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River Otters Sign NHL'ers Barret Jackman and Ryan Johnson

February 3, 2005 - International Hockey League 2 (IHL 2)
Missouri River Otters News Release


St. Charles, MO --- The Missouri River Otters of the United Hockey League are proud to announce that they have signed defenseman Barret Jackman, winner of the 2002-03 Calder Memorial Trophy as the NHL's top rookie, and center Ryan Johnson, who has played 344 games in the NHL. Both players will make their River Otter debuts Saturday night against the Kansas City Outlaws at the Family Arena.

"We're thrilled!" River Otters Head Coach Kevin Kaminski said. "This is the biggest signing in River Otters history. They're both very down to earth and they're both committed to winning a championship."

Jackman, 23, has played parts of the past three seasons with the St. Louis Blues. His first full NHL season came in 2002-03, when he played 82 games with the Blues. He recorded three goals, 16 assists, and 190 penalty minutes that season, en route to winning the Calder Memorial Trophy. Last season, Jackman played 15 games with St. Louis before being felled by a season-ending injury. He was selected in the first round (17th overall) of the 1999 entry draft by the Blues. He played his junior hockey with the Regina Pats of the WHL. In four years with that team, he scored 28 goals, added 111 assists, and piled up 796 penalty minutes in 234 games.

"Barret will add a physical presence to our already-stingy defense," Kaminski said. "He'll also contribute offensively with the tremendous skill that he brings to the table."

Johnson, 28, has played seven seasons in the NHL, including the last two seasons with the St. Louis Blues. The Ontario-native scored four goals and seven assists in 69 games with the Blues last season. Johnson has also played for the Florida Panthers and the Tampa Bay Lightning. The Florida Panthers selected him in the second round (36th overall) of the 1994 NHL entry draft. He played for the 1995-96 Canadian National Team, scoring five goals and twelve assists in 28 games.

"Ryan brings great speed and energy, along with a physical presence," Kaminski said. "With his NHL experience, he'll also be a great leader for our club."

The River Otters next game is Friday, February 4 against the Kalamazoo Wings at Wings Stadium. The puck drops at 6:30 PM EST, and all the action can be heard on ESPN 1380-AM and the B2 Webcast and Video Simulcast, located at www.riverotters.com.

Listen to most of the River Otters games on KSLQ 104.5, the team's flagship station! To purchase group tickets for the River Otters, please call (636) 896-4200 or visit the team's website, www.riverotters.com, for more details.

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The opinions expressed in this release are those of the organization issuing it, and do not necessarily reflect the thoughts or opinions of OurSports Central or its staff.

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