Reading, PA - The Reading Royals, proud ECHL affiliate of the Philadelphia Flyers and Lehigh Valley Phantoms, announced that defensemen Ben Meehan has been recalled by Lehigh Valley from his loan to Reading. Additionally, defenseman Carter Schade has been signed to a Standard Player Contract (SPC).

Meehan, 24, has recorded a team-high 34 assists and 46 points to go along with a blue-line leading 12 goals through all of Reading's 69 games this season, one of two players to skate in every game for the Royals on the 2025-26 campaign (Brandon Saigeon). A fifth round, 140th overall, selection by the Los Angeles Kings in the 2020 NHL Entry Draft, the Walpole, Massachusetts native has played three games for Lehigh Valley on the 2025-26 campaign, his first-full professional season, where he had no points and a -1 rating. This is Meehan's third recall to Lehigh Valley from Reading after previously being recalled on October 28 and March 2. Meehan was first loaned to Reading on Oct. 15 and scored his first pro goal for his first pro point in an overtime win over Greensboro on October 25th.

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.

Schade, 23, signs his first professional contract with Reading after a four-year collegiate career at Penn State University where he logged 22 points (22a) across 126 NCAA career games. A native of Mars, Pennsylvania, the 5'11", 185-pound, left-shot blue-liner recorded four assists over 34 games for the Nittany Lions during the 2025-26 season that concluded in the first round of the 2026 NCAA Tournament. 

Prior to his NCAA career, Schade played three seasons in the United States Hockey League (USHL) for the Lincoln Stars where he totaled 50 points (8g-42a) over 112 USHL career games after being selected first overall in the 2018 USHL Phase 1 Futures Draft.

With a game as a Royal, Schade would become the eighth Pennsylvania native to appear in a game for Reading this season (Connor McMenamin, Jack Page, Austen Swankler, Ty Voit, Chris McCarthy, Dillan Fox, Owen McLaughlin).

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2026-27 Season Memberships

Royals365 Season Memberships, select game plans, and group tickets are available for the 2026-27 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.