Erie, Pennsylvania — It’s the 30th season of Erie Otters Hockey and the organization is pulling out all of the stops to honor the club’s rich history.

Otters’ Managing Partner Jeremy Wood-Ross and General Manager Dave Brown announced today that in conjunction with 2017 Championship Weekend, the Erie Otters will retire the number’s of all time leading scorer Dylan Strome and all time leading goal scorer Alex Debrincat.

Strome came to Erie as the second overall pick in the 2013 OHL Priority Selection, joining an up and coming Otters team. His first season would see him total 39 points in 60 games as the Otters would collect their first of four-straight 50 win seasons. His second season would be his best as he would collect 129 points (45G+84A) as he would help lead Erie to the OHL Finals. Following this elite campaign, Strome would be drafted third overall by the Arizona Coyotes in the 2015 NHL Entry Draft. Strome would go onto play another 91 games for Erie, picking up another 186 points in his Otters career, adding on another 34 points helping lead the Otters to the 2017 J. Ross Robertson Cup.

Strome’s number 19 will head to the rafters on Saturday, February 6 as the Otters take on the Owen Sound Attack.

Debrincat came to the Otters as a free agent prior to the 2014-15 season and made an impact on the Otters right from day one. His first season would see him score 51 goals, tallying 104 points as a rookie on his way to winning the Emms Family Award as the OHL’s Rookie of the Year as the Otters would make their way to the OHL Finals. His second season would see him score another 51 goals and 101 points and would see him taken in the second round of the NHL Entry Draft by the Chicago Blackhawks. His third and final OHL season would be his best, scoring 65 goals, his third season in-a-row of at least 50 goals, and collecting 127 points on his way to the Eddie Powers Memorial Trophy as the league’s top scorer and the Red Tilson Trophy as the OHL’s MVP. Debrincat would be a key cog in the Otters machine as they would win the 2017 OHL Championship.

Debrincat’s number 12 will go to the rafters forever on Sunday February 7 as the Otters take on the Owen Sound Attack.

Brown spoke on the impact of both Strome and Debrincat and what they mean to the Otters organization and their history.

“Some players come through your organization and leave an impression long after they have moved on,” Brown said. “Dylan Strome and Alex Debrincat are two of those players. They not only put up great numbers but also helped produce countless wins, left us with many memories, set CHL records that still stand today and I would be remiss not to mention the 2017 championship. When Dylan and Alex first came to Erie, they were young players with tremendous talent and big aspirations. None of us knew exactly where their hockey journeys would take them, but it did not take long to see something special about both of them. For those of us that had the privilege of watching them grow, we feel great pride seeing them develop from young junior hockey players into NHL players, husbands and great dads they are today. They share a special bond that still exists today, and we are thrilled to recognize their contributions and the lasting impressions they have left on the Otters, our fan base and the community. And that’s what makes this weekend so special. These guys became the fabric of what the organization strives for.”

Wood-Ross spoke on why this is the time for the Otters to retire the numbers of these two recent legends.

“I remember the 2017 championship game like it was yesterday,” Wood-Ross said. “I was there with Jim and Sheila, my wife Ellie, my sister in-law Max and husband Andrew. When that puck went in, Jim stood up and threw a chair straight into the wall at club level! If you knew Jim, you know nothing excited him more than the Otters winning and that Championship game was certainly a big one. It was one of the most excited I’d ever seen him, and getting to share that night together as a family is something I’ll always be grateful for. That memory means even more to me now. Dylan Strome and Alex DeBrincat helped give so many people in Erie memories like that. We don’t take for granted the players who have come through this club, and we’re incredibly proud of what both have gone on to achieve. Welcoming them back in February to raise their numbers into the rafters, alongside greats like Connor McDavid, is an opportunity to thank them for everything they’ve meant to the Otters and this community.What means just as much is that those relationships continue long after a player leaves Erie. Dave Brown deserves a lot of credit for keeping those connections strong, and having Dylan and Alex remain part of this club means a great deal to all of us. Whether you were in the building in 2017 or are joining us for your first season, we can’t wait to bring everyone together to celebrate them.”

Strome and Debrincat’s numbers will forever hang in the rafters of the EIA alongside Brad Boyes’ number 16, Vince Scott’s number 18 and Connor McDavid’s number 97.

The jersey retirements will take place during 2017 Championship Weekend, where the Otters will come together to honor the accomplishments of the team who brought the J. Ross Robertson Cup back to the Flagship City.

The first 2,000 fans through the doors to each game will receive a Dylan Strome Player Card Bobblehead (pres. by Rebich Investments) on February 6 and an Alex Debrincat Player Card Bobblehead (pres. by Rebich Investments) on February 7.

The Otters will offer special meet and greet packages for each night. Meet and greet packages will include, a guaranteed giveaway and the chance to hear from, meet and take photos with the player.

For Dylan Strome Jersey Retirement Night, meet and greet packages will go on sale for season ticket holders on October 8 at 6 P.M. Meet and greet packages will go on sale for the general public on October 10 at 10 A.M.

For Alex Debrincat Jersey Retirement Night, meet and greet packages will go on sale October 8 at 7 P.M. for season ticket holders. For the general public, they will go on sale October 10 at 11 A.M.

Season ticket holder meet and greets will not include your ticket to the game. General public sales will include your ticket for the game.

Season ticket members, please make sure to check your junk/spam email folders to make sure you don’t miss any information about this exciting weekend.

Single game tickets for the February 6 and 7 games will go on sale on Tuesday, October 13 at 10 A.M.

Season ticket holders looking to purchase extra tickets for this game should contact the Otters front office. These games are black-out games so there will be no exchanges in and out of tickets for these two nights.

The Otters will be wearing the yellow script jerseys they wore throughout the 2017 playoffs for both games. They will be auctioned off live after the game on Sunday February 7.

The Otters are thrilled for the opportunity to retire the jersey numbers of Strome and Debrincat and look forward to welcoming these two recent legends back to the Flagship City to honor their accomplishments both as Otters and beyond.

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