The Erie Otters are raising ticket prices by an average of $1.50 per ticket for the 2013-14 OHL season because of increased costs for managing what will be the club’s first season in a newly renovated Erie Insurance Arena, said Jamie Cieszynski, assistant director of operations.
Single-game tickets for premium seats (formerly called platinum seats) will increase to $16 in advance and $19 on game days from $14.50 and $16.50, respectively, this past season. Reserved seats (formerly gold seats) will move to $14 in advance and $17 on game days, compared to $12.50 and $14.50.
Platinum seating will include sections 6, 7, 8, 18, 19, 20 and the first two rows along the glass on the north and south sides of the arena under the current configuration, although names and numbers for sections and rows will change next season. Reserved seating will consist of all other sections and rows.
The organization has improved the format for student tickets, as well as added special ticket pricing for senior citizens, to offset the overall increase in ticket prices. The $10 kids ticket, which covered children ages 3-12, has been changed to a $10 student ticket for children ages 5-18. All seating areas are available to students. Adults 65 and over will enjoy a discount from the normal single-game ticket prices. Premium seats will cost $14 in advance and $17 on game days. Reserved seats will cost $12 in advance and $15 on game days.
Season-ticket holders also face a price increase. Premium and reserved seats for adults will cost $476 and $425, respectively, compared to $425 and $375 this past season. Senior citizens can purchase their season tickets for $425 (premium seating) and $374 (reserved seating). However, the first 97 fans to pay for season tickets in full will secure their seats for the 2012-13 season’s prices. Other fans that pay for their seats in full by May 1 will receive a $25 discount per seat. Season tickets for students will remain at $306.
The Otters will enter next season off two of the worst years in franchise history, in which they posted a combined 29-92-7-8 record and missed the playoffs both times.

Center Dylan Strome and defensemen Jesse Saban and Cole Mayo – the Erie Otters’ top three picks in the 2013 OHL Priority Selection – will play in the U16 OHL Gold Cup May 9-12 at Sportsworld Arena in Kitchener, Ontario.
The annual event features Ontario’s top Under-16 players, and serves as an evaluation and selection process for Team Ontario. Strome and Saban will play for Team GTHL Red, while Mayo will play for Team Alliance.

Sherry Bassin said Saturday that he hasn’t spoken with Michael Andlauer, owner of the AHL’s Hamilton Bulldogs, about purchasing the Erie Otters.
“I haven’t even talked to him about it,” said Bassin, Otters managing partner and general manager, in response to a recent article published by the Hamilton Spectator in Hamilton, Ontario, which reported that Andlauer has spoken with Bassin about the Otters.
“Never any discussion,” Bassin said. “Nothing about that.”
Reports began to surface a season ago linking the Otters with a potential move to Hamilton. Then in March 2012, Bassin signed a two-year lease with the Erie County Convention Center Authority, which operates Erie Insurance Arena. The lease expires after the 2013-14 season.

- Victor Fernandes

First-round picks in the 2013 OHL Priority Selection:
No. Club Pos. Name (Ht., Wt.) 2012-13 club 2012-13 statistics
1. Ottawa C Travis Konecny (5-9, 162) Elgin-Middlesex Chiefs 53 goals, 114 points (54 games)
2. Erie C Dylan Strome (6-2, 170) Toronto Marlboros 65 goals, 143 points (60 games)
3. Peterborough D Matthew Spencer (6-1, 192) Oakville Rangers 17 goals, 56 points (71 games)
4. Mississauga D Sean Day (6-1, 180) Compuware 11 goals, 35 points (63 games)
5. Kingston LW Lawson Crouse (6-2, 189) Elgin-Middlesex Chiefs 22 goals, 50 points (27 games)
6. Niagara C Hayden McCool (6-2, 190) Whitby Wildcats 21 goals, 34 points (33 games)
7. Sudbury D Kyle Capobianco (6-0, 155) Oakville Rangers 14 goals, 56 points (71 games)
8. Saginaw C Mitchell Stephens (5-9, 166) Toronto Marlboros 44 goals, 84 points (58 games)
9. Sarnia RW Nikita Korostelev (6-0, 187) Toronto Jr. Canadiens 12 goals, 26 points (13 games)
10. North Bay* C Brett McKenzie (5-9, 175) Oakville Rangers 38 goals, 102 points (63 games)
11. Sault Ste. Marie C Blake Speers (5-9, 157) Sault Ste. Marie Thunder 43 goals, 113 points (67 games)
12. Guelph D Garrett McFadden (5-9, 195) Grey-Bruce Highlanders 14 goals, 30 points (37 games)
13. Kitchener LW Mike Davies (6-0, 198) Southern Tier Admirals 47 goals, 73 points (61 games)
14. Oshawa D Mitchell Vande Sompel (5-9, 171) London Knights Gold 9 goals, 32 points (23 games)
15. Barrie C Matthew Kreis (5-10, 155) Halton Hurricanes 22 goals, 46 points (35 games)
16. Plymouth LW Jordan Greenaway (6-5, 205) Shattuck-St. Mary U16 (Minn.) N/A
17. Owen Sound C Ethan Szypula (5-9, 154) London Knights Gold 22 goals, 50 points (30 games)
18. Belleville D Justin Lemcke (6-1, 192) Whitby Wildcats 6 goals, 23 points (26 games)
19. London C Mitchell Marner (5-7, 130) Don Mills Flyers 41 goals, 86 points (56 games)

