Reading Royals Sign Nolan Burke
The Reading Royals have confirmed the addition of forward Nolan Burke to their roster under an ECHL contract for the upcoming 2025-26 season, as announced on Wednesday. At just 22 years of age, Burke is set to embark on his third season in the professional leagues after scoring 31 points (13 goals and 18 assists) along with a +10 plus/minus rating during the 2024-25 season with the Wichita Thunder in 55 games.
Player Profile
Hailing from Peterborough, Ontario, Burke stands 6 feet 3 inches tall and weighs 200 pounds. He recently participated in the Lehigh Valley Phantoms’ training camp as a tryout invite, where he made appearances in two out of three pre-season games. Over his career, Burke has played a total of 103 professional games, with the majority—102 games—in the ECHL, splitting time between the Atlanta Gladiators (2023-24) and Wichita Thunder (2024-25). Throughout his ECHL journey, Burke has amassed 46 points comprising 18 goals and 28 assists, along with 49 penalty minutes. He also made one appearance in the AHL with the Milwaukee Admirals on April 21, 2024.
Career Highlights
Burke originally signed a three-year Entry Level Contract with the Nashville Predators on November 12, 2022, after spending five seasons in the Ontario Hockey League with the Sarnia Sting. During his tenure with Sarnia, he tallied 154 points (90 goals and 64 assists) in 177 games. Notably, when he signed with Nashville, Burke was leading the OHL in goals with 15 over the first 16 games, eventually finishing the 2022-23 season as the league’s second-highest goal scorer with 50 goals. He was also teammates with Porter Martone, who was picked sixth overall by the Philadelphia Flyers in the 2025 NHL Entry Draft.
Upcoming Events
Currently, the Royals’ roster for the 2025 Training Camp includes 28 players, divided into 17 forwards, eight defensemen, and three goaltenders. Fans are welcome to attend the Training Camp practice starting at 10 AM on Thursday, October 9, with entrance through the Lions’s Den Team Store on Penn Street. Following the practice, fans must exit through the same Team Store by 12 PM. Additionally, the Royals will face off against the Adirondack Thunder in their only pre-season matchup on Friday, October 10, at 7 PM at Santander Arena.
