Masonius inks deal with Royals

Reading, Pa. – Head Coach Kirk MacDonald announced that defenseman Joe Masonius has agreed to acontract with the Reading Royals for the 2019-20 season. Masonius was selected in the sixth round (181st ovearll) by the Pittsburgh Penguins in the 2016 NHL Entry Draft.

The Roylas are the ECHL affiliate of the National Hockey League's Philadelphia Flyers and the American Hockey League's Lehigh Valley Phantoms.

Masonius combined to play 13 games with Manchester and South Carolina last season and generated four assists. He skated for UConn for three seasons and signed an amateur tryout contract with the AHL's Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins in 2018 following his junior NCAA season. The 22-year-old led UConn defensemen in points twice (freshman and sophomore seasons) during his career.

Masonius’ best offensive collegiate season came as a freshman in 2015-16 when he generated 21 points (6g-15a), which was tied for third on the team in points. He participated in the 2015 USHL/NHL Top Prospects Game while with the U.S. National Team Development Program U18 squad. Masonius won the gold medal for Team USA. at the 2014 U17 IIHF World Hockey Championships and at the 2015 U18 IIHF World Hockey Championships.