The Royals Review

(January 3)

READING, Pa. – Any current discussion about the Maple Leafs’ and Marlies’ ECHL affiliate here begins and ends with just one player – goaltender Mark Owuya.

The 22-year-old, signed by the Leafs as a free agent this past summer, is the only Toronto player assigned to the Royals as 2012 begins. The good news for members of Leafs Nation, at least for those who follow their team’s minor league members, is that Owuya has so far been as valuable as any member of Reading’s team this season.

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The Royals Review

(December 13)

READING, Pa. – Maple Leafs’ fans who take a glance at the ECHL standings may be concerned that their team’s Class AA affiliate is languishing near the bottom of the Atlantic Division and Eastern Conference heaps. But the big picture, at least as Toronto is concerned, is considerably brighter.

While just two players under contract to the Leafs are on the Reading Royals’ roster, both of them have been playing well and may be the best players in the club as 2011 comes to an end.
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The Royals Review

(November 29)

READING, Pa. – Two steps forward and one step back. Or perhaps, one step forward and two to the rear. Both those statements sum up the first quarter of the Reading Royals’ ECHL season. The affiliate of the Maple Leafs and Marlies has stumbled to a 7-8-3 record to start the year and although it’s good enough for second place in the Atlantic Division, it’s been anything but impressive. A 2-6 mark at home to start the schedule is particularly troubling. Continue Reading…

Reading Royals Review

(November 15)

READING, Pa. – It’s been difficult to get a handle on the Reading Royals through the first month of the 2011-12 ECHL season. Into what type of team will this group develop? Inconsistency has been about the only consistent factor of the squad through the first 14 games of the year (7-6-1). Continue Reading…

Good — not great — year for Royals

Maple Leafs in Reading – a report card for 2010-11

READING, Pa.For three years now, the Maple Leafs have been allowing their youngest professional pupils to study and apprentice with the Reading Royals in the ECHL. In the 2008-09 season, despite a terriblel year for the non-playoff team in Reading, James Reimer was the best student in the class. His hard work was rewarded when he was promoted to the Leafs from the Marlies early in 2011. He’s since signed a three-year contact, ostensibly to become the Leafs’ primary goalie for the near future.

The 2009-10 campaign was much more successful on the ice for Reading — finishing one victory short of the Kelly final. However, the only Toronto player to see significant time (albeit in the playoffs) and take a step up the ladder in 2010-11 was Greg Scott, who managed 10 goals and 31 points in 55 games with the Marlies this past season. It was a decent performance, but not one likely to extend his time with the Toronto organization considering he’s now a restricted free agent.

So in the summer of 2011, the Royals are coming off probably the best regular season in their 10-year history. But the playoffs ended with a disappointing second-round loss to eventual Eastern Conference champ Kalamazoo. Will the Leafs reap benefits from any of the players who honed their games in Reading this past season?

Six players who were under contract to Toronto spent meaningful time with the Royals this season. Here’s a look at what they accomplished in Reading and their possible futures with the Blue and White.

MATT CARUANA

2010-11 stats/status: 34 regular season games with Royals -18 goals, 16 assists, +3, 22 penalty minutes; 8 playoff games with Royals – 4 goals, 1 assist, +1, 8 penalty minutes; 2 assignments by Tor./10 points in 33 games with Marlies. (Minor-league free agent.)
The good: There’s no doubt in anyone’s mind that the Orono, Ontario native and former captain at Niagara University has proven his ability to excel at the ECHL level. He’s a point-a-game centre, looks comfortable on the power play and has no problem with lots of ice time. He has a good eye for the net and led the league in shooting percentage in the regular season (25.0).
The bad: It looks as if that success doesn’t translate to the AHL. He wasn’t out of place with the Marlies, but his ability to add a physical component to his game is lacking and at 6-0 and about 185 pounds, he doesn’t seem to have the build that will easily allow him to add the missing grit component to his game.
The future: He’s completed three pro years and it looks as if his upside has been achieved. Expect to see him riding the ECHL-AHL shuttle in 2011-12. Don’t expect it to be between Reading and Toronto.

