Erie

The Erie Otters began as the Windsor Spitfires in 1946. They played there until 1953, when the franchise relocated to Hamilton and became known as the Tiger Cubs, with games held at the Barton Street Arena. The team then changed its name to the Hamilton Red Wings in 1960 following a partial acquisition by the Detroit Red Wings of the National Hockey League (NHL).^[]

By the 1972–73 season, the team underwent another transformation under new ownership led by Ron Cupido and the Finochio brothers, rebranding as the Hamilton Fincups. The franchise remained in Hamilton until 1976, when the closure and condemnation of the Hamilton Forum forced the team to relocate to St. Catharines, where they played the 1976–77 season at the Garden City Arena. The Fincups returned to Hamilton the following year, settling at Mountain Arena. Persistent issues with attendance and the lack of a new arena prompted another move, this time to Brantford for the 1978–79 season, where the team was renamed the Alexanders.^[]

By the 1984–85 season, the team returned once again to Hamilton, this time rebranded as the Steelhawks, with intentions to play in the newly constructed Copps Coliseum. However, due to low attendance, the team relocated to Niagara Falls, Ontario, becoming the Thunder in 1988. In 1996, the franchise relocated to Pennsylvania and established its current identity as the Erie Otters.

The Otters won the Holody Trophy as Midwest Division champions in 1999, the first of three consecutive division titles. This success culminated in winning the J. Ross Robertson Cup during the 2001–02 season. Dave MacQueen was named OHL Coach of the Year in the 2001–02 season, while general manager Sherwood Bassin earned both OHL Executive of the Year and CHL Executive of the Year for his work in building the championship team.

In the early 2000s, the Otters moved up in the league standings gaining the help of players such as Brad Boyes and Dan Cleary. In 2001, the Otters secured a playoff berth, advancing to the Western Conference final, where they were ultimately defeated by the Plymouth Whalers.^[]

During the 2006–07 and 2007–08 seasons, the Otters finished at the bottom of the Western Conference standings. However, the team saw the emergence of future NHL star Ryan O'Reilly, who was selected first overall in the 2007 OHL draft, receiving the prestigious Jack Ferguson Award. In his rookie season (2007–08), O'Reilly demonstrated considerable promise, recording 52 points in 61 games. He was subsequently named the Otters' Rookie of the Year and Most Sportsmanlike Player, in addition to being Erie's nominee for the Bobby Smith Trophy, recognizing his achievements both on and off the ice.

Following their years of decline, the Otters entered a rebuilding phase, emphasizing the drafting and development of young talent.^[] This strategy proved successful when they selected Connor McDavid first overall in the 2012 OHL priority selection. McDavid quickly distinguished himself as an exceptional player, garnering attention for his extraordinary skill and on-ice vision. Under his leadership, the Otters returned to championship contention, achieving a remarkable record of 50 wins during the 2014–15 season, a franchise best. McDavid was also granted "exceptional player" status by Hockey Canada, enabling him to join the Otters at the age of fifteen. He led the team to the J. Ross Robertson Cup finals 2015, where they were ultimately defeated by the Oshawa Generals.

On March 18, 2017, the Otters made history by becoming the first team in Canadian Hockey League (CHL) history to achieve four consecutive 50-win seasons from 2013 to 2017. Before this achievement, they had shared the record for three consecutive 50-win seasons with several teams, including the Kelowna Rockets (2012–15), Edmonton Oil Kings (2011–14), Saint John Sea Dogs (2009–12), and Kamloops Blazers (1989–92).

During the Memorial Cup, on May 22, 2017, the Otters set a new record for the most goals scored by a single team in a single game, defeating the Saint John Sea Dogs with a score of 12–5. This victory surpassed the previous record of 11 goals set by the Quebec Remparts in 1974 (11–3) and the Regina Pats in 1980 (11–2). Individual achievements included Dylan Strome, who recorded a remarkable seven points in a single game (four goals, three assists), while Taylor Raddysh tied the former record of six points (two goals, four assists) in the same game.

Following several years of speculation regarding a potential relocation to Hamilton, the Otters formalized a ten-year lease agreement with Erie Insurance Arena in September 2019.

On January 17, 2022, the Otters marked a significant milestone by hosting their inaugural Martin Luther King Jr. Day (MLK) game. This event featured Alex Randall, a student from the University of Pittsburgh, who made history as the first African-American play-by-play announcer in the histories of the Ontario and Canadian hockey leagues. This initiative continued in 2023 with Trey Matthews, a Pennsylvania native and student at Arizona State University, serving as the announcer for the MLK Jr. Day game. Furthermore, the Otters introduced a specially designed logo and warm-up jersey inspired by Black History Month for this occasion, underscoring the organization's commitment to fostering diversity and inclusion in hockey.