Erie Otters


The Erie Otters are a Major junior ice hockey team based in Erie, Pennsylvania. They are members of the Midwest division of the Ontario Hockey League, one of only three American teams in the circuit. The "Otters" name refers to the North American otter, a semiaquatic mammal common to Lake Erie.

History

The Erie Otters were previously located in Niagara Falls, Ontario, where they were called the Niagara Falls Thunder. They moved to Erie Insurance Arena 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. It was their first of three consecutive Midwest Division championships, culminating in a J. Ross Robertson Cup in the 2001–02 season. Additionally, Dave MacQueen won the Matt Leyden Trophy in 2000–01 as the OHL Coach of the Year. General manager Sherwood Bassin was awarded OHL Executive of the Year, and the CHL Executive of the Year for his role in building a championship team. The Erie Otters became the second U.S. team to win the OHL Championship, following the Detroit Junior Red Wings in the 1994–95 OHL season.
Lake Erie College of Osteopathic Medicine officially partnered with the Erie Otters in 2012 as their official medical provider.
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. The Otters had previously shared the record of three consecutive 50-win seasons with the Kelowna Rockets, Edmonton Oil Kings, Saint John Sea Dogs and the Kamloops Blazers.
On May 22, 2017, the Erie Otters set a Memorial Cup record for most goals by one team in a single game by defeating the Saint John Sea Dogs with a final score of 12–5, surpassing the previous record of 11 goals set by the Quebec Remparts and Regina Pats. 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 defeated the Kamloop Jr. Oilers with a final score of 9–7. Dylan Strome set an individual record of 7 points in a single game surpassing the previous record of 6 points in a single game held by Joe Contini, Guy Rouleau, and Mike Mathers. Taylor Raddysh also tied the previous record of 6 points in the same game.

Connor McDavid era (2012–15)

played for the Erie Otters from the 2012–13 OHL season 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, 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 and Aaron Ekblad.
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 championship finals, where the Otters fell to the Oshawa Generals.
The NHL Central Scouting Bureau subsequently named McDavid the top North American prospect for the 2015 NHL Entry Draft, where the Edmonton Oilers selected him first overall.

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, 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 has become the new away set.
On May 20, 2019, the Otters reintroduced the Otter logo, with some minor tweaks, as their new primary logo, as well as a new shoulder patch with new home and away jerseys.

Arena

The Erie Otters play their home games at Erie Insurance Arena, 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 baseball stadium, home to the Double-A Erie SeaWolves.

Championships

Coaches

* indicates replacement mid-season.

Award winners

Players

Award winners

NHL alumni

A total of 37 players have been selected at the National Hockey League Entry Draft since the franchise relocated to Erie, including a five-year stretch from 1997–2001 in which seven members of the team were selected in the first round: Jason Ward, Michael Rupp, Tim Connolly, Nikita Alexeev, Brad Boyes, Carlo Colaiacovo and Adam Munro.
Connor McDavid became the only player in team history to be drafted first overall after being drafted by the Edmonton Oilers in the 2015 NHL Entry Draft on June 26, 2015.
YearPlayerTeamRoundPick #
1997Jason WardMontreal Canadiens111
1997Patrick DovigiEdmonton Oilers241
1997Adam SpyloSan Jose Sharks5107
1998Michael RuppNew York Islanders19
1999Tim ConnollyNew York Islanders15
1999Sean DixonMontreal Canadiens6167
2000Nikita AlexeevTampa Bay Lightning18
2000Brad BoyesToronto Maple Leafs124
2000Michael RuppNew Jersey Devils376
2001Carlo ColaiacovoToronto Maple Leafs117
2001Adam MunroChicago Blackhawks129
2002Brian LeeAnaheim Ducks371
2002Scott DobbenOttawa Senators4113
2004Josh DisherNew Jersey Devils6185
2004Chris CampoliNew York Islanders7227
2005Ryan O'MarraNew York Islanders115
2005Mike BlundenChicago Blackhawks243
2007Nick PalmieriNew Jersey Devils379
2007Anthony PelusoSt. Louis Blues6160
2007Luke GazdicDallas Stars6172
2007Zack TorquatoDetroit Red Wings6178
2007Josh KiddLos Angeles Kings7184
2008Mitch GaultonNew York Rangers6171
2009Ryan O'ReillyColorado Avalanche233
2009Jaroslav JanusTampa Bay Lightning6162
2009David ShieldsSt. Louis Blues6168
2010Greg McKeggToronto Maple Leafs362
2010Andrew YoganNew York Rangers4100
2012Adam PelechNew York Islanders365
2012Connor BrownToronto Maple Leafs6156
2013Andre BurakovskyWashington Capitals123
2013Connor CrispMontreal Canadiens371
2014Kyle PettitVancouver Canucks6156
2015Connor McDavidEdmonton Oilers11
2015Dylan StromeArizona Coyotes13
2015Travis DermottToronto Maple Leafs234
2016Alex DeBrincatChicago Blackhawks239
2016Taylor RaddyshTampa Bay Lightning258
2016Jordan SambrookDetroit Red Wings5137
2017Ivan LodniaMinnesota Wild385

Retired numbers

Regular season

Legend: OTL - Overtime Loss, SL - Shootout Loss, PTS - Points, GF - Goals For, GA - Goals Against, GD - Goal Differential
SeasonGamesWonLostTieOTLSLPTSPCT%GFGAGDStandingPlayoffs
1996–976623367--530.402240260-205th CentralLost in Quarterfinals
1997–986633285--710.538261252+94th WestLost in Quarterfinals
1998–996831334--660.485271297-263rd MidwestLost in Quarterfinals
1999–0068332843-730.515224229-51st MidwestLost in Semifinals
2000–01684511102-1020.735264171+931st MidwestLost in Conference Finals
2001–0268412241-870.632246218+281st MidwestWon OHL Championship, Lost Memorial Cup
2002–0368243563-570.397181248-675th MidwestMissed Playoffs
2003–0468292667-710.471221212+95th MidwestLost in Semifinals
2004–0568312665-730.500186207-214th MidwestLost in Quarterfinals
2005–06682635-43590.434219266-475th MidwestMissed Playoffs
2006–07681550-12330.243209378-1695th MidwestMissed Playoffs
2007–08681846-22400.294206343-1375th MidwestMissed Playoffs
2008–09683429-32730.537208254-463rd MidwestLost in Quarterfinals
2009–10683328-52730.537257259-24th MidwestLost in Quarterfinals
2010–11684026-11820.603281229+523rd MidwestLost in Quarterfinals
2011–12681052-33260.191169338-1695th MidwestMissed Playoffs
2012–13681940-45470.346206312-1065th MidwestMissed Playoffs
2013–14685214-201060.779312170+1422nd MidwestLost in Conference Finals
2014–15685014-221040.765331212+1191st MidwestLost OHL Championship
2015–16685215-101050.772269183+861st MidwestLost in Conference Finals
2016–17685015-211030.757319182+1371st MidwestWon OHL Championship, Lost Memorial Cup
2017–18682335-73560.412220270-505th MidwestMissed Playoffs
2018–19682638-31560.412230300-705th MidwestMissed Playoffs
2019–20632626-47630.500229236-75th MidwestPlayoffs Cancelled

Playoffs

Memorial Cup