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The Erie Otters are a
Major junior Junior hockey is a level of competitive ice hockey generally for players between 16 and 21 years of age. Junior hockey leagues in the United States and Canada are considered amateur (with some exceptions) and operate within regions of each cou ...
ice hockey Ice hockey (or simply hockey) is a team sport played on ice skates, usually on an ice skating rink with lines and markings specific to the sport. It belongs to a family of sports called hockey. In ice hockey, two opposing teams use ice h ...
team based in
Erie, Pennsylvania Erie (; ) is a city on the south shore of Lake Erie and the county seat of Erie County, Pennsylvania, United States. Erie is the fifth largest city in Pennsylvania and the largest city in Northwestern Pennsylvania with a population of 94,831 ...
. They are members of the Midwest division of the
Ontario Hockey League The Ontario Hockey League (OHL; french: Ligue de hockey de l'Ontario (LHO)) is one of the three major junior ice hockey leagues which constitute the Canadian Hockey League. The league is for players aged 16–19. There are exceptions for overa ...
(OHL), one of only three American teams in the circuit. The team name refers to the
North American river otter The North American river otter (''Lontra canadensis''), also known as the northern river otter and river otter, is a semiaquatic mammal that only lives on the North American continent, along its waterways and coasts. An adult North American rive ...
common to
Lake Erie Lake Erie ( "eerie") is the fourth largest lake by surface area of the five Great Lakes in North America and the eleventh-largest globally. It is the southernmost, shallowest, and smallest by volume of the Great Lakes and therefore also h ...
.


