ECHL Reading Royals

Royals Acquire Forward Mikael Bedard

Published on February 3, 2012 under ECHL (ECHL)
Reading Royals News Release


Reading, PA - The Reading Royals of the ECHL, affiliate of the Toronto Maple Leafs and Boston Bruins of the National Hockey League and the Toronto Marlies of the American Hockey League, today announced that the team has acquired forward Mikael Bedard ["mike EL beh DAR"] from the Wheeling Nailers in exchange for forward Matt Schepke. In a separate transaction announced today, defenseman Zach McKelvie ["mc KELL vee"] was assigned by the Boston Bruins from the Providence Bruins of the AHL to Reading. In another transaction, forward Matt Caruana was assigned from the Toronto Marlies to the Royals. In separate transactions, the Royals also: (i) transferred defenseman Louis Liotti from the 7-Day Injured Reserve to the 21-Day Injured Reserve; (ii) transferred defenseman Rob Kwiet from the 3-Day Injured Reserve to the 7-Day Injured Reserve; and (iii) placed defenseman Ray Macias on the 3-Day Injured Reserve.

Bedard (5'10/193) (24), a third year pro from Montreal, Quebec, scored ten goals and assisted on thirteen others (twenty-three points) and picked up twenty penalty minutes in forty games with the Nailers. Last season with Wheeling, he was the team's third leading scorer with forty-seven points (20g-27a) in forty-eight regular season games. He added nine points (5g-4a) in sixteen playoff games with the Nailers as the team advanced to the Eastern Conference Finals before being eliminated by the Kalamazoo Wings. In his rookie year, 2008-09, Bedard racked up seventy-three points (35g-38a) in seventy-six games for the Port Huron Icehawks on his way to being selected as the International Hockey League's Rookie of the Year. Schepke had eight goals and thirteen assists (twenty-one points) in forty-one games for the Royals.

McKelvie (6'2/204) (26), a first year pro from New Brighton, Minnesota, has scored a goal and assisted on another (two points) and registered thirty-three penalty minutes in twenty-nine games this season for the P-Bruins. Brighton, who was signed by the Boston Bruins this July after completing a two-year commitment to the U.S. Army, had an exceptional four year career at the U.S. Military Academy at West Point. During his time at Army, McKelvie was twice selected as an All-Atlantic Hockey Association First Team All-Star and was the conference's 2007-08 Defensive Defenseman of the Year. McKelvie, who was twice chosen to serve as a team captain at Army, received the Mike Krzyzewski Teaching Character Through Sport Award in March of 2009, which recognizes a West Point athlete for outstanding commitment to the development of noble character through athletic participation and leadership. The cadet recipient of the 'Coach-K Award' is said to exemplify the Army values of loyalty, duty, respect, selfless service, honor, integrity, and personal courage both on-and-off the "fields of friendly strife."

Caruana, a fourth year pro from Orono, Ontario, was recalled from the Royals to the Marlies on November 28, 2011. During this most recent stint with the Marlies, Caruana scored two goals and assisted on three others (five points) in fourteen games. In eleven games this season with Reading, Caruana has five points (2g-3a) and fourteen penalty minutes.

It is expected that McKelvie and Caruana will join the Royals today when they take on the Florida Everblades for the second of three in a row against the Florida Everblades tonight (Friday, February 3, 2012 @ 7:30 pm) at Germain Arena in Estero, Florida. The game night broadcast on Friday will start at 7:00 pm with the Red Robin Gourmet Burger Pre-Game Warm-up Show on ESPN Radio 1240 am in Reading. Streaming audio is available free of charge courtesy of America One through the Royals' website, www.royalshockey.com. As with all Royals' road games this season, Friday's game will be televised locally in Berks County Pennsylvania on BCTV courtesy of Boscov's Travel and the Royal Caribbean Cruise Lines.

Check out the Reading Royals Statistics

Share: Facebook | Twitter/X | LinkedIn | Reddit | Email



ECHL Stories from February 3, 2012


The opinions expressed in this release are those of the organization issuing it, and do not necessarily reflect the thoughts or opinions of OurSports Central or its staff.

OurSports Central