Former Brooks Bandits leading scorer Matt Wilkins (Kimberley, B.C.) has signed an ECHL Standard Players Contract with the Reading Royals, the affiliate of the Philadelphia Flyers of the NHL, it was announced today.
Wilkins began his Bandit career in 2010 after being acquired from the Trail Smoke Eaters of the British Columbia Hockey League, registering 77 points (30 goals, 47 assists) in 60 games to finish just one point out of the AJHL’s scoring lead.
Wilkins would capture the AJHL scoring title in 2011-12, with 99 points (34 goals, 65 assists) in another full 60 games, helping to lead the Bandits to their first-ever AJHL championship.
In total, Wilkins never missed a single game in a Bandit uniform, finishing with a regular season and playoff total of 79 goals and 127 assists for 206 points in 144 total AJHL games.
Wilkins still holds the team records for most assists in a season (65), and tied Jeff Marler’s team record for points with 99.
In 146 career games at Union College, Wilkins scored 82 points (26 goals, 56 assists) in 146 games. Wilkins was the team’s Rookie of the Year his first season, and helped Union to the 2014 ECAC Tournament championship and NCAA Division I National Championship.
Last year, in his senior season, he had 21 points (7 goals, 14 assists) in 35 games, and played in two games for the ECHL’s Adirondack Thunder after his season finished.
Read the full announcement by Reading on the team's website.