B.J. Adams heads into his first season as the ninth Head Coach in Erie Otters team history, being promoted to the position on November 11, 2021 – his sixth season with the team.
Adams began his tenure in Erie as an Assistant Coach under Kris Knoblauch when he was hired in July of 2015. During his two seasons as an assistant, Adams helped guide the team to an OHL Championship and Memorial Cup Final berth in 2017. During that time, Adams oversaw the team’s blue-line to the second-best scoring defense in the OHL in each campaign, limiting opponents to just 182 goals scored in the 2016-17 campaign for a franchise third best mark. Under his guidance the penalty kill has finished in the top-five of the OHL each season: 5th in 2015-16, and 4th in 2016-17.
On June 29, 2017, the Erie Otters promoted Adams to the role of Associate Coach, tasked with molding the Erie Otters defensive corps and guide the team’s penalty kill. 2017 saw Adams climb to the international coaching ranks as he served as an assistant coach with Team Canada Red at the 2017 World Under-17 Hockey Challenge in Dawson Creek and Fort St. John, B.C., where his squad earned a silver medal and allowed the third least amount of goals among all participating teams with just 22 allowed in six games.
Prior to joining Erie, Adams held a similar assistant coaching position at the NCAA collegiate level at Cansius College from 2009-2014. While there, Adams helped the Griffs win the 2013 Atlantic Hockey Championship. He was the primary coach for the team’s defense and penalty-kill unit. Under Adams the Griffs had the best scoring defense in the league and the third ranked penalty kill unit in the country.
Before his tenure at Canisus, the Scarborough, Ontario native spent three seasons as a player/coach with the Port Huron Icehawks and Flags. In addition to being a defenseman on the team, he conducted on-ice instruction in addition to fulfilling recruiting and scouting duties.
Adams has also served as an assistant director and coach of CAN/AM Hockey since 2000, where he was a head on-ice instructor in addition to supervising and evaluating coaches.
Adams played 10 seasons of professional seasons of hockey, including time in the ECHL, IHL, CHL and UHL. He played at the collegiate level at Bowling Green State University, where he played from 1996-2000. Adam’s was given the team’s most valuable player award after his senior season and was voted the team’s top defenseman twice. He graduated from Bowling Green State University with a Bachelor’s degree in education.