Butcher rejoins Royals

Action photo of Alec Butcher of the Reading Royals

Reading, Pa. - The Reading Royals, ECHL affiliate of the National Hockey League's Philadelphia Flyers and American Hockey League's Lehigh Valley Phantoms, announced that forward Alec Butcher has signed a contract with the club for the 2025-26 season.

Butcher, 31, returns to Reading after posting 38 points (18g-20a) last season with Tulsa, where he played parts of the last two seasons since being traded by Reading on Nov. 26, 2023. Butcher played 87 regular-season games for the Royals between the 2022-23 and 2023-24 seasons where he amassed 56 points (25g-31a). A native of Anchorage, Alaska, Butcher added four points (1g-3a) through 11 games in Reading's 2023 Kelly Cup Playoff run. Butcher was one of two players (Colin Felix) to appear in all 72 regular-season games, as well as all 11 Kelly Cup Playoff games for the Royals during the 2022-23 season.

Entering his seventh professional season, Butcher totals 233 points (111g-122a) in 367 career games, all in the ECHL. He's played in the postseason each of the last four seasons, logging 11 points (4g-7a) across 31 Kelly Cup Playoff career games between Rapid City, Reading and Tulsa.

Prior to Reading, Butcher played two seasons for the Wheeling Nailers (2018-20) before joining the Rapid City Rush in the 2021-22 season.

Additionally, Butcher played four seasons of college hockey, totaling 52 points (16g-36a) in 95 games. Butcher played his first three seasons at Sacred Heart University before playing his final collegiate season at the University of Alaska-Anchorage.