History

The Erie Otters were previously located in
Niagara Falls, Ontario Niagara Falls is a city in Ontario, Canada. It is on the western bank of the Niagara River in the Golden Horseshoe region of Southern Ontario, with a population of 88,071 at the 2016 census. It is part of the St. Catharines - Niagara Census M ...
, where they were called the
Niagara Falls Thunder The Niagara Falls Thunder was a junior ice hockey team in the Ontario Hockey League from 1988 to 1996. The team was based in Niagara Falls, Ontario. History Niagara Falls became home to its third OHL franchise in 1988 upon the relocation of the H ...
. They moved to
Erie Insurance Arena Erie Insurance Arena (originally known as Erie Civic Center and later, Louis J. Tullio Arena) is a multi-purpose indoor arena in the downtown area of Erie, Pennsylvania. It is home to the Erie Otters of the Ontario Hockey League and was the forme ...
in downtown Erie in time for the 1996–97 season. After three seasons of mediocrity in Erie, they won the Midwest Division's Holody Trophy in
1999 File:1999 Events Collage.png, From left, clockwise: The funeral procession of King Hussein of Jordan in Amman; the 1999 İzmit earthquake kills over 17,000 people in Turkey; the Columbine High School massacre, one of the first major school shoot ...
. It was their first of three consecutive Midwest Division championships, culminating in a
J. Ross Robertson Cup The J. Ross Robertson Cup is a Canadian ice hockey trophy. It is awarded annually in junior ice hockey to the champion of the Ontario Hockey League playoffs. It was donated by John Ross Robertson to the Ontario Hockey Association in 1910, and ...
in the 2001–02 season. Additionally,
Dave MacQueen Dave MacQueen (born February 8, 1959) is a Canadian ice hockey coach and former player. MacQueen most recently served as the head coach of Austria's Dornbirn Bulldogs. Playing career Prior to becoming a coach, MacQueen played seven years of pro ...
won the
Matt Leyden Trophy The Matt Leyden Trophy is awarded annually to the Ontario Hockey League Coach of the Year. The award is chosen by fellow OHL general managers. Teams were not permitted to vote for a coach from their own hockey club. Coaches receive five points for ...
in 2000–01 as the OHL Coach of the Year. General manager
Sherwood Bassin Sherwood Bassin (born August 14, 1939) is a Canadian ice hockey executive known primarily for 36 years of involvement in the Ontario Hockey League as a general manager, team owner and coach. Bassin successfully turned franchises around, and his ...
was awarded
OHL Executive of the Year The OHL Executive of the Year Award was given annually to the top executive in the Ontario Hockey League, whose team demonstrates success both on the ice, and at the administration level. It was first awarded in 1989–90 OHL season. The most rec ...
, and the
CHL Executive of the Year The CHL Executive of the Year award is given out annually to the top executive in the Canadian Hockey League. The award has not been conferred since 2002. Recipients are chosen from the winners of the respective constituent league awards: the OHL ...
for his role in building a championship team. The
Lake Erie College of Osteopathic Medicine The Lake Erie College of Osteopathic Medicine (LECOM) is a private medical school in Erie, Pennsylvania, Greensburg, Pennsylvania, Bradenton, Florida, DeFuniak Springs, Florida and Elmira, New York. Founded in 1992, LECOM confers medical (D.O.) ...
(LECOM) officially partnered with the Erie Otters in 2012 as their official medical provider.
Connor McDavid Connor Andrew McDavid (born January 13, 1997) is a Canadian professional ice hockey centre and captain of the Edmonton Oilers of the National Hockey League (NHL). The Oilers selected him first overall in the 2015 NHL Entry Draft. McDavid spen ...
played for the Erie Otters from the
2012–13 OHL season The 2012–13 OHL season was the 33rd season of the Ontario Hockey League. The Mississauga St. Michael's Majors were sold during the off-season. As part of the sale, the "St. Michael's Majors" name was returned to St. Michael's College School. ...
to the 2014–15 OHL season. McDavid had been named "Player of the Year" for the 2011–12 season in the
Greater Toronto Hockey League The Greater Toronto Hockey League (GTHL), formerly known as the Metro Toronto Hockey League, is a minor level ice hockey organization based in the Greater Toronto Area of Ontario. The league was founded in 1911 as the Beaches Hockey League by ...
, following a record of 79 goals and 130 assists while playing as a 14/15 year old on a midget-level team. Hockey Canada, the governing body for amateur hockey in Canada, granted McDavid "Exceptional Player" status, which permitted him to play in the OHL a year earlier than would otherwise be permissible for a player his age. He was only the third player to receive that status, after
John Tavares John Tavares (born September 20, 1990) is a Canadian professional ice hockey centre and captain of the Toronto Maple Leafs of the National Hockey League (NHL). He was selected first overall by the New York Islanders in the 2009 NHL Entry Draft ...
and
Aaron Ekblad Aaron Ekblad (born February 7, 1996) is a Canadian professional ice hockey defenceman and alternate captain for the Florida Panthers in the National Hockey League (NHL). Ekblad was selected first overall in the 2011 Ontario Hockey League (OHL) e ...
. The Otters chose the 15-year-old as their first overall pick in the 2012 OHL Priority Selection Draft, and he joined the team for the 2012–13 season. McDavid garnered much attention, and was rated highly as he approached draft eligibility during his 2014–15 season with the Otters. He led the team to the
