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OHL Erie Otters

Sidorkiewicz Named Head Coach

June 26, 2006 - Ontario Hockey League (OHL)
Erie Otters News Release


The Erie Otters of the Ontario Hockey League announced in a press conference this afternoon that they have hired Peter Sidorkiewicz as the team's new Head Coach.

Sidorkiewicz was promoted from the position of Assistant Coach, where he served the Otters for the past seven seasons. The 42 year-old Oshawa, Ontario resident was an integral part of a coaching staff that lead the Otters to three consecutive Midwest Division titles (1999-2002), an OHL Regular Season title (2000-01), a Western Conference title (2001-02) and the 2002 OHL Championship. In addition to his success with the Otters, Sidorkiewicz also served as an Assistant Coach with Team Ontario when they won a gold medal at the 2003 World Under-17 Hockey Challenge.

"I'm looking forward to the opportunity and challenge to coach this hockey team," Sidorkiewicz said. "Looking around at the new faces that Sherry (Bassin) and Ron (Sertz) have brought together makes me extremely excited to get going. I know that as we continue to share our experiences and work together we will build a winning program."

"After an exhaustive search we found the answer right in our own backyard," Otters Managing Partner and General Manager Sherry Bassin said. "If he was an outside applicant, with his resume, he would have been a leading candidate. We feel that we were fortunate he was already in our family. I am extremely confident that the collection of individuals that we have brought together today will support Sid as the Head Coach and lead us to all of our organizational goals, which includes another championship."

During his playing days, Sidorkiewicz appeared in 246 NHL games compiling a 79-128-27 record with eight shutouts and a 3.60 goals against average. He was named to the NHL All-Rookie Team in 1988-89 after posting four shutouts with the Hartford Whalers and in 1993-94 represented the Ottawa Senators in the NHL All-Star Game held in Montreal. In all, the native of Dabrowa Bialostocka, Poland, played 14 years of professional hockey with NHL stops in Hartford, Ottawa and New Jersey. He also played professionally with Fort Wayne of the International Hockey League and Binghamton and Albany of the American Hockey League.

Sidorkiewicz, who was inducted into the Binghamton, New York Hockey Hall of Fame in 2002, played junior hockey in Oshawa under Otters General Manager and Managing Partner Sherry Bassin from 1980-84. He backstopped the Generals to the 1983 Memorial Cup Final where they lost to the Portland Winter Hawks of the Western Hockey League.

2006-2007 Erie Otters Season Tickets are now on sale. Reserve your seats now and save big over the Box Office price. Platinum level tickets are $376.74, Gold level tickets are $328.61 and a Child (12 and under) Season Ticket in any seating level is $230.48. All prices do not include the City of Erie Entertainment Tax or fees. There are additional savings for Erie Youth Hockey Association and Erie Lady Lions members.

Don't miss out on the Otters 2006 Champions for Education Weekend presented by Highmark Blue Cross Blue Shield and JET-TV. Join your favorite members of the Otters at the Dinner at the Bel-Aire Hotel and Conference Center on August 27th followed by the Golf Tournament being held August 28th at the Chautauqua Golf Club. For more information contact the Otters at 814-455-7779.

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Ontario Hockey League Stories from June 26, 2006


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