OHL Erie Otters

Erie Otters 2022 OHL Priority Selection Lottery Primer

Published on April 20, 2022 under Ontario Hockey League (OHL)
Erie Otters News Release


Erie, Pennsylvania - History could be made on Wednesday, April 20 at 7 P.M. for the Erie Otters, as the team participates in the Ontario Hockey League's inaugural Lottery Process to determine the top four picks in the 2022 OHL Priority Selection Draft.

Adopted and introduced by the League's Board of Governors in August 2021, the lottery process will determine the order of selection for the top four picks of the 2022 OHL Priority Selection. The four teams that finished outside of a playoff spot in the OHL regular season standings - Niagara (#20), Saginaw (#19), Sudbury (#18), and Erie (#17) - will have an equal chance of securing the first overall selection through a randomized draft lottery process.

While Erie would've finished a standard season securing the 4th Overall Pick, the Otters will now have a 25 percent chance to receive the first, second, third, or fourth overall pick in the 2022 Priority Selection Draft - giving the organization a chance at the 1st Overall Pick for just the third time in team history (first since 2012). The Otters last held a top-two pick in 2013, when they selected future CHL & OHL Top Scorer Awards winner Dylan Strome.

Since 2000, Sudbury has held the #1 Overall Pick four times (2008, 2015, 2018, 2021*), Saginaw once (2003), and Niagara zero times. Sudbury's #1 Overall Pick in 2021 was a result of a league-wide lottery to decide Draft Order due to the cancellation of the 2020-21 season - in which Erie received the #10 pick (Carey Terrance).

The 2022 OHL Priority Selection Draft will be the team's 27th Draft, having selected the first-through-fourth pick just eight (8) times.

1st Overall Picks (2)

2007 Priority Selection - Ryan O'Reilly (Toronto Jr. Canadiens U16 AAA)

Erie Otters / OHL Career

129 GP - 118 points (35G+83A)

Drafted Round 2, #33 to Colorado Avalanche in 2009 NHL Entry Draft

NHL Career to-date:

933 GP (COL, BUF, STL) - 655 points (236G+429A)

2018-19 Stanley Cup Champion (STL), Conn Smythe Trophy & Frank J. Selke Trophy recipient

2012 Priority Selection - Connor McDavid (Toronto Marlboros U16 AAA)

Erie Otters / OHL Career

Granted Exceptional Status in 2012

166 GP - 285 points (188G+285A)

Drafted Round 1, #1 to Edmonton Oilers in 2015 NHL Entry Draft

NHL Career to-date:

482 GP (EDM) - 684 points (237G+447A)

Art Ross Trophy (2016-17, 2017-18, 2020-21), Ted Lindsay Award (2016-17, 2017-18, 2020-21), Hart Memorial Trophy (2016-17, 2020-21)

2nd Overall Picks (2)

2008 Priority Selection - Gregg McKegg (Elgin Middlesex Chiefs U16 AAA)

Erie Otters / OHL Career

262 GP (ER, LDN) - 270 points (125G+145A)

Drafted Round 3, #62 to Toronto Maple Leafs in 2010 NHL Entry Draft

NHL Career to-date:

231 GP (TOR, FLA, TBL, PIT, CAR, NYR, BOS, NYR) - 39 points (21G+18A)

2013 Priority Selection - Dylan Strome (Toronto Marlboros U16 AAA)

Erie Otters / OHL Career

219 GP - 354 points (114G+240A)

2017 OHL Champion

Drafted Round 1, #3 to Arizona Coyotes in NHL Entry Draft

257 GP (ARI, CHI) - 168 points (66G+102A)

3rd Overall Picks (1)

2018 Priority Selection - Connor Lockhart (Kanata Lasers U18 AAA)

Erie Otters / OHL Career to-date:

121 GP - 75 points (32G+43A)

Drafted Round 6, #178 to Vancouver Canucks in 2021 NHL Entry Draft

4th Overall Picks (3)

2003 Priority Selection - Ryan O'Marra (Mississauga Senators U16 AAA)

Erie Otters / OHL Career

234 GP (ER, SAG) - 223 points (94G+129A)

Drafted Round 1, #15 to New York Islanders in 2005 NHL Entry Draft

33 GP (EDM, ANA) - 7 points (1G+6A)

2006 Priority Selection - Mitch Gaulton (Toronto Red Wings U16 AAA)

Erie Otters / OHL Career

201 GP (ER, KGN) - 80 points (21G+59A)

Drafted Round 6, #171 to New York Rangers in 2008 NHL Entry Draft

2017 Priority Selection - Jamie Drysdale (Toronto Marlboros U16 AAA)

Erie Otters / OHL Career

112 GP - 87 points (16G+71A)

Drafted Round 1, #6 to Anaheim Ducks in 2020 NHL Entry Draft

NHL Career to-date:

101 GP (ANA) - 39 points (7G+32A)

The OHL Priority Selection Lottery was developed in consideration of the expanded unbalanced schedule that was utilized during the 2021-22 season. The League will re-visit this format in advance of the 2023 OHL Priority Selection. All the excitement takes place tonight at 7 P.M. on OHL Live on CHL TV, and will be free-to-watch for all fans.

Following the announcing of the order of the top four picks, all eyes will be on Friday, April 29 at 7 P.M. for day one the 2022 Ontario Hockey League Priority Selection Draft - with the first three rounds taking place. Day two of the Priority Selection Draft will take place at 9 A.M. on Saturday, April 30 with rounds four through 15. Erie currently has 15 picks in the 2022 Priority Selection Draft, with two on day one (1st Round, 2nd Round [SOO]), and 13 on day two (4th [NIAG conditional], 5th, 6th, 7th, 9th, 10th, 11th, 12th, three in 13th [FLNT, NIAG], 14th, 15th). Draft Picks are subject to change leading up to the day of the Draft.

Keep up with all the Otters picks and results on OttersHockey.com or across the Otters' social media. For all results of the 2022 Priority Selection, please head to OntarioHockeyLeague.com.

Check out the Erie Otters Statistics

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