Royals sign Minerva, Butcher

Reading, Pa.– The Reading Royals, ECHL affiliate of the National Hockey League's Philadelphia Flyers and American Hockey League's Lehigh Valley Phantoms, announced the signings of defenseman Nick Minerva and forward Alec Butcher for the 2022-23 season. Both players' rights were previosuly acquired through trades in exchange for future considerations.

Minerva, 26, tallied eight points (2g-6a) in 33 games for the Wichita Thunder in the 2021-22 season. The New Brunswick, New Jersey native enters his fifth professional season. Prior to Wichita, Minerva split the 2020-21 season between the Tulsa Oilers and the Southern Professional Hockey League's Macon Mayhem. With Macon, Minerva collected 20 points (3g-17a) in 35 games while serving as an alternate captain. He was selected to the 2020-21 SPHL First All-Star Team before finishing the season with Tulsa where he recorded one goal in 10 games. 

Butcher totaled 53 points (23g-30a) in 69 regular-season games with Rapid City in the 2021-22 season. The 28-year-old made his professional debut in the ECHL with the Wheeling Nailers in the 2018-19 season, and went on to total 52 points (27g-25a) over 89 games with the Nailers. Prior to turning pro, Butcher played his college hockey at Sacred Heart University and the University of Alaska-Anhorage, totaling 52 points (16g-36a) in 95 career games.