Erie in pursuit of elusive title
They have posted three straight 50-win, 100-point seasons, yet the Erie Otters may be the best example ever of a team that has been so good without winning an Ontario Hockey League championship.
And as the Otters pursue what has been an elusive OHL title, they are once again a top team. In fact, with 21 games to go in the 2016-2017 regular season, Erie currently sits atop the overall standings in a first-place tie with the London Knights.
The Otters have yet to win it all despite boasting powerhouse teams over the past three years with and without superstar centre Connor McDavid who, amazingly, could still be playing in the OHL for Erie as a 19-year old instead of starring in his second National Hockey League season with the Edmonton Oilers.
At any rate, having lost in the conference finals in 2013-2014, the league finals in 2014-2015 and the conference finals again in 2015-2016, Erie is once again headed towards a 100-point regular season in 2016-2017. With 71 points from a record of 34-10-3, the Otters still have 21 regular-season games remaining.
Can this be the season that Erie finally takes all that it has to an OHL championship and Memorial Cup berth?
Yes it could, though playing in the Western Conference, the Otters once again have serious competition from not only the reigning Memorial Cup champions from London but the Soo Greyhounds, Windsor Spitfires and Owen Sound Attack.
Still, it’s hard not to like this Kris Knoblauch-coached Erie team.
Just look at the Erie roster, which begins between the pipes with Sudbury Wolves castoff Troy Timpano, who is doing what he has been asked to do — mind the net and give the Otters a chance to win every game.
On the blue-line, Erie recently added to the presence of high-scoring, overage sensation Darren Raddysh by luring 19-year old puck whiz Owen Headrick away from the Lake Superior State Lakers of the Division 1, Western Collegiate Hockey Association. Headrick, by the way, has two goals in his first five OHL games with Erie.
Up front, the Otters are Erie-scary.
Not only does Erie boast league scoring leaders Alex DeBrincat and Taylor Raddysh but franchise scoring leader Dylan Strome is averaging more than two points per outing in the 14 games since he returned from the NHL’s Arizona Coyotes.
And if that isn’t enough, Otters general manager Dave Brown traded for Team Canada forward Anthony Cirelli from the Oshawa Generals and overage forward Warren Foegele from the Kingston Frontenacs at the January 10 trade deadline.
Whew.
But as we gush about the Otters we can’t count out London or the Soo or Windsor or even Owen Sound.
Actually, the Spitfires have free admission into this year’s Memorial Cup tournament as host entry but still represent a tough, formidable playoff opponent for any team in the Western Conference.
But as Windsor gets its free ride, it looms as a wild ride come playoff time with Erie, London, the Soo and Owen Sound fighting for the driver’s seat.
PHOTO: Erie Otters defenseman Owen Headrick, in recent action against the Flint Firebirds. (Photo by Amanda Ray.)
I gotta say they look like the odds on favourite to win it. With saying that so were The Hounds in 2015 and we know what happened there. Playoff hockey is a whole new game.
I still maintain, whoever has the best goalie has the inside track! In that regard London with Parsons gets my nod