52-573: Erie News Now Jet Radio 1400 Fox Sports 1330 AM Happi 927 90.5 WERG Kinzua Country 104.3 Channel 98.9 Sunny 105.7 WKSN 1340 AM Rock 103 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 league. The team's name refers to
104-619: A disappointing tenure with the Sabres, Boyes rediscovered his scoring touch during the shortened 2012–13 season to score 35 points in 48 games on the Islanders top scoring line alongside John Tavares and Matt Moulson . Unsigned in the offseason, Boyes was offered a professional try-out contract by the Islanders and the Florida Panthers . He chose to attend the Panthers training camp and signed
156-517: A disappointment, with just 14 goals and 12 goals during that time. On February 27, 2011, Boyes was traded by the Blues to the Buffalo Sabres in exchange for a second-round pick in the 2011 NHL Entry Draft . Boyes scored a goal in his Sabres debut on March 2, 2011. He scored again in the following game. In his second season with Buffalo Boyes registered 8 goals and 23 points. During his final season with
208-642: A million dollars to build the first HD local news studios with WICU-TV and WSEE-TV. Both WICU-TV and WSEE-TV gather news in the field in full HD and present the news in the same high definition format. WICU-TV airs a midday show during the week at 12:30 as opposed to noon in order for WSEE to offer a live newscast in the traditional time slot. On weekends, the two television stations jointly produce local news at 11 p.m. while WICU-TV only provides an early evening broadcast at 6 p.m. on Saturdays and Sundays. These shows are known as Weekends Now and can be delayed or preempted on one station due to network obligations. During
260-459: A navy blue sweater with red and gold accents, while the away uniforms featured a white jersey with navy blue and red trim. For the 2013–14 season, the Otters unveiled a gold alternate jersey featuring a navy blue shoulder yoke, navy blue and white stripes, and a cursive "Otters" wordmark centered across the chest. The design paid homage to the defunct Erie Blades , who played from 1975 to 1982. In 2016,
312-417: A one-year deal with them on September 28, 2013. After recording 36 points in 78 games, Boyes was resigned by the Panthers to a two-year, $ 5.25 million contract. The last year of Boyes' contract was bought out on June 30, 2015, effectively making Boyes a free agent. Despite picking up 38 points in 78 games and having good advanced analytics, Boyes was unable to find a deal, and on September 10, 2015, he signed
364-570: A professional tryout contract to attend training camp with the Toronto Maple Leafs, the team who originally drafted him in 2000. Boyes impressed at camp and during the pre-season, and on September 27, 2015, he was rewarded with a 1-year, $ 700,000 contract from the Leafs. On November 2, 2015, Boyes scored his first goal with the club. In the process, Boyes set a franchise record for the longest span between getting drafted and scoring his first goal with
416-603: 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,
468-462: A sister station on radio. . WICU-TV held a monopoly on Erie television until WSEE signed-on in 1954 as a CBS affiliate. The two stations, then separately owned, shared ABC programs until May 1961, when channel 12 switched its main network alliance to ABC and relegated NBC to a secondary affiliation with WSEE. Two years later, in May 1963, WICU reversed itself and returned to NBC as its primary network. ABC
520-646: 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
572-633: Is multiplexed : Brad Boyes Bradley Keith Boyes (born April 17, 1982) is a Canadian former professional ice hockey player, who spent thirteen seasons in the National Hockey League (NHL) as a member of seven different teams. Boyes made his NHL debut in 2003 for the San Jose Sharks , but only played in one game before returning to the AHL. He returned to the NHL during the 2005-2006 season with
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#1732851650549624-404: Is a television station in Erie, Pennsylvania , United States, affiliated with NBC . It is owned by SJL Broadcasting, which maintains a local marketing agreement (LMA) with Lilly Broadcasting , owner of CBS / CW+ affiliate and company flagship WSEE-TV (channel 35), for the provision of certain services. The two stations share studios on State Street in downtown Erie; WICU-TV's transmitter
676-603: Is highlighted by winning the Hamilton Spectator Trophy for first place in 2000–01, 2015–16, and 2016–17. The Otters also claimed the Holody Trophy as Midwest Division champions in multiple seasons, showcasing their sustained excellence across various competitions. 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
