Erie Otters
| Erie Otters | |
|---|---|
| City | Erie, Pennsylvania |
| League | Ontario Hockey League |
| Conference | Western |
| Division | Midwest |
| Founded | 1996–97 |
| Home arena | Erie Insurance Arena |
| Colors | Navy, gold, gray, white |
| General manager | Dave Brown |
| Head coach | Kris Mallette |
| Media | Erie Times-News Erie News Now |
| Website | ottershockey |
| Franchise history | |
| 1946–1953 | Windsor Spitfires |
| 1953–1960 | Hamilton Tiger Cubs |
| 1960–1974 | Hamilton Red Wings |
| 1974–1978 | Hamilton/St. Catharines Fincups |
| 1978–1984 | Brantford Alexanders |
| 1984–1988 | Hamilton Steelhawks |
| 1988–1996 | Niagara Falls Thunder |
| 1996–present | Erie Otters |
| Current uniform | |
The Erie Otters are a major junior ice hockey team based in Erie, Pennsylvania. They compete in the Midwest Division of the Ontario Hockey League (OHL) and are one of three American-based teams in the league. The team's name references the North American river otter, a species native to the Lake Erie region. The Otters play their home games at Erie Insurance Arena, located in downtown Erie, adjacent to UPMC Park and the Warner Theatre.
The Otters have won the J. Ross Robertson Cup as OHL champions twice, in the 2001–02 and 2016–17 seasons. They were Western Conference champions and recipients of the Wayne Gretzky Trophy in 2014–15 and 2016–17. The team also earned the Hamilton Spectator Trophy for finishing first overall in the regular-season standings in 2000–01, 2015–16, and 2016–17, and secured six Holody Trophy titles as Midwest Division champions.