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ECHL Reading Royals

Royals All-Time Goals Leader Labelle Signs for 2019-20

July 15, 2019 - ECHL (ECHL)
Reading Royals News Release


Reading, PA - Forward Olivier Labelle, the Reading Royals' career leader in goals (128) and games played (294), has agreed to an ECHL contract with the Royals for the 2019-20 season, the team announced Monday.

Labelle is one of three Royals ever to play five seasons with Reading (Larry Courville, Ryan Cruthers); if Labelle skates in a game this campaign, he will become the first Royals player to appear in six seasons with the squad. The Royals have made the playoffs every year he's been on the team and Labelle is tied for the most playoff goals (16) in team history with Ryan Cruthers.

2019-20 Royals roster

Defenseman (1): Jeremy Beaudry

Forwards (3): Olivier Labelle, Frank DiChiara, Corey Mackin

They said it

Labelle: "It's all about winning for me. It's a perfect situation for me to come back home to Reading. I still have that same fire in me and I'm doing everything I can to make myself a great player for the Royals this season."

Head Coach Kirk MacDonald: "This is a wonderful day for the Royals organization welcoming back one of our all-time great players. Olivier has brought leadership into our locker room, become a positive figure in Berks County and provided the organization with some of its most memorable moments. On the ice, he will give us goal scoring and be a strong presence in front of the net."

More Labelle records

In addition to the team goals record, Labelle ranks first in career game-winning goals (23), power-play goals (48) and penalty minutes (581). He ranks second in Royals history in points (256) and third in assists (128). The St.-Eustache, QC native requires 17 points to tie Ryan Cruthers' team mark for most points ever (273).

The 13-year professional has compiled 742 career regular season games combined between the AHL, ECHL and overseas leagues, scoring 256 goals and 538 points.

Monday is Labelle's 34th birthday.

Biography rundown

Labelle last played for the Royals in 2016-17 and led the Royals with 27 goals (55 pts.). Following a stint in France, Labelle returned to the ECHL in 2018-19 with Indy and posted 15 goals and 40 points. On Mar. 15-16 of last season with Indy, he played against the Royals for the first time ever and assisted on a pair of tallies. Labelle has scored double-digit goals in all nine seasons he's played in North America. He's led the Royals in single-season goals three times (2011-12, 2014-15, 2016-17) and scored a career-high 30 goals in 2014-15 for Reading.

Royals season memberships and mini-plans are available for 2019-20 by heading to royalshockey.com/restoretheroar, visiting the Royals Box Office at Santander Arena (700 Penn Street) and calling 610-898-7825. The first Royals' home game is Sat., Oct. 19 vs. Maine at 7:00 p.m., featuring a massive block party, games, food, drinks and a special "Downtown Alive" concert on Penn Street before the home opener.

For the latest team news, visit royalshockey.com/news, and follow the team on Facebook (Facebook.com/ReadingRoyals), Twitter (Twitter.com/ReadingRoyals) and Instagram (Instagram.com/ReadingRoyals). Use #RestoreTheRoar to join the conversation.

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