ECHL Reading Royals

Royals Sign Defenseman Mike Salekin

Published on July 26, 2007 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 the Manchester Monarchs of the American Hockey League, today announced that the team has signed defenseman Mike Salekin ("SAL-eh-kin"). Last year, in his senior season at the University of Alabama-Huntsville, Salekin (6'0"/208 lbs) led all defenseman in the College Hockey America conference with seven goals and twenty-three points in thirty-four games. At the conclusion of last season, Salekin, who will turn twenty-two on August 17, was selected to the CHA All-Conference Second Team, as well as the All-Tournament Team, as he helped lead the UAH Chargers to the 2007 CHA Tournament Championship and a berth in the NCAA Tournament.

Prior to joining UAH, Salekin, who hails from Castlegar, British Columbia, played two seasons with the Merritt Centennials of the British Columbia Junior Hockey League, where he scored thirty-one goals, assisted on forty-eight others, and picked up 395 penalty minutes in 104 total games. During his first season with the Centennials, Salekin was selected as the team's Rookie of the Year and was the runner-up in voting for the league's best first year player, as he led all BCJHL defensemen with sixteen goals. In his second season with Merritt, Salekin, who served as a team alternate captain, racked up forty-seven points in forty-seven games to lead the league in points per game by a defenseman.

Salekin was required to sit out his freshman season at UAH because of the one game he had played for the Kootenay Ice of the Western Hockey League in 2000-01. In his first season of eligibility for the Chargers, things started well for Salekin who was selected as the CHA Rookie of the Week in early November of 2004. In his second season with the Chargers, Salekin, who was a four-time UAH Bronze Scholar and was selected to the CHA All-Academic Team in all three seasons of his eligibility, led defensemen in the conference in power play goals-with 8-and his team in penalty minutes-with 80-in thirty-four games. Salekin's senior year proved to be a magical season for the Chargers, who became the first fifth seed in CHA history to win the post-season conference tournament and advance to the NCAA round of sixteen, where they fell in double-overtime in the Midwest Regional to the University of Notre Dame. For Salekin, his senior year was equally memorable, as he was selected as his team's best defenseman and earned a spot on the all conference second team. In the CHA tournament, Salekin proved to have a bit of magic of his own, as he bagged the game winning goal in the semi-finals against Niagara University to get to the finals, where the Chargers defeated Robert Morris University.

The Royals' home opener is on Saturday, November 3, 2007, against the Cincinnati Cyclones. Royals' full Season Tickets and Total Choice Flex Plans are now on sale. To obtain more information on becoming a part of Royals' hockey, call 610-898-PUCK to speak with Royals' ticket representative or visit the Royals website, www.royalshockey.com.

8 Mike Salekin Castlegar, BC DEFENSE

HT: 6'00"

WT: 208

DOB: 08-17-85

SHOOTS: L

Career Notes:

v Selected, Team Rookie of the Year, Merritt Centennials, British Columbia Junior Hockey League (2001-02)

v Runner Up, League Rookie of the Year, BCJHL (2001-02)

v Selected, All Rookie Team, BCJHL (2001-02)

v Led League, Goals By A Defenseman (16), BCJHL (2001-02)

v Led League, Points Per Game By Defenseman (1.0/g), BCJHL (2002-03)

v Selected, Team Alternate Captain, Merritt Centennials, BCJHL (2002-03)

v Selected, Conference Rookie of the Week, College Hockey America, University of Alabama-Huntsville (11/08/04)

v Led League, Power Play Goals By A Defenseman (8), CHA (2005-06)

v Led Team, Penalty Minutes (80), UAH (2005-06)

v Selected, Defensive Player of the Week, CHA, UAH, 03/05/07

v Led League, Goals (7) and Points (23) By A Defenseman, CHA (2006-07)

v Selected, Team's Best Defenseman, UAH (2006-07)

v Selected, CHA All-Conference Second Team, UAH (2006-07)

v Selected, CHA All-Conference Tournament Team, UAH (2007)

v Member, CHA Championship Team, UAH (2006-07)

v Member, NCAA Tournament Team, UAH (2006-07)

v Selected, University of Alabama-Huntsville, Bronze Scholar (2003-04, 2004-05, 2005-06, 2006-07)

v Selected, CHA All-Academic Team, UAH (2004-05, 2005-06, 2006-07)

2007-08 Transactions:

v Signed To Reading Royals ECHL Contract, 07/26/07

Check out the Reading Royals Statistics

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