Reading, PA - The Reading Royals, proud ECHL affiliate of the Philadelphia Flyers and Lehigh Valley Phantoms, announced that forward Owen McLaughlin has been loaned to Reading by Lehigh Valley (AHL).

McLaughlin, 23, opens his first-full professional season following a 13-game start to his professional career in spring of the 2025-26 season with Reading where the Phoenixville, Pennsylvania native registered eight points (3g-5a) in 13 regular season games and added one Kelly Cup Playoff game played in the Royals' first round 2025 Kelly Cup Playoff series against Wheeling. 

The 6'0", 174-pound, left-shot forward signed his first professional career contract with Lehigh Valley for the remainder of the 2025-26 season and for the 2026-27 season on March 18th following a four-year collegiate career between the University of North Dakota (2022-25) and Boston University (2025-26) where he totaled 101 points (25g-76a) in 148 NCAA career games. In his senior and lone season at Boston, McLaughlin registered the team's fourth-most assists (12) and tied for the fifth-most points (17) in 34 games with the Terriers in 2025-26.

Prior to his NCAA career opening with the University of North Dakota, where he was teammates with fellow Lehigh Valley contracted forward and former Royals forward Hunter Johannes in 2023-24, McLaughlin played for the Sioux City Musketeers of the United States Hockey League (USHL) where he amassed 72 points (28g-44a) in 62 games in 2021-22 en route to leading the franchise to a Clark Cup title and earned USHL Third-Team All-Star honors.

A seventh round selection, 206th overall, by the Philadelphia Flyers in the 2021 NHL Entry Draft, McLaughlin skated in Game Two of the Philadelphia Flyers vs New York Rangers Rookie Series at PPL Center, along with attending the Flyers 2021-2025 Development Camps at the Flyers Training Center in Voorhees, New Jersey.

McLaughlin was selected in the 2021 NHL Draft following a 2020-21 high school campaign where he put logged 54 points (16g-38a) in 33 games with Mount St. Charles Academy in Woonsocket, Rhode Island. Locally, he played for the local Valley Forge Minutemen program through 13U-16U hockey.

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For all home games this season, fans can enjoy parking as low as $5 (see garage locations & rates).

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

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RRYHA Upcoming:

CALLING ALL FUTURE ROYALS! Registrations are now OPEN for the RRYHA In-House Leagues, presented by Visions Federal Credit Union! Open to all 4-16 year olds, learn more about each league and register your skater 👉 https://bit.ly/YTHLeagues

𝙇𝙚𝙖𝙧𝙣 𝙏𝙤 𝙋𝙡𝙖𝙮, presented by Visions Federal Credit Union! Be the first to skate the new introduced Lions Cubs LTP Program (ages 4-9) or attend the Intermediate Skills Clinic (ages 10-16) (REGISTER)

𝙎𝙠𝙞𝙡𝙡𝙨 𝘾𝙡𝙞𝙣𝙞𝙘𝙨 (REGISTER: bit.ly/4pSVJhc)

Support the Reading Royals official charitable arm, 𝙎𝙡𝙖𝙥𝙨𝙝𝙤𝙩 𝘾𝙝𝙖𝙧𝙞𝙩𝙞𝙚𝙨, which believes that Every Child Deserves to Play. Learn more about Slapshot Charities: bit.ly/4j1qaQa

See upcoming Learn to Skate sessions at the Body Zone Sports & Wellness Complex (LEARN MORE: https://bodyzonesports.com/learn-to-skate/)

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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 25th season in the ECHL. They won their first Kelly Cup championship in 2013 and have clinched playoff berths in 14 of their last 16 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.