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Thu, 20-Sep-01 3:10 AM

River Otters Get a Good Man to Play Forward for Them
Sept. 18, 2001

Head coach/director of hockey operations Mark Reeds of the Missouri River Otters of the United Hockey League (UHL) announced today that right winger Jason Gudmundson has been signed for the 2001-2002 season. Terms of the deal were not disclosed.

Gudmundson, who will be making his debut in the UHL, spent time with three different teams during the 2000-2001 season - Macon Whoopee (Central Hockey League), Memphis RiverKings (CHL) and Tacoma Sabercats (West Coast Hockey League). For the year, he totaled 41 points (17g, 24a) in 64 games. The 5-foot-9, 190-pound native of Arborg, Manitoba has played in every other AA league during his first three professional seasons.

Reeds says the 27-year-old right winger will be called upon to pay offensive dividends.

"Jason will be part of the top offensive core of this team," Reeds said. "With that comes a big responsibility to produce. We'll need him to be a point per game player with us this year.

Reeds says keeping Gudmundson in Missouri all year will help his productivity.

"For one reason or another, Jason has not been able to stay in one place for longer than half a season during his young career," Reeds said. "Being here all year will help his production and provide the stability every player needs to really make an impact."

Gudmundson is anxious to match against the UHL's best and play for Mark Reeds.

"You hear different things about every league and there are always new challenges," Gudmundson said. "The opportunity to face new competition and play for a quality coach like Mark Reeds makes this the right fit for me."

During his sophomore campaign in 1999-2000, Gudmundson began the season with the Augusta Lynx of the East Coast Hockey League (ECHL), playing in just four games (1a). He then moved on to the Phoenix Mustangs (WCHL), competing in five games (2g), and followed that up with a five-game stint in Shreveport (Western Professional Hockey League, now the CHL). He finished the season with Macon (CHL), playing 24 games and notching 30 points (14g, 16a).

Most of Gudmundson's rookie season of 1998-99 was spent in Sweden. The Colorado College graduate toiled for Nittorps IK in Sweden's first division. He compiled 41 points (31g, 10a) in 27 games and ranked third in points and second in goal scoring in the league. Following his season in Sweden, he played six games with the Amarillo Rattlers (WPHL), collecting six points (4g, 2a).

Gudmundson was a four-year standout at Colorado College, compiling 125 points (53g, 72a) in 157 games from 1994-98. He currently ranks 44th on Colorado College's all-time scoring list. He posted a collegiate career high of 41 points (14g, 27a) during his senior season. As a junior, he appeared in the semifinals of the NCAA Frozen Four, losing to North Dakota, and as a sophomore, he appeared in the finals of the NCAA Frozen Four, losing to Michigan. He was the leading goal scorer among rookies in the Western Collegiate Hockey Association (WCHA) as a freshman.