Royals Set Roster; Continue to Add Players
Roster Set For Opening Night...Mischler and Marlin Added

READING , PA – The Reading Royals, the ECHL affiliate of the Manchester Monarchs, have announced their roster for opening night of the 2003-04 season.  Highlighting the 2003 squad is four ECHL All Stars from a year ago.  Defenseman Jonathon Zion ( Richmond ), forward Kent Davyduke ( Mississippi ), forward Judd Medak ( Greenville ) and goaltender Adam Hauser ( Jackson ).  Defenseman Mat Snesrud ( Baton Rouge ) was an ECHL All Star in 2001-02 is also on the Royals opening night roster.

Only two players on the Royals club did not attend NHL or AHL training camps.  The Royals have gotten great help from their affiliates throughout training camp.  Reading is affiliated with the Manchester Monarchs and has a working agreement with the Hershey Bears of the American Hockey League.  Reading had eight players attend the Manchester Monarchs training camp and four players in Hershey.  Forwards Darryl Laplante and Brad Church are the only two veteran players on the Royals roster.  Church was named as the captain of the squad today after the morning skate and Darryl Laplante and Dave Stewart will serve as alternate captains.

Coach Derek Clancey said he is excited about watching this team get into the regular season, “We have a bunch of talent on this team.  It will be interesting to see how guys blend together and fill important roles throughout the season.”

Latest Transactions

·         Reading signed free agent centerman Graig Mischler to a contract this morning.  Mischler spent the last two seasons in the American Hockey League with the Cleveland Barons.  He will wear sweater #15 for the Royals and is expected to be in the line up tonight against the Trenton Titans. 

·         Forward Geoff Peters has been called up to the American Hockey League’s Rochester Americans.  Peters left this morning to meet up with the AHL club. 

·         Forward Dan Riva was recently traded to the Dayton Bombers for future considerations.  Riva was waived by the Bombers and is now a free agent.

·         Goaltender Cody Rudkowsky has been placed on the seven day injured reserve list.  Rudkowsky should be available next weekend when the Royals travel to Toledo .

·         Goaltender Dave Marlin has signed with Reading as the emergency back-up goaltender for this weekend.

·         Forward Chris Heisten has been traded to the Dayton Bombers for financial considerations.

The Royals face off their third season on Friday, October 17 in Trenton against the Titans.  The Royals home opener is slated for Saturday, October 18 versus the expansion Texas Wildcatters.  Get to the game early for the Quadrant Engineering “Wild in the Streets Block Party” beginning at 2:00 p.m.   Season, half-season, mini-pack and group tickets are on sale now by calling the Reading Royals Hockey Headquarters at 35 North 6^th Street in downtown Reading 610-898-7825 (PUCK) or toll free 866-789-7627 (ROAR).

 2003-04 ROSTER
(As of 10/17/2003 )

#          Player                          Pos.     Ht.       Wt.      D-O-B             L/R      Hometown                  Yrs. Pro

2          Mat Snesrud               D         6’3’      200      1/28/77              R         Cloquet, MN               2                       

4          Jason Maleyko            D         6’2”     193      5/24/80             L          Windsor , ON               R

6          Jonathan Zion             D         6’0”     180      5/21/81              L          Nepean , ON                1

7          Leon Hayward             RW      5’11”   200      11/14/76            R         Seattle , WA                  1

10        David Masse               LW      6’0”     190      12/2/82                L           Montreal , PQ              R

11        Nick Lent                    RW      6’5”     225      7/10/77                    R         Westwood , MA              3

12        Jeff Finger                  D         6’2”     195      12/18/79               R         Lauriom, MI               R

13        Peter Hay                    RW      6’5”     205      2/19/82                 R         Burnaby , BC               R            

15        Graig Mischler           C         6’2”     200      9/15/78                L          Holbrook , NY              2

17        Ian Turner                   D         6’1”     190      10/13/81                R         Belleville , ON             1

18        Kent Davyduke          C         6’1”     205      9/10/79                   L          Saskatoon , SK            1

19        Dean Arsene               D         6’2”     200      7/20/80                 L          Abbotsford , BC          2

21-A     Darryl Laplante           C         6’0”     200      3/28/77                 L          Calgary , AB                 6

22-A     Dave Stewart             LW      5’11”   195      10/18/74                 L          Antigonish, NS            4

23        Judd Medak               RW      6’0”     200      9/20/79                      R         Edmonton , AB            1

25-C     Brad Church               RW      6’1’      210      11/14/76                    L          Dauphin, MB              7

Goaltenders

1          Adam Hauser              G         6’2”     195      5/27/80            L          Bovey , MN                  1            

31        Dave Marlin               G        6’2”    210     11/11/77         L         Downingtown, PA      R

Call-Ups to Rochester Americans

24        Geoff Peters                C         6’1”     210      4/30/78                        L          Hamilton , ON             5

Injured Reserve

30        Cody Rudkowsky       G         6’1”     200      7/21/79                        L          Willingdon , AB            4

Pronunciation Guide

Masse =mass-SAY
 Davyduke = Da-vee-dukeM
edak= Med-ick
Arsene = AR-seen-ee
Maleyko = Mah-LAY-ko 
Hauser = HOW-zer
Snesrud =
SNEZ-rude

General Manager:   Ray Delia
Head Coach: Derek Clancey
Trainer:   Brian Grogesky
Equipment Manager: Pat Noecker
Broadcaster:  John Curtis

Draft Status: 1998 - Vancouver Canoucks – 8^th round, 204^th overall

LAST GOAL:                                                                                                                       LAST ASSIST:   

                                                                  -----Regular Season-----                                                    -----Playoffs-----

SEASON   TEAM                  LGE    GP    G       A       PTS    PIMS   GP     G       A        PTS PIMS  

1997-98       Northeastern                     NCAA      39          7              13            20            22

1998-99       Northeastern                     NCAA      33          8              15            23            36

1999-00     Northeastern                      NCAA      34          9              14            23            22

2000-01     Northeastern                      NCAA      36          10            32            42            34                           

2001-02     Cleveland                             AHL         65          10            14            24            71           

2002-03     Cleveland                             AHL         67          12            12            24            64

·         10/17/03 …Signed contract with Royals