J. Ross Robertson Cup The J. Ross Robertson Cup is a Canadian ice hockey trophy. It is awarded annually in junior ice hockey to the champion of the Ontario Hockey League playoffs. It was donated by John Ross Robertson to the Ontario Hockey Association in 1910, and ...
championship finals, where the Otters fell to the Oshawa Generals. The
NHL Central Scouting Bureau The NHL Central Scouting Services (CSS) is a department within the National Hockey League that ranks prospects for the NHL Entry Draft at specific times during the hockey season. Players are ranked based on how well they will translate to the profe ...
subsequently named McDavid the top North American prospect for the 2015 NHL Entry Draft, where the
Edmonton Oilers The Edmonton Oilers are a professional ice hockey team based in Edmonton. The Oilers compete in the National Hockey League (NHL) as a member of the Pacific Division of the Western Conference. They play their home games at Rogers Place, which ...
selected him first overall. On March 18, 2017, the Erie Otters became the first team in Canadian Hockey League history to record four consecutive 50-win seasons in a row (2013–17). The Otters had previously shared the record of three consecutive 50-win seasons with the
Kelowna Rockets The Kelowna Rockets are a major junior ice hockey team based in Kelowna, British Columbia, Canada. The Rockets play in the Western Hockey League (WHL), out of the Canadian Hockey League (CHL). They play their home games at Prospera Place. The R ...
(2012–15),
Edmonton Oil Kings The Edmonton Oil Kings are a major junior ice hockey team based in Edmonton, Alberta, Canada, that play in the Western Hockey League. As of July 2008, they are owned by Daryl Katz's Oilers Entertainment Group, which also owns the Edmonton Oilers ...
(2011–14),
Saint John Sea Dogs The Saint John Sea Dogs are a major junior ice hockey team in the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League. The team was founded as an expansion team in 2005 and play at TD Station in Saint John, New Brunswick, Canada. The Sea Dogs became the first tea ...
(2009–12) and the
Kamloops Blazers The Kamloops Blazers are a junior ice hockey team in the Western Hockey League (WHL). The team plays in the B.C. Division of the Western Conference, is based out of Kamloops, British Columbia, and play home games at Sandman Centre. The Blazers o ...
(1989–92). On May 22, 2017, the Erie Otters set a
Memorial Cup The Memorial Cup () is the national championship of the Canadian Hockey League, a consortium of three major junior ice hockey leagues operating in Canada and parts of the United States. It is a four-team round-robin tournament played between t ...
record for most goals by one team in a single game by defeating the
Saint John Sea Dogs The Saint John Sea Dogs are a major junior ice hockey team in the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League. The team was founded as an expansion team in 2005 and play at TD Station in Saint John, New Brunswick, Canada. The Sea Dogs became the first tea ...
with a final score of 12–5, surpassing the previous record of 11 goals set by the
Quebec Remparts There have been two junior ice hockey franchises known as the Quebec Remparts (french: Remparts de Québec) that played in the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League (QMJHL). The first edition played from 1969 to 1985; the current franchise has pla ...
(1974, 11–3) and
Regina Pats Regina (Latin for "queen") may refer to: Places Canada * Regina, Saskatchewan, the capital city of the province ** Regina (electoral district) ** Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Regina France * Régina, French Guiana, a commune United States * ...
(1980, 11–2). The game also set the record for most goals by both teams with a total of 17 goals, surpassing the record of 16 goals when the
Kitchener Rangers The Kitchener Rangers are a major junior ice hockey team based in Kitchener, Ontario, Canada. They are members of the Midwest Division of the Western Conference of the Ontario Hockey League. The Rangers have won the J. Ross Robertson Cup as OHL ...
defeated the Kamloop Jr. Oilers with a final score of 9–7 (1984).
Dylan Strome Dylan William Strome (born March 7, 1997) is a Canadian professional ice hockey center for the Washington Capitals of the National Hockey League. Ahead of the 2015 NHL Entry Draft, Strome was considered a top prospect, and was selected third ov ...
set an individual record of 7 points in a single game (4 goals, 3 assists) surpassing the previous record of 6 points in a single game held by Joe Contini (1976), Guy Rouleau (1986), and Mike Mathers (1992). Taylor Raddysh also tied the previous record of 6 points (2 goals, 4 assists) in the same game. On January 17, 2022, the Erie Otters hosted their inaugural
Martin Luther King Jr. Day Martin Luther King Jr. Day (officially Birthday of Martin Luther King, Jr., and sometimes referred to as MLK Day) is a federal holiday in the United States marking the birthday of Martin Luther King Jr. It is observed on the third Mond ...
game. The team made history when
University of Pittsburgh The University of Pittsburgh (Pitt) is a public state-related research university in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. The university is composed of 17 undergraduate and graduate schools and colleges at its urban Pittsburgh campus, home to the universit ...
student Alex Randall broadcast the television feed of the game as the first
African American African Americans (also referred to as Black Americans and Afro-Americans) are an ethnic group consisting of Americans with partial or total ancestry from sub-Saharan Africa. The term "African American" generally denotes descendants of ens ...
play-by-play announcer in the Ontario Hockey League or the Canadian Hockey League.


