March 29, 2023

PLAYING THE LOTTERY – 2023 ERIE OTTERS DRAFT LOTTERY PRIMER

Erie, Pennsylvania – It’s all about the luck of the draw.

History could be made tonight at 6:00 P.M. for the Erie Otters, as the team participates in the Ontario Hockey League’s third Lottery Process to determine the top four picks in the 2023 OHL Priority Selection Draft.

Initially adopted and introduced by the League’s Board of Governors to assure a fair-and-proper draft order for all 20 teams following the COVID cancelled season, the OHL formally implemented a Lottery format for the #1 overall pick in August 2021. The lottery process will once again determine the order of selection for the top four picks of the 2022 OHL Priority Selection.

The four teams that finished outside of a playoff spot in the OHL regular season standings – Niagara (#20), Erie (#19), Soo (#18), and Kingston (#17) – will each have a chance of securing the first overall selection. The lottery process will see a weighted system utilized for the first time, which will provide a 40 percent opportunity for the last-placed team (Niagara) to garner the first overall selection, while the three other teams will have adjusted proportionate odds (30 percent for Erie, 20 percent for Soo, 10 percent for Kingston) of drawing the first overall choice. The second, third and fourth overall selection slots will also be determined by way of the lottery process.

While Erie would’ve finished a standard season securing the 2^nd Overall Pick, the Otters will now have a 30 percent chance to receive the first-overall pick in the 2023 Priority Selection Draft – giving the organization a chance at the top pick for just the third time in team history (first since 2012 – Connor McDavid). The Lottery’s selection of the Draft order for the first four picks will also be reflected for the U18 Priority Selection Draft (April 26) and the CHL Import Draft (Date TBA).

Thanks to the inaugural Lottery format implemented for the 2022 Draft, the Erie Otters were awarded their first #2 overall pick since 2013 (Dylan Strome) – taking star rookie Malcolm Spence. Since 1996, Erie has had the #1 overall pick twice (2007 – Ryan O’Reilly, 2012 – Connor McDavid), Sault Ste. Marie once (2009 – Daniel Catenacci), Kingston once (2019 – Shane Wright) and Niagara zero times*.

*The Mississauga IceDogs held the #1 overall pick in 1999, 2000, 2001, 2002.

The 2023 OHL Priority Selection Draft will be the team’s 28^th Draft, having had a top-four selection just nine times.

1^st Overall Picks (2)
- 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:
      - 986 GP (COL, BUF, STL) – 696 points (255G+441A)
      - 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:
      - 562 GP (EDM) – 840 points (299G+541A)
      - Art Ross Trophy (2016-17, 2017-18, 2020-21, 2021-22), Ted Lindsay Award (2016-17, 2017-18, 2020-21), Hart Memorial Trophy (2016-17, 2020-21)

2^nd Overall Picks (3)
- 2008 Priority Selection – Gregg McKegg (Elgin Middlesex Chiefs U16 AAA)
  - Erie Otters / OHL career
    - 262 GP (ER, LDN) – 270 points (125G+145A)
  - Drafted Round 3, #62 to Toronto Maple Leafs in 2010 NHL Entry Draft
    - NHL career to-date:
      - 233 GP (TOR, FLA, TBL, PIT, CAR, NYR, BOS, NYR) – 39 points (21G+18A)
- 2013 Priority Selection – Dylan Strome (Toronto Marlboros U16 AAA)
  - Erie Otters / OHL career
    - 219 GP – 354 points (114G+240A)
    - 2017 OHL Champion
  - Drafted Round 1, #3 to Arizona Coyotes in NHL Entry Draft
    - 346 GP (ARI, CHI, WAS) – 227 points (85G+142A)
- 2022 Priority Selection – Malcolm Spence (Mississauga Senators U18 AAA)
  - Erie Otters / OHL career to-date (2022-23 season)
    - 64 GP – 42 points (16G+26A)
    - Named to World Under-17 Hockey Challenge Roster by Hockey Canada

3^rd Overall Picks (1)
- 2018 Priority Selection – Connor Lockhart (Kanata Lasers U18 AAA)
  - Erie Otters career
    - 121 GP – 75 points (32G+43A)
- Drafted Round 6, #178 to Vancouver Canucks in 2021 NHL Entry Draft

4^th Overall Picks (3)
- 2003 Priority Selection – Ryan O’Marra (Mississauga Senators U16 AAA)
  - Erie Otters / OHL career
    - 234 GP (ER, SAG) – 223 points (94G+129A)
  - Drafted Round 1, #15 to New York Islanders in 2005 NHL Entry Draft
    - 33 GP (EDM, ANA) – 7 points (1G+6A)
- 2006 Priority Selection – Mitch Gaulton (Toronto Red Wings U16 AAA)
  - Erie Otters / OHL career
    - 201 GP (ER, KGN) – 80 points (21G+59A)
  - Drafted Round 6, #171 to New York Rangers in 2008 NHL Entry Draft
- 2017 Priority Selection – Jamie Drysdale (Toronto Marlboros U16 AAA)
  - Erie Otters / OHL career
    - 112 GP – 87 points (16G+71A)
  - Drafted Round 1, #6 to Anaheim Ducks in 2020 NHL Entry Draft
    - NHL Career to-date:
      - 113 GP (ANA) – 40 points (7G+32A)

All the excitement takes place tonight at 6:00 P.M. on OHL Live on CHL TV, and will be free-to-watch for all fans.

Following the announcement of the order of the top four picks, all eyes will be 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 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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