728-596: Is located on Peach Street in Summit Township, Pennsylvania . WICU-TV's broadcast signal reaches the city of Erie, surrounding communities, and across Lake Erie in parts of Ontario , Canada. It is available on all cable systems in Erie , Warren and Crawford counties in Pennsylvania , and select providers in Venango County, Pennsylvania , southwestern New York State , and northeastern Ohio which are part of
780-574: Is the first player with Erie ties to be selected first overall in a major professional sports league’s draft. In his case, it was by the Edmonton Oilers in the 2015 NHL Entry Draft on June 26, 2015. List of first round NHL draft picks: List of season-by-season results: Legend: OTL - Overtime Loss, SL - Shootout Loss, PTS - Points, GF - Goals For, GA - Goals Against, GD - Goal Differential List of playoffs results: List of Memorial Cup results: WICU-TV WICU-TV (channel 12)
832-708: The 2003 NHL Entry Draft in exchange for Owen Nolan . Boyes was assigned to the Sharks' AHL affiliate, the Cleveland Barons . The next season he spent mostly with Cleveland until he was recalled and played in his first NHL game on March 7. Two days later Boyes was traded from the Sharks to the Boston Bruins in a three-way deal that saw Jeff Jillson go to the Buffalo Sabres , Curtis Brown go to San Jose, and Boyes and Andy Delmore go to Boston on March 9, 2004. Boyes
884-647: The All-Channel Receiver Act in the 1960s, VHF receivers were more accessible. Since there were only twelve VHF channels available, there were limitations as to how closely the stations could be spaced. After the FCC's Sixth Report and Order ended the license freeze and opened the UHF band in 1952, it devised a plan for allocating VHF licenses. Under this plan, almost all of the country would be able to receive two commercial VHF channels plus one non-commercial channel. Most of
936-543: 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,
988-540: The Greater Toronto Area , Boyes was an Ottawa Senators fan growing up. However, the hometown Toronto Maple Leafs were Boyes' "second team", and he would later say that he "always wanted to play for the Leafs". As a youth, Boyes played in the 1996 Quebec International Pee-Wee Hockey Tournament with the Toronto Young Nationals minor ice hockey team. Boyes played several years of roller hockey for
1040-645: The North American river otter common to Lake Erie . The Otters play at Erie Insurance Arena in downtown Erie , next door to UPMC Park and the Warner Theatre . The Otters have achieved significant success over the years. They have won the J. Ross Robertson Cup as OHL champions in the 2001–02 and 2016–17 seasons. Additionally, the team secured the Wayne Gretzky Trophy as Western Conference champions in 2014–15 and 2016–17. Their regular season dominance
1092-503: The Pittsburgh , Buffalo , Cleveland , and Youngstown markets respectively. As recently as the 1990s, it was available on cable as far east as Olean, New York (well out of WICU's broadcast range and in competition with Buffalo NBC affiliate WGRZ ). WICU-TV began broadcasting in Erie on March 15, 1949, as an affiliate of all four networks of the time (NBC, CBS , ABC , and DuMont ). It
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#17328516505491144-597: The Pittsburgh Penguins . He scored his first NHL hat trick on March 18, 2006, against Cam Ward of the Carolina Hurricanes . He finished the season with 26 goals and 69 points in 82 games and was named to the NHL All-Rookie Team. Boyes signed a two-year contract extension in the off-season. The following season Boyes struggled, scoring only 13 goals and 34 points in 62 games. On trade deadline day,
1196-843: 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
1248-761: The Toronto Maple Leafs during the 2015-2016 season . Boyes went to Hazel McCallion Senior Public School and Clarkson Secondary School , both in Mississauga, before moving to Erie, Pennsylvania . His mother is a teacher. His father is a school principal, and was the principal of Champlain Trail Public School. His father is also one of the directors of the Streetsville Hockey League, a small house league based in Streetsville . Despite living in
1300-578: The Boston Bruins, playing for the team for two seasons before being traded to the St. Louis Blues in 2007, where he had his longest stint at five seasons. Traded to the Buffalo Sabres in 2010, he remained with the team for two seasons before being acquired by the New York Islanders in 2012 . After one season with the Islanders, Boyes spent the next two seasons with the Florida Panthers , before playing for
1352-514: The Bruins traded Boyes to the St. Louis Blues in exchange for Dennis Wideman on February 27, 2007. After arriving in St. Louis, Boyes would score 4 more goals in 19 games. In St. Louis Boyes became a star player, scoring 43 goals in the 2007–08 season . On March 1, 2008, he signed a four-year contract with St. Louis. He followed this up with 33 goals in the 2008–09 season . The following two seasons were