Uniforms and logos

From their first season until the end of the 2016–17 season, the Erie Otters' colors were navy blue, gold, red, and white. Their primary logo featured a circular outline with a fierce, anthropomorphic otter furnishing a hockey stick and gear. The "Otters" wordmark is superimposed over the design in red with gold and navy blue outline. The team's home uniform included a navy blue sweater with red and gold accents. The away uniforms featured a white jersey with navy blue and red trim. For the 2013–14 season, the Erie Otters introduced a gold alternate jersey. This jersey features a navy blue shoulder yoke, navy blue and white stripes, and the cursive "Otters" wordmark centered across the chest. The design resembles the sweaters of the defunct
Erie Blades The Erie Blades name was used by two professional ice hockey teams in Erie, Pennsylvania. Both teams played their home games in the Erie County Field House. After the second Blades team folded, the void was filled by the Erie Golden Blades, a tea ...
, who played from 1975 to 1982. In 2016, the Erie Otters began wearing the gold alternate jerseys for every Saturday home game throughout the regular season and also introduced gold helmets to the uniform set, rather than the blue helmets worn with the gold jersey in previous seasons. For the 2017–18 season, the Erie Otters announced that the secondary cursive "Otters" watermark has become their new primary logo and the team is making a full-time switch to a gold, navy and white color set. With this change, the alternate gold jerseys have become the new primary home set, and a newly introduced white jersey (in the same style as the gold) has become the new away set. On May 20, 2019, the Otters updated an older Otters logo with the new color pattern of navy blue and gold as part of the center emblem, shoulder patch with a more modern look and the Erie name inside of the Pennsylvania keystone symbol.


Arena

The Erie Otters play their home games at
Erie Insurance Arena Erie Insurance Arena (originally known as Erie Civic Center and later, Louis J. Tullio Arena) is a multi-purpose indoor arena in the downtown area of Erie, Pennsylvania. It is home to the Erie Otters of the Ontario Hockey League and was the forme ...
, which opened in 1983 and currently seats 6,716 spectators. It is a centerpiece of the Erie Civic Center Complex, which also includes the
UPMC Park UPMC Park, formerly known as Jerry Uht Park, is a baseball park located in Erie, Pennsylvania. It is the home of the Double-A (baseball), Double-A Erie SeaWolves of the Eastern League (1938–present), Eastern League, the city's Minor League Base ...
baseball stadium, home to the Double-A Erie SeaWolves.


Championships

List of championships:


Coaches

List of coaches: * indicates replacement mid-season.


Award winners

List of award winners:


General managers

''List of general managers with multiple seasons in parentheses.'' *1998–2015 –
Sherwood Bassin Sherwood Bassin (born August 14, 1939) is a Canadian ice hockey executive known primarily for 36 years of involvement in the Ontario Hockey League as a general manager, team owner and coach. Bassin successfully turned franchises around, and his ...
(17) *2015–present – Dave Brown (8)


Players


Award winners

List of award winners:


