OHL 20 in 20: Erie Otters
Fire it up in the Flagship City – all signs are pointing towards 2024-25 being good one in Erie! The Otters feature a pretty versatile cast coming into the new season, presenting a number of ways they can get an edge on an opponent whether that be in the size of big winger Sam Alfano, the speed of Anaheim Ducks prospect Carey Terrance and 2025 NHL Draft hopeful Malcolm Spence or the poise and vision of a blueliner like Matthew Schaefer. The Midwest Division is never easy, but the Otters have the personnel as well an experienced OHL Head Coach in Stan Butler to be a formidable team down the stretch this coming season.
| NOTABLE DEPARTURES | KEY ADDITIONS |
| F Brett Bressette (U. PEI) | D Lucas Ambrosio (2nd Rd. ’24) |
| G Ethan Fraser | F Tyler Challenger (1st Rd. ’24) |
| G Ben Gaudreau (Rockford, AHL) | F Jack Clarke (3rd Rd. ’24 U18) |
| G Jacob Gibbons (Trade BRAM) | F Diego Da Silva (Free agent) |
| D Owain Johnston (StFX U.) | G Noah Erliden (1st Rd. ’24 Import) |
| F Bruce McDonald (Trade OS) | F Gabriel Frasca (Trade KGN) |
| F Kaleb Smith | D Keagan Knight (7th Rd. ’23) |
| D Spencer Sova (Trade BRAM) | F Oliver Phillips (1st Rd. ’24 U18) |
Five Questions Heading Into 2024-25:
1. Is Erie going to be an offensive powerhouse?
Otters fans got kind of spoiled over the years, getting to see the likes of Connor McDavid, Connor Brown, Dylan Strome, Alex DeBrincat and so on. Good news is, the Otters will ice an elite offensive group this coming season, one that comes with the speed of Carey Terrance and the playmaking prowess of Slovak linemates Martin Misiak and Ondrej Molnar. Expect big things from former second overall OHL Draft pick Pano Fimis who only continues to get better with age. Dylan Edwards was one of the feel-good stories of the season last year while Erie tries to unlock the full offensive potential of offseason acquisition Gabriel Frasca, a former first round OHL pick out of Kingston who has been slowed by injuries in his pursuit of an NHL contract. We’ll get to another exciting young player in Malcolm Spence in just a minute.
2. Do the Otters have their man in the crease?
For those who have been long-time observers of the Ontario Hockey League, this isn’t the first time this question has come up relating to Erie. Last year’s performance from Ben Gaudreau, even despite a late season injury, had Otters fans on the edge of their seats as “Benny”, and later veteran Ethan Fraser, gave the Otters a chance every night as they reached the playoffs for the first time since 2017. General Manager Dave Brown opted to try the CHL Import Draft to source a netminder, bringing in Swedish 19-year-old Noah Erliden who had some success with HV71 in the country’s top junior circuit. Just a shade under 6-feet tall, Erliden has previously represented Sweden at the U18 Worlds and the Hlinka Gretzky Cup, winning silver on both occasions. The Otters also have 18-year-old Charlie Burns who they acquired from the Niagara IceDogs last season.
3. Is Schaefer the next big thing?
If you watched the Hlinka Gretzky Cup, this guy jumped out at you. First overall OHL Draft pick Matthew Schaefer didn’t tear across the scoresheets in his rookie season, but the 6-foot-2, 183Ib. blueliner has quickly matured into a polished defender, counted-upon leader and strong character moulded by persevering through a challenging first year in the OHL in his personal life. Schaefer will have NHL scouts out to watch en masse this season as he steps into a more prominent role with the Otters under veteran Head Coach Stan Butler.
4. Does Spence break out in year three?
It’s not to say Malcolm Spence hasn’t accomplished a great deal in the league already, but do we really see him pop in 2024-25? The 6-foot-2, 201Ib. left-winger has put up 104 points (35-69–104) through his first 130 regular season games, but will this be the year he emerges as a point-per-game threat? Spence has a great stride and a strong release from down the wing. He’s going to be an important piece of Erie’s approach this season as the Otters set their sights on big things.
5. How does the blueline stack up?
If the Otters have serious aspirations of being contenders this season, they’ll need some names to emerge on the back end. The aforementioned Schaefer is a fairly safe bet, and the Chicago Blackhawks clearly saw something in 6-foot-4, 210Ib. left-shot Ty Henry, the son of a former CHL football player. Henry has yet to score in the OHL, but he gives the Otters a steady shutdown presence along with 19-year-old veteran Nathan Sauder. Former third round OHL pick Alexis Daviault tries to build-off his 37-point (7-30–37) season a year ago.
Related Content:
Futures Watch – Erie Otters
Loading ...