Top NHL Draft Picks' Impact in Erie: McDavid and Schaefer's Influence
Laid-Back Chat:
Hey, bud! So, Jeremy Wood-Ross, the big cheese at the Erie Otters, is hopin' Matthew Schaefer suits up for another winter in the Ontario Hockey League. What a guy, eh? Schaefer's the future, in case you didn't know, and he might've been the top pick in last week's NHL Draft, but he only played 17 games for the Otters last season due to a broken clavicle. He ain't even 18 until September!
No worries, though, if Schaefer jumps straight to the big leagues. If he gets selected by the New York Islanders first overall, well, it'd be a dream come true for the Otters. From a business perspective, it'd be "infinite opportunity" for the team.
Now, the Otters are attemptin' to reach new audiences with fancy marketing moves and signin' more young'uns before they head to college. Malcolm Spence, their third-best player last season, is even hoppin' on the college bandwagon, headed for the University of Michigan next season.
The OHL could land four players in the top five picks in the recent draft, makin' a strong case for bein' a top NHL feedin' system. Commissioner Bryan Crawford's got his work cut out for him, but he's down to keep the OHL at the top.
Schaefer goin' first overall could mean a lot to the Otters' ownership family, especially since Erie's previous owner, Jim Waters, passed away last December. Waters and Schaefer were tight, and Schaefer's even called Waters and his wife "huge parts of [his] life." Schaefer's been through a rough time, too, losin' both his mom and his billet mom recently. Tears a-flowin' when he gets drafted, for sure.
Waters scooped up the team out of bankruptcy in 2015 for a cool $7 million. He always wanted to own a sports franchise, and the Otters were the perfect fit. The team won an OHL title in 2017, but they missed the playoffs the next four years as attendance dwindled. Schaefer's arrival brought fans back to the stands, boostin' attendance to an average of 4,258 last season.
The Otters are startin' a new alumni program to bring past stars back to Erie and keep the community excited about hockey. They're even honorin' Waters' legacy as they make decisions for the future.
Fascinating Fact
Did you know the NHL Draft has a history of producing superstars from the Ontario Hockey League? Connor McDavid, for example, was the first overall pick in 2015 after playin' for the Erie Otters. How about that?
In light of the upcoming season, if Matthew Schaefer decides to forego college and join the Ontario Hockey League, his talents could shine brightly, perhaps even leading him to the National Hockey League, just like Connor McDavid did in 2015 after playing for the Otters. As the Otters strive to reinforce their status as a premier NHL feeding system, they are also making substantial efforts to attract new fans, ranging from innovative marketing strategies to the formation of an alumni program, ensuring the enduring legacy of past influencers like Jim Waters.