RICHARD GREENOP

2010-11 stats/status: 19 regular season games with Royals – 1 goal, 2 assists, +3, 24 penalty minutes; 2 assignments by Tor./0 points in 11 games with Marlies. (Restricted free agent after 2011-12 season.)
The good: He did whatever was asked of him which often included standing up to the opponent’s tough guys. Despite not getting much ice time, his competition level was solid; he improved his skating and defencive game and was a dependable team guy. At 6-4 and 235 pounds, he’s an imposing physical specimen.
The bad: In two years as a pro, with the Royals and Marlies, he has 3 goals and 8 points. He’ll never be a first-line left winger. A head injury about midway through the year ended his season.
The future: Although his contract has another year to run, his health is the bigger story. If he’s healthy enough, the Marlies would seem to have a place for this hard-working tough guy.

JUSTIN HODGMAN

2010-11 stats/status: 3 regular season games with Royals – 0 goals, 1 assist, even, 4 penalty minutes; 1 assignment by Tor./29 points in 42 games with Marlies. (Minor-league free agent.)
The good: There’s an asterisk here – Hodgman just played three games on an injury rehab assignment in Reading. There was thought he might play a couple more games to become playoff eligible for the Royals. Since he’s only just completed his second full year of pro hockey, it’s possible that a little more time in the ECHL might help him. He’s only played 136 games as a pro so he could have some potential waiting to be tapped by some time at the AA level.
The bad: He’s held his own – whether playing in the IHL, ECHL or AHL. But 29 goals over the past two seasons (even if one was shortened by injury), isn’t exactly setting the world on fire. And as a 6-1, 200-pound centre, the physical side of his game is by no means extraordinary.
The future: If he signs with the Marlies again, he’ll need to really show something this season. His future with Toronto this season will depend upon how many NHL contracts will be placed with the Marlies and how many roster spots that will leave for players on AHL deals.

DALE MITCHELL

2010-11 stats/status: 5 regular season games with Royals – 2 goals, 2 assists, -7, 14 penalty minutes; 2 playoff games with Royals – 0 goals, 0 assists, even, 0 penalty minutes; 2 assignments by Tor./13 points in 48 games with Marlies. (Restricted free agent after 2011-12 season.)
The good: He became just the third player in Reading history to record three points in his first game with the team. Although mostly a spare part with the Marlies, the hope was that he’d get some valuable playoff experience in Pennsylvania just as Greg Scott had done a year earlier.
The bad: The playoff plan went awry when he was injured during his second playoff game with Reading. He didn’t return to the lineup. Note that he was not on the Marlies’ playoff eligible list so you can figure out where he ranked in the Toronto pecking order.
The future: As is the case with so many players on entry-level deals, the final year of his first pro contract is upcoming and it’s make or break time. The 5-9, 210-pound right winger will have to turn some heads this season or he’ll be looking for a new team a year from now.

BEN SCRIVENS

2010-11 stats/status: 13 regular season games with Royals – 10 wins, 3 losses, 2.23 GAA, .938 SV%; 3 playoff games with Royals – 0 wins, 1 loss, 5.04 GAA, .873 SV%; 5 assignments by Tor./13-12-5, 2.37 GAA, .924 SV%, 2 shutouts in 33 games with Marlies. (Signed a one-year NHL contact on July 1, 2011.)
The good: The season started out in fine fashion for the Cornell University grad. His ECHL numbers were sensational, and when injuries necessitated recalls to the Marlies his numbers were almost as good in the AHL. A couple of games in a Leaf sweater as a backup (although he didn’t see action) must have helped him realized how quickly things can change for the good. He won nine straight games with Reading and did it for a team that was near the bottom of the ECHL in shots allowed.
The bad: Injury problems hampered the Marlies’ scoring in the second half of the season and Scrivens was often a hard-luck loser. Although those AHL numbers were good, they weren’t quite good enough to help the Marlies make the playoffs. So he returned to Reading for a playoff run which was ugly and disappointing for both him and the team especially when he got hurt in his second pro playoff start.
The future: He’s mature, confident, poised and a pretty darn good goalie, too. Yes, he’s still learning and with only one year of pro experience he still has some ground to cover. The Leafs expect big things from him playing for the Marlies this coming season. And although lots of things can happen along the way, don’t be surprised if he’s wearing that Leaf sweater again at some point in 2011-12.

