ECHL Reading Royals

Royals Announce Regular Season Opening Roster

Published on October 19, 2005 under ECHL (ECHL)
Reading Royals News Release


Reading, PA - The Reading Royals of the ECHL, affiliate of the Los Angeles Kings of the National Hockey League and Manchester Monarchs of the American Hockey League, today announced the team's regular season opening roster. Coach Karl Taylor's team has four members from last year's club and runs the experience spectrum from eight rookies to three players with game time in the NHL. Three Royals are under NHL contracts and four are signed to AHL deals. Currently, three players on the Reading roster are playing in the AHL, and two others were placed on the seven-day injured reserve today.

The most recent addition to the Royals' roster is Mike Pandolfo, who was signed today. A native of Winchester, Massachusetts, Pandolfo played for the AHL's Syracuse Crunch for the last three years. During his second pro season, the twenty-six year old Pandolfo also played three games with the Columbus Blue Jackets. That year, 2003-04, was his most productive as a pro to date, scoring 18 goals and adding 19 assists in 77 games with the Crunch. Last year, Pandolfo, 6'3"/226 lbs., scored eight goals and picked up eight assists in sixty-two games with Syracuse. Pandolfo, the younger brother of NHL veteran, Jay Pandolfo, had a stellar four year career at Boston University, which he capped off by scoring 22 goals and assisting on 18 others in 38 games in his senior season. Pandolfo was a fifth round selection of the Buffalo Sabres in the 1998 NHL Entry Draft.

Larry Courville, who played 33 NHL games with the Vancouver Canucks over three seasons in the mid-nineties, is one of four returning Royals, a list that includes goaltender, Cody Rudkowsky, who has also seen action in the NHL. The other players back from last year are defenseman, Reagan Rome, who is under an AHL contract with Manchester, and center, Jon Francisco, who, along with center, Steve Simoes, was placed on the seven-day injured reserve list today.

Three of the eight first year pros on the Royals' roster are under either NHL or AHL contracts. Defenseman, Eric Werner, is signed to a Monarchs' contract, and forwards, Shay Stephenson and Greg Hogeboom, are signed to NHL deals with Los Angeles. The other NHL contracted player on the Royals is goaltender, Yutaka Fukufuji, who becomes the first Japanese born player to don the purple and black. The other rookies are defensemen, Stuart Kerr, Chris Barr and T.J. Kemp, and forwards, Grant Jacobsen and Brendan Bernakevitch, who is currently assigned to the Monarchs. The other Royals in the AHL right now are Mark Ardelan, who was loaned to Manchester earlier this week, and Chris Bala, who is on loan to the Milwaukee Admirals.

The other Royals on the season opening roster are defensemen, Jeff State and Tyler Hanchuck, and forwards Rich Peverley, John Morlang, Doug Christiansen, Malcolm MacMillan, and the 2005 United Hockey League Rookie of the Year, Mike Kompon.

The 2005-06 Royals regular season opening roster with each player's number, height/weight, date and place of birth, and the length of pro experience is attached to this release. Full player biographical information is available upon request.

The Royals 5th Anniversary Season kicks off this Saturday night in Johnstown against the Chiefs. The home season begins in the Sovereign Center on Saturday, October 29 against the Trenton Titans. The Royals will raise the North Division regular season championship banner prior to the drop of the puck. For ticket information including; season, half-season and quarter-season ticket packages visit the Royals website at www.royalshockey.com or call the Royals Hockey Headquarters at 610-898-PUCK (7825).

Check out the Reading Royals Statistics

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