1404-558: 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
1456-633: 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
1508-624: The Mississauga Rattlers. He was a member of the Mississauga Reps AAA hockey team before being drafted by the Erie Otters of the Ontario Hockey League (OHL). Boyes won the J. Ross Robertson Cup with the Otters in 2002 . In four years with the Otters he registered 141 goals and 309 points in 233 games. He was the OHL's Most Outstanding Player in the 2000–01 season and was twice named
1560-462: The Otters adopted the gold alternate jersey for every Saturday home game during the regular season. They introduced gold helmets to complement the uniform, replacing the blue helmets previously worn with the gold jerseys. For the 2017–18 season, the Erie Otters announced that the secondary cursive "Otters" wordmark would become their new primary logo, and the team would permanently adopt a color scheme of gold, navy, and white. As part of this rebranding,
1612-535: 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
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1664-461: 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,
1716-408: The Sabres, Boyes became the 20th player in NHL history to play in 500 consecutive games. By the end of his tenure with the Sabres, he was a healthy scratch from the lineup and alternated between centre and winger, failing to get comfortable when in the lineup. On July 1, 2012, Boyes signed as a free agent to a one-year, $ 1 million deal with the New York Islanders . With the ambition to move on from
1768-531: 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
1820-461: 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
1872-564: 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
1924-409: The final newscast from its separate Peach Street studios on May 28, 2009. WSEE-TV's weeknight show at 11 moved to its CW-affiliated subchannel so it would no longer directly compete with WICU-TV's newscast. The program in its new time slot now began to air against another prime time newscast seen for an hour on Fox affiliate WFXP (channel 66). In November 2012, Lilly Broadcasting invested close to
1976-1059: The gold alternate jersey became the team's home uniform, while a newly introduced white jersey, designed in the same style as the gold, became the main away uniform. On May 20, 2019, the Otters refreshed an older logo, incorporating the new navy blue, gold, and gray color scheme into the central emblem. The update also featured a modernized shoulder patch and included the name "Erie" within the Pennsylvania keystone symbol. The Erie Otters play their home games at Erie Insurance Arena , which opened in 1983 and seats more than 6,700 spectators for ice hockey. List of championships: 2001–02 2016–17 2001–02 2014–15 2016–17 2000–01 2015–16 2016–17 1999–00 2000–01 2001–02 2014–15 2015–16 2016–17 List of coaches: indicates replacement mid-season. List of award winners: List of general managers with multiple seasons in parentheses. List of award winners: List of National Hockey League (NHL) alumni: Connor McDavid
2028-482: The league's most sportsmanlike. Boyes was drafted by the Toronto Maple Leafs in the first round, 24th overall in the 2000 NHL Entry Draft . He joined the Maple Leafs American Hockey League (AHL) affiliate, the St. John's Maple Leafs , for the 2001–02 season , playing in 65 games. On March 9, 2002 He was traded to the San Jose Sharks along with Alyn McCauley and a 1st-round selection in
2080-451: The organization's commitment to fostering diversity and inclusion in hockey. From their inaugural season through the 2016–17 season, the Otters' team colors were navy blue, gold, red, and white. Their primary logo showcased a fierce, anthropomorphic otter holding a hockey stick and wearing gear set within a circular outline. The "Otters" wordmark appeared across the design in red with a gold and navy blue outline. The home uniforms consisted of
2132-419: The rest of the country ("1/2") would be able to receive a third VHF channel. Other areas would be designated as "UHF islands" since they were too close to larger cities for VHF service. The "2" networks became CBS and NBC, "+1" represented non-commercial educational stations , and "1/2" became ABC (which was the weakest network usually winding up with the UHF allocation where no VHF was available). However, Erie
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2184-523: The station became the senior partner in a local marketing agreement with WSEE-TV. From that point until June 1, 2009, WSEE-TV continued to operate from its own studios on Peach Street in Downtown Erie. On that date, that station along with its CW subchannel merged into WICU-TV's facilities. WICU's broadcasts became digital-only, effective June 12, 2009, the day all television stations transitioned from analog to digital broadcasts under federal mandate. It
