The Reading Royals have been busy rounding out their roster as of late, picking up a pair of forwards this week within mere days of each other. On Tuesday, November 10th, the Royals announced the signing of forward Jack Suter to a standard ECHL contract. Three days later on Friday, November 13th, the Royals announced the signing of forward Ryan Scarfo to a standard ECHL contract as well. Additionally, these two signings come just a week after the Royals reportedly completed a trade with the Kansas City Mavericks for forward Matt Schmalz – according to ECHL Week on Twitter. The Royals have not yet confirmed the trade at this time.
Jack Suter
A rookie forward from Omaha, Nebraska, Jake Suter stands at six feet tall and weighs 170 pounds. The 2020-21 season with the Reading Royals will mark Suter’s first professional campaign – having played the past four seasons at the University of Massachusetts Amherst.
Before playing college hockey, Suter played for the Sioux Falls Stampede of the USHL. In his first season, he helped the team become the 2015 USHL Clark Cup Champions. Then in 2018-19, Suter and the UMass Minutemen won the NCAA Hockey East Regular Season Championship. The forward recorded 124 games played, scored 12 goals, and tallied 37 total points during his NCAA career.
“Jack emerged as an excellent playmaker and a top-six forward for one of the top teams in college hockey and comes from a winning culture at the University of Massachusetts,” said Kirk MacDonald, Head Coach of the Reading Royals. “We are thrilled to have him sign with Reading for his rookie season and help him build on a strong 2019-20.”
Ryan Scarfo
After spending parts of the past two seasons just north of Reading with the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins of the AHL, Ryan Scarfo is set to skate for the Royals in 2020-21. The forward stands at six feet tall and weighs in at 190 pounds. The 26-year-old North Chelmsford, Massachusetts native is noted as a two-way forward – a trait that has been common among forwards signed by Reading thus far.
Scarfo played four seasons of NCAA collegiate hockey with Union College between 2014 and 2018. The forward was named the team’s alternate captain for his sophomore, junior, and senior season. He made his professional debut in 2018 with the Belleville Senators of the AHL. In the AHL over the next few seasons, Scarfo recorded 19 games played with the Belleville Senators and 37 with the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins. The left-handed shooter also played at the ECHL level – tallying 28 points over 53 games played between the Brampton Beast and the Wheeling Nailers.
“Ryan Scarfo is a high-character player with extensive AHL experience, who will help fill out our top-six forward group. With our aggressive offensive mindset we expect Ryan to build on his offensive output while continuing to be one of the best-two-way centers in our league,” said Kirk MacDonald, Head Coach of the Reading Royals.