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ECHL Reading Royals

Royals Hire Jason Nobili as Head Coach

July 24, 2008 - ECHL (ECHL)
Reading Royals News Release


Reading, PA - The Reading Royals of the ECHL, affiliate of the Toronto Maple Leafs of the National Hockey League and the Toronto Marlies of the American Hockey League, today announced the team has hired Jason Nobili [NO bihl ee] as head coach and director of hockey operations. Per team policy, terms of the contract, which runs for one season with a team option for a second year, were not disclosed. Nobili (34), who hails from Toronto, Ontario, served as the associate coach for the Florida Everblades of the ECHL for the past four seasons. Nobili becomes the fifth coach in Royals' team history, as the organization prepares to embark upon its eighth season in Reading.

"We're extremely pleased to make Jason our head coach and director of hockey operations," said Royals' General Manager Gordon Kaye. "We undertook an extensive search to make this very important decision for our organization. During that search, Jason stood out as having the appropriate combination of coaching experience, history of success, acute managerial sense, and outright desire to win that is required to be successful in the ECHL. He comes to us fresh off an extremely successful stint with one of the premier organizations in the league, where he proved that he can astutely manage the complexities associated with being a coach in the ECHL while sustaining a winning program. We expect Jason to immediately instill the highest possible culture of professionalism and excellence within our hockey operations department, as we embark upon this season's journey to win an ECHL championship."

"I'm extremely honored and excited by the opportunity presented in becoming the Royals' head coach," said Nobili. "Reading is well known within the ECHL as an organization that has the resources, commitment and community support that is required to attain championship quality hockey. I'm well aware of the intense level of support that the Royals receive from the fans in Reading, and I'm excited by the challenge of meeting those high expectations. My intent is to build a team driven by an intense desire to improve, develop, and advance as players, while binding together to win hockey games for our organization, our fans, and the city of Reading."

During his four-year tenure as an associate coach in Florida, Nobili and the Everblades' Head Coach Gerry Fleming compiled an overall record of 173-87-28 (.649 Win Percentage) and advanced to the ECHL's Kelly Cup playoffs in each of those four seasons. In Nobili's first year with the Everblades, 2004-05, Florida advanced all the way to the Kelly Cup Championship Finals for the second consecutive season, but the Everblades were dispatched that year by the Trenton Titans. In 2006-07, a season during which Nobili served as the interim head coach for a period of time, the Everblades went 44-22-6 = 94 to compile the best regular season record in the American Conference. That team advanced to the Conference Finals before being knocked off in a dramatic seven game series against the Dayton Bombers. Last year, the Everblades, who had a dual affiliation with the Carolina Hurricanes and Florida Panthers of the NHL, went 39-25-8 = 86 during the regular season to finish fourth in the South Division and were defeated in the Division Quarter-Finals by the Columbia Inferno.

Gerry Fleming, the Everblades' head coach for seven seasons and currently an assistant coach with the Springfield Falcons of the AHL, noted, "Jason was a tremendous asset for our organization in Florida. He was an influential component in everything that we accomplished during his tenure with the Everblades, from recruiting our team, to managing our player movements, to leading our players on and off the ice. I believe that he has done all that is necessary to prepare himself to be a head coach in the ECHL, and I wish him and the Royals' organization a great deal of success."

Prior to joining the Everblades, Nobili served four years as the assistant coach for the Owen Sound Attack of the Ontario Hockey League. During that time period, Nobili also served as the assistant coach for the Under-17 Team Ontario-Canada group that won the 2004 World Championship Gold Medal in St. John's Newfound and the bronze medal in Canada Winter Games in 2003. Prior to joining Owen Sound, Nobili was a head coach for two seasons with Ajax Axemen of the Ontario Hockey Association Provincial Junior ‘A' Hockey League. Nobili began his coaching career in the Toronto area, serving as the head coach and general manager of the midget-AAA Toronto Red Wings of the Greater Toronto Hockey League.

Nobili's playing career included a stint in Canadian Junior ‘A' hockey prior to attending York University, where he earned a Bachelor's Degree and pursued certification for the coaching profession. Nobili has served as the Head Instructor at various hockey schools throughout the U.S. and Canada, including Huron Hockey Camps, Cross Roads Development and Power Hockey Development. Nobili and his wife, Marianne, and young son, Tyler, are expected to relocate in the immediate future to the Reading area.

The Royals open the 2008-09 regular season against the Elmira Jackals on Friday, October 17, 2008 at First Arena in Elmira, New York. The Royals' home opener is set for Saturday, October 25, 2008, when the Johnstown Chiefs visit the Sovereign Center. Royals' full Season Tickets and Total Choice Flex Plans are now on sale. To obtain more information on becoming a part Royals' hockey, call 610-898-PUCK to speak with Royals' ticket representative or visit the Royals website, www.royalshockey.com.

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