2236-456: The station until 1996, when it was sold to SJL Communications, a subsidiary of SJL Broadcast Management and Alta Management. SJL purchased Alta's interest in 2005. A consummation notice was filed with the FCC in February 2007 to voluntarily transfer control of the station from SJL Communications to SJL Broadcast Management Corporation. This transaction was then authorized by the FCC. In 2002,
2288-643: The two stations will instead simulcast newscasts in these time periods under the joint brand Erie News Now . The stations' executive vice president, John Christianson, said that the WICU and WSEE newscasts were seen by viewers to have been essentially the same newscast with different anchors. WICU signed a shared service agreement with The WNY Media Company to share news resources with the Jamestown, New York -based Internet newscast, WNY News Now , in July 2021. The station's signal
2340-658: The week, WICU-TV and WSEE-TV maintain primary personnel such as news and sports anchors that only appear on one station. Most video footage and content is shared, however. In cases of breaking news, severe weather , or election coverage the two simulcast newscasts and occasionally include the CW subchannel as well. On weekday mornings, WSEE-DT2 provides a simulcast of the first hour of 12 News Today at 5 p.m. and WICU-TV's midday show at 12:30 p.m. In September 2015, Lilly Broadcasting announced that WICU-TV and WSEE-TV would no longer produce separate morning and evening newscasts as of October 12;
2392-557: Was again split between channels 12 and 35 until WJET-TV (channel 24) signed-on in April 1966 as Erie's exclusive ABC outlet. The station was a major beneficiary of a quirk in the FCC's plan for allocating stations. In the early days of broadcast television, there were twelve VHF channels available and 69 UHF channels (later reduced to 55 in 1983). The VHF bands were more desirable because they carried longer distances and, because most televisions did not carry UHF tuners until being forced to by
2444-598: Was fortunate to gain that license, and as a result was the market leader in Erie for most of its history. Edward Lamb nearly lost WIKK (renamed WICU [AM] in 1957) and WICU-TV in 1954 due to allegations that he associated with Communists , but was exonerated in 1957. A decade later, in August 1967, Lamb reorganized his business interests, selling off all non-broadcast holdings as well as WICU radio. Lamb's company, later renamed Great Lakes Communications, continued to hold channel 12. After Lamb's death in 1987, his family continued to own
2496-487: Was once again assigned to the AHL for the 2004–05 season , this time to the Bruins' affiliate, the Providence Bruins , where he scored 33 goals and 75 points for second on the team and added 8 goals and 15 points in 16 playoff games. He re-signed with Boston in the off-season. Boyes made the Bruins out of training camp for the 2005–06 season and scored his first NHL goal on October 8, 2005, against Sébastien Caron of
2548-610: Was one of the last stations to be granted a construction permit before the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) froze new applications. Channel 12 was founded by Edward Lamb , an attorney from Toledo, Ohio who also owned the now-defunct Erie Dispatch-Herald , and other broadcast properties including WTVN-TV (now WSYX ) in Columbus, Ohio , which went on the air six months later. In 1952, Lamb purchased WIKK radio (1330 AM, later WICU and now WFNN ), giving channel 12
2600-564: 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
2652-563: Was sandwiched between Pittsburgh (channels 2 , 4 , 11 and 13 ) to the south, Wheeling – Steubenville (channels 7 and 9 ) to the southwest, Cleveland (channels 3 , 5 and 8 ) to the west, State College (channels 3 , 6 , and 10 , later 8 ) to the southeast, Buffalo (channels 2 , 4 and 7 ) to the northeast, and London, Ontario ( channel 10 ), to the north. This created a large "doughnut" in Northwestern Pennsylvania where there could only be one VHF license. WICU-TV
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#17328516505492704-466: Was the last analog station serving the Erie region to make the switch. WICU-TV has aired an annual telethon for the Kanzius Cancer Research Foundation since 2008. WICU-TV and WSEE-TV merged their websites in June 2011. Although the local marketing agreement between WICU-TV and WSEE-TV was established in 2002, the actual beginning of newscast consolidation between the two did not start until WSEE-TV actually moved into WICU-TV's studios. WSEE-TV aired
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