ERIE OTTERS AWARDED FIRST OVERALL PICK IN 2023 PRIORITY SELECTION

Erie, Pennsylvania – History has been made for the Erie Otters.

Following the Ontario Hockey League’s Lottery process to determine the top four picks in the 2023 OHL Priority Selection Draft, the Otters will officially have the #1 overall pick in the Draft for just the third time in team history.

Picking 1^st Overall comes as an honor for the Otters, General Manager Dave Brown expressed after the announcement from the league.

“It’s an honor to be able to select first in the Draft. We’re excited to be able to draft a really good player that will add to the players we’ve already had in our historic success.” said Brown, “We’re super excited to have this honor.”

Erie finished 19th in the Ontario Hockey League at the conclusion of the 2022-23 regular season, which would’ve earned them a #2 overall pick in a standard-style Draft. The team had a 30 percent chance at the #1 overall pick thanks to the weighted Lottery process, and luck proved to be on Erie’s side tonight.

The 2023 OHL Priority Selection Draft will be the team’s 28^th Draft, and just its third time picking at 1^st Overall – its first #1 since 2012. In its previous two times with the top pick, the Otters have made the most of them, selecting eventual NHL stars Ryan O’Reilly (2007) and Connor McDavid (2012).

• Erie Otters All-Time 1^st Overall Picks
  • 2007 Priority Selection – Ryan O’Reilly (Toronto Jr. Canadiens U16 AAA)
    • Erie Otters / OHL Career
      • 129 GP – 118 points (35G+83A)
    • Drafted Round 2, #33 to Colorado Avalanche in 2009 NHL Entry Draft
      • NHL Career to-date:
        • 933 GP (COL, BUF, STL) – 655 points (236G+429A)
        • 2018-19 Stanley Cup Champion (STL), Conn Smythe Trophy & Frank J. Selke Trophy recipient
  • 2012 Priority Selection – Connor McDavid (Toronto Marlboros U16 AAA)
    • Erie Otters / OHL Career
      • Granted Exceptional Status in 2012
      • 166 GP – 285 points (188G+285A)
    • Drafted Round 1, #1 to Edmonton Oilers in 2015 NHL Entry Draft
      • NHL Career to-date:
        • 482 GP (EDM) – 684 points (237G+447A)
        • Art Ross Trophy (2016-17, 2017-18, 2020-21), Ted Lindsay Award (2016-17, 2017-18, 2020-21), Hart Memorial Trophy (2016-17, 2020-21)
  • 2023 Priority Selection – To Be Determined

“We’re looking to add somebody who can fit in with the already exciting young group that we have. Somebody who can skate, who has dynamic skills, and who is a good person first-and-foremost.” said Brown, “We think there’s exciting times ahead in Erie, and this person will definitely be adding to this unique group.”

The 1^st Overall Pick in the 2023 OHL Priority Selection represents the team’s highest draft pick since the 2022 Draft (also a Lottery for the top-four picks), where they selected forward Malcolm Spence second overall.

“We’re just excited to be part of the process.” said Brown, “It’s an honor to be selecting first.”

Erie has drafted exceptionally-well in the first round of the last five Priority Selection Drafts:

• 2022 – Malcolm Spence (2^nd)
  • Scored 42 points (16G+26A) in rookie season
  • Named to World Under-17 Hockey Challenge by Hockey Canada
• 2021 – Carey Terrance (10^th)
  • Named to 2021 U.S. Under-17 Men’s Select Team for Five Nations Tournament
  • Named to Team Canada White for Hockey Canada’s U17 2021 Capital City Challenge
  • Named to 2023 CHL / NHL Top Prospects Game
  • Ranked #50 overall North American Skater in 2023 NHL Central Scouting Midterm Rankings
• 2020 – Spencer Sova (8^th)
  • #39 North American Skating Prospect – 2022 NHL Central Scouting Midterm Rankings | #136 North American Skating Prospect – 2023 NHL Central Scouting Midterm Rankings
  • Named to Canada’s National Men’s Under-18 Team for 2022 IIHF U18 World Championship
  • Top 10 goal-scoring defenseman in OHL, top 30 total-scoring defenseman in OHL in 2022-23 season
• 2019 – Connor Lockhart (3^rd)
• 2018 – Jamie Drysdale (4^th)
  • Drafted 6^th Overall to Anaheim in 2020 NHL Entry Draft
  • Over 100 NHL games played

This is the third consecutive Lottery Process implemented by the Ontario Hockey League. A league-wide lottery was first implemented for use ahead of the 2021 Priority Selection Draft following the cancellation of the 2020-21 season; Erie received the 10^th overall pick (Carey Terrance). Ahead of the 2022 OHL Priority Selection Draft, the four non-playoff teams were all given an equal (25 percent) chance at the #1 overall pick. Despite a 17^th place finish in the 2021-22 season standings, the Lottery gave Erie the 2^nd overall pick (Malcolm Spence).

All eyes will be on the Otters on Friday, April 21 at 7:00 P.M. for day one the 2023 Ontario Hockey League Priority Selection Draft – with the first three rounds taking place. Day two of the Priority Selection Draft will take place at 9:00 A.M. on Saturday, April 22 with rounds four through 15. Erie currently has 14 picks in the 2023 Priority Selection Draft, with two on day one (1^st Round, 2^nd Round), and 12 on day two (two in 4^th [SAR], 5^th, 7^th, 8^th, 9^th, 10^th, 11^th, 12^th, 13^th, 14^th, 15^th). Draft Picks are subject to change leading up to the day of the Draft.

Player Eligibility 

North American players born in 2007 and non-overage players that were not registered with an Ontario based U16 AAA team from protected OHL territories are eligible for selection in the 15 rounds of the 2023 OHL Priority Selection. 

Selected Players in the OHL 

OHL Member Teams are permitted to register a maximum of four 16-year-old players selected in the OHL Priority Selection. Those 16 year old players that are allowed to be signed are the first two 16-year-old players selected and a maximum of two additional 16-year-old wild carded players in any round of the OHL Priority Selection. 

All other 16-year-old players selected are eligible to be called up as an “affiliated player” or “floating affiliate player” for a maximum of 10 games or for any OHL regular season or playoff games when such player’s team has been eliminated from competition for that season. 

Keep up with the #1 overall pick and all the Otters picks and results on OttersHockey.com or across the Otters’ social media. For all results of the 2023 Priority Selection, please head to OntarioHockeyLeague.com. 

For the latest Otters news, visit OttersHockey.com, or follow the team on Facebook (Facebook.com/erieottershockey), Twitter (@ErieOtters), and Instagram (@ErieOtters). 

For further information on the Erie Otters and for media inquiries, please contact Shawn Bednard at shawn.bednard@ottershockey.com. 

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