Classic presented by Visit Allen, Texas and Allen CDC. The All-Star Classic will be hosted by the Allen Americans on Monday, Jan. 19 at 6:00 p.m. CT at Credit Union of Texas Event Center.

The 2026 Warrior/ECHL All-Star Classic presented by Visit Allen, Texas and Allen CDC will consist players from the Allen Americans being combined with the ECHL All-Stars to form two teams – Stars and Stripes. A draft will take place leading up to the All-Star Classic to choose the two teams. CLICK HERE to purchase your tickets today!

The ECHL All-Stars were determined in a vote of coaches, team captains, media relations directors, broadcasters and members of the media.

View All-Star Rosters

Rizzo, 25, is currently playing in his second professional season where he has registered five goals, 13 assists and 18 points, the second most among all Royals at the time of his reassignment to Lehigh Valley by Philadelphia on December 29. A native of Burnaby, British Columbia, the 5'11", 174-pound, left-shot forward was assigned to Reading on Oct. 14 following a 46-game rookie campaign with Lehigh Valley where he registered 18 points (6g-12a), 10 penalty minutes and a +1 rating in 2024-25.

A seventh round selection, 216th overall, by Carolina in the 2019 NHL Entry Draft, Rizzo was acquired by Philadelphia from Carolina in a trade on August 9, 2023. He is one of two NHL contracted players to appear in a game for Reading this season (Artem Guryev, PHI).

Rizzo is a two-time NCAA champion at the University of Denver, where he was named to the all-NCHC (National Collegiate Hockey Conference) First Team and was a Hobey Baker nominee as a sophomore in 2022-23 when he tied for second in the conference in assists (29) and ranked third in scoring with 46 points (17g-29a). As an alternate captain for the Pioneers in 2023-24, Rizzo finished tied for third in assists (34) and fifth in points (44) in the NCHC. 

Prior to his NCAA career, Rizzo registered 123 points (43g-80a) across 132 career games in the British Columbia Hockey League (BCHL) between Penticton (2016-19), Coquitla (2019-20) and Chilliwack (2020-21). Additionally, Rizzo skated for Team Canada Black at the 2017 World Under-17 Hockey Challenge where he recored four points (1g-3a) in five games.

In total, 22 Royals have participated in the ECHL All-Star Classic over the franchise's 24-season history. If Rizzo plays, he will be the 23rd member of Reading’s franchise history to partake in the event. 

Forward Matt Brown was the last Royal to participate in the All-Star Classic as he played in the 2024 ECHL All-Star Classic at Enmarket Arena in Savannah, Georgia. Forward Matt Miller was selected to the 2024-25 ECHL Midseason Eastern Conference All-Star team for the Royals.

Reading has hosted the All-Star Classic twice: once in 2005, and again in 2009.

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Highlighting Fan Fest will be an appearance from Hockey Hall of Famer Mike Modano, who will sign autographs and pose for photographs, from 1-3 p.m. Fan Fest will also feature interactive games, live music, celebrity autographs and more. CLICK HERE to purchase tickets.

The 2026 Warrior/ECHL All-Star Classic presented by Visit Allen, Texas and Allen CDC will include the induction of the 18th class into the ECHL Hall of Fame on Monday, January 19, 2026 at the Courtyard by Marriott Dallas/Allen at the Event Center, the official host hotel of the 2026 Warrior/ECHL All-Star Classic.

About the ECHL

Formed in 1988-89 with five teams in four states, the ECHL has grown into a coast-to-coast league with 30 teams in 23 states and one Canadian province for its 38th season in 2025-26. There have been 776 players who have gone on to play in the National Hockey League after starting their careers in the ECHL, including eight who have made their NHL debuts in the 2025-26 season. The ECHL has affiliations with 30 of the 32 NHL teams in 2025-26, marking the 28th consecutive season that the league has affiliations with at least 20 teams in the NHL. Further information on the ECHL is available on its website at ECHL.com.

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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 in 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.