Erie Otters

The Erie Otters are a Major junior ice hockey team based in Erie, Pennsylvania. They are members of the Midwest Division of the Ontario Hockey League (OHL), one of only three American teams in the circuit. The "Otters" name refers to the North American otter (Lontra canadensis), a semiaquatic mammal common to Lake Erie.

The Erie Otters were previously located in Niagara Falls, Ontario, where they were called the Niagara Falls Thunder. They moved to Erie Insurance Arena in downtown Erie in time for the 1996–97 season. After three seasons of mediocrity in Erie, they won the Midwest Division's Holody Trophy in 1999. It was their first of three consecutive Midwest Division championships, culminating in a J. Ross Robertson Cup in the 2001–02 season. Additionally, Dave MacQueen won the Matt Leyden Trophy in 2000–01 as the OHL Coach of the Year and Sherwood Bassin was awarded OHL Executive of the Year for his role in building a championship team as general manager. The Erie Otters were the second U.S. team to win the OHL Championship, following the 1994–95 season champions Detroit Junior Red Wings (now the Plymouth Whalers).