September 2003

Royals Front Office Gets Busy As Season Approaches

Like many of their competitors in the ECHL, the Reading Royals find themselves quite busy late in the summer putting together the team they want to bring into training camp. Last month, the Royals traded the rights to forward Colin Pepperall and defenseman Ray DiLauro to the Columbus Cottonmouths for the rights to forward Mike Lee and former all-star defenseman Darren Tiemstra.  The trade was the second the Royals made in August.  On August 11, Reading completed a trade with Mississippi for all star forward Kent Davyduke.  Royals coach Clancey says the trade should benefit both teams.

"We have acquired the rights to two big, physical players that should fit in very well with the type of team we are trying to build in Reading," Clancey stated.  "Both players are young and talented and they like to play a physical game."

Lee completed his second professional season last year with the Columbus Cottonmouths.  He appeared in 63 games and tallied a career high 281 penalty minutes.  The 6-foot, 230-pound Anchorage, AK native spent time in his rookie season in 2001 with the Charlotte Checkers and Pee Dee Pride.  Lee also played junior hockey in the rugged Western Hockey League for Kootenay and Tri-City.  Royals first year coach Derek Clancey is impressed with Lee’s tenacity.

"Mike Lee’s greatest strengths are his intensity and toughness.  He is a guy that knows how to play the physical game and does it very productively for his team," Clancey commented.

Tiemstra, an ECHL all-star, spent the past two seasons in Columbus with the Cottonmouths.  His five goals and 27 points earned him his first ECHL all-star bid.  Prior to turning pro, Teimstra spent four seasons with the University of Alaska Fairbanks of the CCHA. 

"Darren is a guy that I am familiar with spending the last two seasons in the South," Clancey said.  "He was an all-star in 2002 and we think he has a tremendous upside."

The departed DiLauro is a Delaware Valley product.

The Royals also reached agreements for the 2003-04 season with forward Nick Lent and defenseman Jay Leach.  Lent and Leach were teammates from 1997-2000 at Providence College.  Both players were drafted by the Phoenix Coyotes in the NHL Entry Draft.

Lent, a 6’5" 225-pound power forward, signs with Reading after spending last season in Richmond.  The 26-year-old enjoyed his most productive professional season last year tallying 24 goals and 42 points in just 54 games.  In addition, the Massachusetts native spent three games in the American Hockey League with the Portland Pirates. 

Defenseman Jay Leach is entering his third professional season in 2003-04.  Leach began his career in the ECHL in 2001 with the Mississippi Sea Wolves.  Last year, he also enjoyed his most productive season with the Augusta Lynx firing in eight goals and 19 points along with 162 penalty minutes.  Leach ranked second on the team in games played (65) and fourth in penalty minutes (162).