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OHL Erie Otters

Erie Otters Announce Affiliation with GOJHL's Port Colborne Sailors

July 16, 2024 - Ontario Hockey League (OHL)
Erie Otters News Release


Erie, Pennsylvania - The Ontario Hockey League's Erie Otters and Greater Ontario Junior Hockey League's Port Colborne Sailors have signed an affiliation agreement, general managers Dave Brown (Erie), Christian Wiley (Port Colborne), and the organizations jointly announced Tuesday.

This first-of-its-kind partnership for the Otters aligns the OHL club with a partner in player development that is located close to home base in Erie, as well as near a chunk of centrally located OHL opponents. With the affiliation, the Otters will be able to assign affiliated players, draft picks and prospects to play and develop in Port Colborne.

"The Greater Ontario Junior Hockey League, renowned as a premier development league, has been a stepping stone for players who want to further their careers in the Ontario Hockey League." said Brown, "We are excited to enter into an affiliation where the development of young players with aspirations to become elite individuals and hockey players is the central focus."

The 2023-24 season was the first in the team history of the Port Colborne Sailors after relocating from the longtime home of Thorold, Ontario. A hockey-rich community located on the south shores of the Niagara region, Port Colborne is located a mere 117 miles from the Flagship City - providing a proximally-ideal location for Otters prospect development. Otters' prospect Brody Coe was part of the Sailors roster in 2023-24, finding 11 points (5G+6A) in 16 games.

"Our commitment to this partnership is unwavering, and we will work diligently to ensure that it is mutually beneficial." said Brown, "We are confident that both organizations will be proud of the development model we can provide to young Otters and Sailors prospects."

Port Colborne's hockey operations staff is headlined by head coach Kevin Roseburgh, formerly head coach of the Southern Tier Admirals AAA organization, and general manager Christian Wiley - who managed the Hamilton Kilty B's to a Golden Horseshoe Conference championship in 2023.

"To have a partnership with an OHL club at our level is a great opportunity. However, adding a partner like Erie specifically, is a giant leap above just affiliation. Starting at the top with Mr. Waters and the environment he has built, the culture amongst the staff, their drafting ability, and their willingness to make this a mutually beneficial partnership, are all such major impacts for a club at our level." said Wiley, "We are honored at the opportunity and are fully committed to developing the future of their roster. We are going to emulate their daily program as much as possible to ensure players have an easy transition to the workload and expectations at the OHL level. We are also committed to developing young talent, intentionally."

This past season saw the Erie Otters finish fifth in the OHL's Western Conference, and play in the post-season for the first time in seven years. Under the tutelage of general manager Dave Brown and third-year head coach Stan Butler, Erie is poised for a year with high expectations. With a deep pool of young prospects, the Otters alignment with an upstart organization in Port Colborne will ensure qualitative development that will be beneficial to their elevation to the OHL.

"We sincerely appreciate the trust that Dave Brown and his staff have placed in us." said Wiley, "We are thrilled to posture our organization to the future success of the Otters and young players alike."

The Erie Otters are ecstatic to enter this affiliation agreement with the Port Colborne, and welcome the Sailors players, coaches, staff, and fans to the Otters Family.

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