DEAN ARSENE RETURNS FOR 2008-09

July 7, 2008

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: July 7, 2008 CONTACT: John Walton â�" HERSHEY BEARS â�" (717) 682-6470 DEFENSEMAN DEAN ARSENE TO RETURN TO HERSHEY FOR 2008-09 SEASON â��THE MAYORâ�� RETURNS FOR ANOTHER TERM IN CHOCOLATETOWN AS BEARS SHORE UP BLUELINE FOR 2008-09 HERSHEY â�" The HERSHEY BEARS announced today that defenseman Dean Arsene has been signed to a contract for the upcoming 2008-09 season. The announcement was made today by BEARS President/GM Doug Yingst. Arsene, 27, first joined the team on January 21, 2004 and will be entering his fifth full season in a HERSHEY uniform this fall. A member of the 2006 Calder Cup Champion squad under current Washington Capitals head coach Bruce Boudreau, Arsene originally made his AHL debut with the Hartford Wolf Pack during the 2002-03 season. He has played in 221 games for the BEARS dating back to the 2003-04 season, and twice has been named the Milton Garland Memorial Trophy winner as HERSHEYâ�™S best defenseman. He won the award in 2004-05 and most recently took home the honor after the 2006-07 season when the Chocolate and White played in its second consecutive Calder Cup Final. â��Iâ�™m ecstatic about coming backâ�� Arsene said. â��Iâ�™m looking forward to being healthy for the whole year and playing with the likes of Minker (Graham Mink) and (Keith) Aucoin, and the rest of the solid group that weâ�™ve got coming back. It should make for a great year and I canâ�™t wait to get started. I wish the season started tomorrow.â�� Dubbed â��The Mayorâ�� for being a fan favorite as well as being community minded, Arsene has been nominated by the BEARS each of the last three seasons for the American Hockey Leagueâ�™s Yanick Dupre Memorial Award, given to the AHL player who best honors the spirit of the former HERSHEY skaterâ�™s charity work. Season ticket plans for the upcoming 2008-09 season are on sale now by calling (717) 508-BEAR, with plans starting at just $145. The American Hockey League is expected to release the 2008-09 schedule of games later this summer, with HERSHEY slated to play 20 different opponents.