Defensemen Doug Searle had 16 points (3g, 13a) in 66 games with the
River Otters last year

ST. CHARLES, MO - Head coach/director of hockey operations Lonnie
Loach of the Missouri River Otters of the United Hockey League (UHL)
announced today that defenseman Doug Searle has been re-signed for
the 2003-2004 season. Terms of the deal were not disclosed.

Searle, the 6-foot-4, 220-pound defenseman who will be entering his
11th professional season, tallied 16 points (3g, 13a) in 66 games in
2003-2004. He was acquired from the Knoxville Speed on February 26,
2002. He had 11 points (4g, 7a) in 17 games and was +16 with the
River Otters that year, which helped push the team into the playoffs
for the third consecutive year.

Searle played the entire 2000-2001 season with the Belfast Giants of
the Sekonda Ice Hockey Superleague, registering 15 points (1g, 14a)
in 43 games. He was a member of the Knoxville Speed in 1999-2000,
their first season in Tennessee. In that year, he notched career
highs in goals (T-7), assists (34) and points (41) and was named to
the Eastern Conference squad in the 1999-2000 UHL All-Star Classic.

He played the majority of his first six seasons in the East Coast
Hockey League (ECHL) with the Roanoke Express, Pee Dee Pride and the
Knoxville Cherokees. He played two seasons with Roanoke

(1996-97 & 1998-99) and one with Pee Dee (1997-98) after leaving
Knoxville for the first time.

Searle began his career with the Cherokees, compiling 70 points in
179 games over three seasons (1993-96) with 620 PIM. In that span of
time, he enjoyed call-ups to the now-defunct International Hockey
League (IHL) with the Las Vegas Thunder and the Phoenix Roadrunners.

The 31-year-old native of North York, Ontario has compiled more than
1,150 penalty minutes (PIM) in just 664 career games. He played four
years of Major Junior hockey (1989-93) with the Peterborough Petes of
the Ontario Hockey League (OHL), tallying 63 points (11g, 52a) and
356 PIM in 227 career games.

Head Coach Lonnie Loach is looking for a great season from him. "Doug
gives us another veteran defenseman with size and composure," he
said. "He doesn't get rattled and has a great calming effect on the
rest of his teammates."

Searle is the second defenseman to be signed this off-season. He
joins eight-year veteran Ryan Gillis on the blueline. The River
Otters have also signed goaltenders Brian Regan and Tim Knudsen, and
forwards Joe Ritson, Charlie Blyth, Jeff Petruic, Troy Mann, Jason
Clarke, and Kori Davison as players under contract for the 2003-2004
season.

The Missouri River Otters open their new season on October 24th.
Former River Otters coach Mark Reeds, and his Kalamazoo Wings, comes
to town to take on his former captain and new River Otters head coach
Lonnie Loach. It's also St. Louis Pizza and Wings Magnet Schedule
Night.

Missouri River Otters Press Release