NHL alumni

List of National Hockey League (NHL) alumni: *
Nikita Alexeev Nikita Sergeyevich Alexeev, sometimes transliterated as Alexeyev, (russian: Никита Алексеев, born December 27, 1981) is a Russian former professional ice hockey forward who last played in the Kontinental Hockey League with Severs ...
*
Brady Austin Brady Austin (born June 16, 1993) is a Canadian professional ice hockey defenceman. He is currently playing for Kölner Haie in the Deutsche Eishockey Liga (DEL). Austin was selected in the seventh round (193rd overall) of the 2012 NHL Entry Draf ...
* Nick Baptiste *
Adam Berti Adam Berti (born July 1, 1986, in Scarborough, Toronto, Scarborough, Ontario) is a professional ice hockey winger (ice hockey), left winger. He was drafted by the Chicago Blackhawks in the third round, 68th overall, of the 2004 NHL Entry Draft fr ...
* Michael Blunden *
Brad Boyes Bradley Keith Boyes (born April 17, 1982) is a Canadian former professional ice hockey player, who spent thirteen seasons in the National Hockey League (NHL) as a member of seven different teams. Early life Boyes went to Hazel McCallion Senior P ...
* Chris Breen *
David Broll David Broll (born January 4, 1993) is a retired Canadian professional ice hockey player. He last played with the Coventry Blaze in the EIHL. Broll was selected by the Toronto Maple Leafs in the sixth round (152nd overall) of the 2011 NHL Entry D ...
* Connor Brown * Andre Burakovsky *
Chris Campoli Christopher Campoli (born July 9, 1984) is a Canadian professional ice hockey player for the Dundas Real McCoys of the Ontario Hockey Association's Allan Cup Hockey. He played for the Chicago Blackhawks, Ottawa Senators, New York Islanders, and ...
* Erik Cernak *
Anthony Cirelli Anthony Cirelli (, ; born July 15, 1997) is a Canadian professional ice hockey center who is currently playing for the Tampa Bay Lightning of the National Hockey League (NHL). He was selected by the Lightning in the third round (72nd overall) of ...
*
Carlo Colaiacovo Carlo Colaiacovo ( ; born January 27, 1983) is a Canadian former professional ice hockey defenceman who is currently co-hosting a show on Canada’s TSN 1050 radio station, ''First Up with Korolnek and Colaiacovo''. He most recently played for ...
* Tim Connolly * Oscar Dansk *
Alex DeBrincat Alexander DeBrincat (born December 18, 1997) is an American professional ice hockey Winger (ice hockey), right winger for the Ottawa Senators of the National Hockey League (NHL). He was selected by the Chicago Blackhawks in the second round, 39t ...
*
Travis Dermott Travis Dermott (born December 22, 1996) is a Canadian professional ice hockey defenceman for the Arizona Coyotes of the National Hockey League (NHL). Dermott was rated as a top prospect projected as a possible first round pick in the 2015 NHL E ...
* Jamie Drysdale *
Remi Elie Remi Elie (born April 16, 1995) is a Canadian professional ice hockey forward who is currently playing for Färjestad BK of the Swedish Hockey League (SHL). He was selected by the Dallas Stars in the 2nd round (40th overall) of the 2013 NHL Ent ...
*
Warren Foegele Warren Foegele (born April 1, 1996) is a Canadian professional ice hockey forward who currently plays with the Edmonton Oilers in the National Hockey League (NHL). He was drafted by the Carolina Hurricanes in the third-round, 67th overall, at th ...
*
Brendan Gaunce Brendan Gaunce (born March 25, 1994) is a Canadian professional ice hockey forward who is currently playing with the Cleveland Monsters in the American Hockey League (AHL) while under contract to the Columbus Blue Jackets in the National Hocke ...
*
Luke Gazdic Luke Gazdic (born July 25, 1989) is a Canadian former professional ice hockey winger. Gazdic was selected 172nd overall in the 2007 NHL Entry Draft by the Dallas Stars. He played for the Edmonton Oilers and New Jersey Devils during his National ...
* Justin Hodgman * Hayden Hodgson * Mike Liambas *
Brett MacLean Brett MacLean (born December 24, 1988) is a former Canadians, Canadian professional ice hockey player who played for the Phoenix Coyotes and Winnipeg Jets in the National Hockey League. He was drafted 32nd overall by the Coyotes in the 2007 NHL ...
*
Kurtis MacDermid Kurtis MacDermid (born March 25, 1994) is a Canadian professional ice hockey defenseman currently playing for the Colorado Avalanche of the National Hockey League (NHL). MacDermid won the Stanley Cup with the Avalanche in 2022. He is mostly known ...
*
Mason Marchment Mason Marchment (born June 18, 1995) is a Canadian professional ice hockey forward for the Dallas Stars of the National Hockey League (NHL). Playing career Despite not playing major junior hockey until the age of 19, Marchment was signed by the ...
*
Connor McDavid Connor Andrew McDavid (born January 13, 1997) is a Canadian professional ice hockey centre and captain of the Edmonton Oilers of the National Hockey League (NHL). The Oilers selected him first overall in the 2015 NHL Entry Draft. McDavid spen ...
*
Greg McKegg Greg McKegg (born June 17, 1992) is a Canadian professional ice hockey centre currently playing for the Bakersfield Condors in the American Hockey League (AHL) while under contract to the Edmonton Oilers of the National Hockey League (NHL). McKe ...
* Steve Montador *
Adam Munro Adam Munro (born November 12, 1982) is a Canadian professional ice hockey goaltender currently playing for the Hamilton Steelhawks of the Allan Cup Hockey (ACH) league. Playing career Munro was drafted in the 1st round, 29th overall by the Ch ...
*
Jordan Nolan Jordan Nolan (born June 23, 1989) is a Canadian actor and former professional ice hockey forward. He was selected by the Los Angeles Kings in the seventh round (186th overall) of the 2009 NHL Entry Draft. Nolan won the Stanley Cup twice with ...
*
Ryan O'Marra Ryan O'Marra (born June 9, 1987) is a Canadian former professional ice hockey player. O'Marra played professionally from 2006 until 2015. A first round pick of the New York Islanders of the National Hockey League (NHL), O'Marra played 33 games in ...
*
Ryan O'Reilly Ryan O'Reilly (born February 7, 1991) is a Canadian professional ice hockey centre and captain of the St. Louis Blues of the National Hockey League (NHL). He has previously played for the Colorado Avalanche and Buffalo Sabres. O'Reilly was dra ...
*
Nick Palmieri Nicholas Palmieri (born July 12, 1989) is an American former professional ice hockey player. He was selected by the New Jersey Devils in the third-round of the 2007 NHL Draft. Playing career As a youth, Palmieri played in the 2002 Quebec Intern ...
*
Jeff Paul Jeffrey M. Paul (born March 1, 1978) is a Canadian former professional ice hockey player and current coach of the Kladno Knights of the Czech Republic Extraliga. He played in 10 professional seasons. Career Born in London, Ontario, Paul was dr ...
*
Adam Pelech Adam Pelech ( ; born August 16, 1994) is a Canadian professional ice hockey defenceman for the New York Islanders of the National Hockey League (NHL). Born and raised in Toronto, Pelech followed his older brothers Michael and Matthew into playi ...
* Anthony Peluso * Geoff Platt *
Darren Raddysh Darren Raddysh (born February 28, 1996) is a Canadian professional ice hockey defenceman currently playing for the Tampa Bay Lightning of the National Hockey League (NHL). Early life Raddysh was born on February 28, 1996, in Caledon, Ontario to ...
* Taylor Raddysh *
Michael Rupp Michael Ryan Rupp (born January 13, 1980) is an American former professional ice hockey center. He has previously played in the National Hockey League (NHL) for the New Jersey Devils, Phoenix Coyotes, Columbus Blue Jackets, Pittsburgh Penguins,New ...
*
Dylan Strome Dylan William Strome (born March 7, 1997) is a Canadian professional ice hockey center for the Washington Capitals of the National Hockey League. Ahead of the 2015 NHL Entry Draft, Strome was considered a top prospect, and was selected third ov ...
* Stephen Valiquette *
Phil Varone Phil Varone (born October 15, 1967) is an American drummer. He is a founding and former member of the band Saigon Kick from 1988–1996 and from 2012–2015. While out of Saigon Kick for several years, some of which Saigon Kick wasn't active ...
* Jason Ward *
Jeff Zehr Jeff Zehr (born December 10, 1978) is a Canadian professional ice hockey winger who last played for the Flint Generals of the International Hockey League. Zehr was drafted 31st overall by the New York Islanders in the 1997 NHL Entry Draft. He ...


