April 19, 2023

ERIE SWAPS PAIR OF PICKS WITH SUDBURY AHEAD OF 2023 PRIORITY SELECTION DRAFT

Erie, Pennsylvania – With the 2023 Ontario Hockey League Priority Selection at week’s end, the Erie Otters have acquired another pair of picks for their 28^th Draft in team history.

General Manager Dave Brown announced a trade today with the Sudbury Wolves that gives the Otters Sudbury’s 6^th & 12^th Round picks in the upcoming Draft in exchange for Erie’s 5^th & 12^th Round picks in 2026. The addition now gives Erie a pick in Round 6, and two picks in Round 12 for a total of 16 picks among the two days.

Erie had initially been without a 6^th Round pick in the 2023 Priority Selection after trading the pick to London in May 2021 in exchange for picks in the 2021 Priority Selection Draft. With the pick, the Otters hold pick #110 in the draft.

A trio of 6^th Round picks were rostered players for the 2022-23 Otters; overager Elias Cohen (2018, #120), second-year forward Kaleb Smith (2020, #106), and affiliate player Ty Henry (2022, #109). Other notable names all-time for Erie in the round are Anthony Luciani (2006, #104) and Nick Betz (2011, #109).

For the first time since 2017, the Otters will now pick twice in the 12^th Round – holding their own pick at #223 and Sudbury’s pick at #230.

The last 12^th Round pick to play for the Otters was goaltender Aidan Campbell (2018, #224) during in the 2021-22 season. Other notable names all-time for Erie in the round are Josh Disher (2003, #225) and Johnny McGuire (2009, #230).

Erie has been very particular on the style and skillset of player drafted in the last few years, building a team focused on skill, work ethic, and attitude above all else.

With the addition of the 6^th & 12^th Round picks, Erie will now have 14 picks on Saturday – including Sarnia’s 4^th. Erie will have their own picks in the 4^th, 5^th, 7^th, 9^th, 10^th, 11^th, 12^th, 13^th, 14^th, and 15^th. As an experienced, young, and deep Otters team takes the ice in 2023-24, players selected in the 2023 OHL Priority Selection will have the chance to make their mark and earn their spot in Training Camp.

All eyes will now turn toward day one of the 2023 Ontario Hockey League Priority Selection Draft. The 2022 OHL Priority Selection Draft will be free-to-watch on OHL Live on CHL TV all weekend long, with the Pre-Show beginning at 6:30 P.M. on Friday, April 21 and Draft Rounds 1-3 starting at 7:00 P.M., and on Saturday, April 22 with Draft Rounds 4-15 starting at 9:00 A.M.

Fans are also invited to attend a special Draft Night party at Voodoo Brewing Company – Erie Pub starting at 6:00 P.M. on Friday, April 21. Locally made craft beer and specialty crafted food will be available during this family-friendly event. Inside of Voodoo’s spacious taproom, attendees will be able to watch the Draft unfold live while also seeing Otters staff. Coinciding with the OHL Priority Selection Draft Show, the Erie Otters will be broadcasting its first-ever “Voodoo Brewing Draft Show”, hosted by voice of the Otters Shawn Bednard at 6:30. After the team’s final pick of the day, head coach Stan Butler will partake in an exclusive town hall to talk about the players selected thus far and a State of the Otters.

2023 OHL Priority Selection First Round Order of Selection:

Erie Otters
Niagara IceDogs
Soo Greyhounds
Kingston Frontenacs
Niagara IceDogs*
Oshawa Generals
Mississauga Steelheads
Brantford Bulldogs
Sudbury Wolves
Kitchener Rangers*
Kitchener Rangers
Owen Sound Attack
Peterborough Petes
Guelph Storm
Flint Firebirds
Saginaw Spirit
Sarnia Sting
London Knights
Barrie Colts
Windsor Spitfires
North Bay Battalion
Ottawa 67’s

*- indicates compensatory pick

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 16 picks in the 2023 Priority Selection Draft, with two on day one (1^st Round, 2^nd Round), and 14 on day two (two in 4^th [SAR], 5^th, 6^th [SBY], 7^th, 8^th, 9^th, 10^th, 11^th, two in 12^th[SBY], 13^th, 14^th, 15^th). Draft Picks are subject to change leading up to the day of the Draft.

Voodoo Brewing Draft Party

Fans are invited to attend a special Draft Night party at Voodoo Brewing Company – Erie Pub starting at 6:00 P.M. on Friday, April 21. Locally-made craft beer and specialty crafted food will be available during this family-friendly event. Inside of Voodoo’s spacious taproom, attendees will be able to watch the Draft unfold live while also seeing Otters staff. After the team’s final pick, head coach Stan Butler will partake in an exclusive town hall to talk about the players selected thus far and a State of the Otters.

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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