ROBERT SLANEY

2010-11 stats/status: 61 regular season games with Royals – 7 goals, 17 assists, +3, 34 penalty minutes; 4 playoff games with Royals – 1 goal, 3 assists, even, no penalty minutes; 2 assignments by Tor./0 points in 8 games with Marlies. (Restricted free agent after 2011-12 season.)
The good: His commitment was lacking at the start of the season. But he deserves full marks for turning that around and putting his nose to the grindstone in the final four months of the year. He developed into one of Reading’s primary penalty killers through the course of the season and was as good a performer as the team had in its playoff loss to the K-Wings. He also developed some versatility and saw time at both left wing and centre. Four of his 24 points came while short-handed.
The bad: In the ECHL, where usually just 10 forwards dress per game, everybody needs to score – even those who shoulder lots of defencive responsibility. Slaney’s checking game has come miles from last season (when he was a minus-30 in 66 games in both the AHL and ECHL). But it’s still a numbers game. And his points need to improve if he has any hope to become a major leaguer.
The future: He displayed enough talent to catch someone’s eye as he was part of the deal which brought Cody Franson and Matthew Lombardi to the Leafs from Nashville on July 3. He’ll have one season to really impress the Predators’ brass while in Milwaukee. If he’s not able to achieve that, it’s not going out on a limb to say that his future at the major league level is doubtful.

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Barry Schickling can be contacted at Barry.DoubleSMedia@rocketmail.com

Reading Royals Review

(April 15-22)

READING, Pa. – As positive and successful as the regular season and first round of the playoffs were for the Reading Royals in 2010-11, the end of the year came swiftly and with certainty.

The Royals, ECHL affiliate of the Maple Leafs and Marlies, were swept from the Kelly Cup playoffs in four straight games by the Kalamazoo Wings in an Eastern Conference semifinal which left little doubt which was the better team – at least in the middle of April. Reading allowed five goals in the first period of game one and only led for brief times during the rest of the series. The K-Wings scored 12 first-period goals in the four games and as a result Reading was almost continuously on its heels and battling from behind.

What was potentially a bright spot for Reading heading into the series, the return of goaltender Ben Scrivens from the Marlies, also brought pain. Scrivens came on in relief after Kalamazoo’s five-goal blitz in Game One, had an average outing in Game Two, then was hurt midway through the first period of Game Three. He didn’t play again.

In short, despite numerous team records and outstanding efforts for nearly six months, the last week was a nightmare. Allowing 23 goals in four games won’t win many playoff series.

One other note: In the misery-loves-company department, Greenville, the only team in the East to finish with a better regular season mark than Reading, also was eliminated in the second round.

Here is a brief look at the Toronto-contracted players who finished the season on Reading’s playoff roster (with 2011 ECHL playoff statistics in parentheses):

Matt Caruana – After being one of the best Royals’ skaters in the first-round victory over Cincinnati, he did little to distinguish himself against Kalamazoo. He managed just a goal and an assist against the Wings and was a minus 3. His performance in the final four games mirrored that of most of his teammates – disappointing. (8 GP – 4G – 1A – +1 – 8 PIM)

Dale Mitchell – After getting in a couple of games in the first-round victory over Cincinnati, the first-year RW from Etobicoke, Ontario only saw time with the Back Aces in the second round. He simply did not play well enough in those first two games to justify being one of the top 10 forwards in the series against Kalamazoo. (2 GP – 0G – 0A – even – 0 PIM)

Rob Slaney – After biding his time on the reserve roster in the first round, the second-year LW got back into the lineup against the K-Wings. He played about as well as he has all year in even-strength situations, averaging a point a game. But as one of the top penalty killers he had to accept at least some of the blame for Reading’s atrocious short-handed stats against Kalamazoo (see below). (4 GP – 1G – 3A – even – 0 PIM)

Ben Scrivens – His numbers in the regular season for Reading were superb. When summoned to the American Hockey League, he fit right in and was the Marlies’ starter for the last month of the season. But for whatever reason, the rookie’s magic was gone when the playoffs rolled around. Kalamazoo’s 8-for-16 power play mark in the series didn’t help things. Another stat that worked against Reading was being outshot by Kalamazoo 163-125 during the course of the four-game series. The Royals were often able to overcome being outshot during the regular season but in the playoffs the outcome was much different. (3 GP – 0-1 – 5.04 GAA – .873 GAA)

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Barry Schickling can be contacted at Barry.DoubleSMedia@rocketmail.com