NHL first round draft picks

Connor McDavid Connor Andrew McDavid (born January 13, 1997) is a Canadian professional ice hockey centre and captain of the Edmonton Oilers of the National Hockey League (NHL). The Oilers selected him first overall in the 2015 NHL Entry Draft. McDavid spen ...
is the first player with Erie ties to be selected first overall in a major professional sports league’s draft. In his case, it was by the
Edmonton Oilers The Edmonton Oilers are a professional ice hockey team based in Edmonton. The Oilers compete in the National Hockey League (NHL) as a member of the Pacific Division of the Western Conference. They play their home games at Rogers Place, which ...
in the 2015 NHL Entry Draft on June 26, 2015. List of first round NHL draft picks:


Retired numbers

*
Brad Boyes Bradley Keith Boyes (born April 17, 1982) is a Canadian former professional ice hockey player, who spent thirteen seasons in the National Hockey League (NHL) as a member of seven different teams. Early life Boyes went to Hazel McCallion Senior P ...
(#16) *Vince Scott (#18)


Season-by-season results

List of season-by-season results:


Regular season

Legend: OTL - Overtime Loss, SL - Shootout Loss, PTS - Points, GF - Goals For, GA - Goals Against, GD - Goal Differential  


Playoffs

List of playoffs results:  


Memorial Cup

List of Memorial Cup results:


References


External links

* {{Pennsylvania Sports Ontario Hockey League teams Professional ice hockey teams in Pennsylvania Sports in Erie, Pennsylvania Ice hockey clubs established in 1996 1996 establishments in Pennsylvania