Sherry Bassin, Erie Otters managing partner and general manager, said recently that “there seems to be a fair amount of people that have shown an interest” in purchasing the OHL franchise. Bassin didn’t reveal specifics about potential buyers, although he added that he has received verbal offers.
Yet the Hamilton Spectator in Hamilton, Ontario, has reported that Michael Andlauer, owner of the AHL’s Hamilton Bulldogs, has spoken with Bassin about the Otters and with David Branch, OHL commissioner and CHL president, about his interest in purchasing an OHL franchise. According to the Spectator, Andlauer wouldn’t disclose if he and Bassin have discussed a purchase price.
“There’s no doubt the league knows I’m desirous of having a team,” Andlauer told the Spectator. “It’s definitely on my radar. It’s all a matter of timing.”
Bassin, 73, has said he hasn’t received interest locally about buying the franchise. “I’m coming to a point where I am going to sell the team,” he said.
Reports began to surface a season ago linking the Otters with a potential move to Hamilton, Ontario. Then in March 2012, Bassin signed a two-year lease with the Erie County Convention Center Authority, which operates Erie Insurance Arena. The lease expires after the 2013-14 season.

- Victor Fernandes

Have something to say about Sherry Bassin’s draft class or about the Erie Otters?
Share your thoughts with Victor Fernandes by visiting the Shootout hockey blog at GoErie.com/blogs/shootout. The live 90-minute chat begins Saturday at 5:30 p.m.
Also head to the Shootout hockey blog and Twitter at www.twitter.com/goeriehockey updates throughout draft day.

- Victor Fernandes

The OHL will unveil the winner of the Emms Family Award for OHL rookie of the year Thursday at 11 a.m. Erie Otters center Connor McDavid (25 goals, 41 assists, 66 points) headlines a list of finalists that also includes forwards Sam Bennett (18-22-40 with Brampton), Blake Clarkee (19-32-51) with Brampton, Michael Dal Colle (15-33-48 with Oshawa), Nikolay Goldobin (30-38-68 with Sarnia) and Sergey Tolchinsky (26-25-51 with Sault Ste. Marie).

Sherry Bassin, Erie Otters managing partner and general manager, arrives in Erie later today to begin final meetings with his scouting staff for Saturday’s OHL Priority Selection.
He confirmed that forwards Travis Konecny and Dylan Strome and defenseman Sean Day are on his final list for the No. 2 pick. “We believe in these guys for sure,” said Bassin, who didn’t disclose his pick, although speculation seems to center around Strome, younger brother of Niagara IceDogs forward and New York Islanders prospect Ryan Strome. Yet Bassin said there are a couple of other undisclosed prospects that Bassin called “challengers” that he still considers “intriguing.”
Bassin’s scouts will have their chance to defend their favorites during meetings between now and Saturday. But the odds of changing Bassin’s mind seems to be slim. “We feel pretty good about it,” Bassin said. “I’m pretty confident on who it should be.”

- Victor Fernandes

Peter Sidorkiewicz survived three head coaching changes with the Erie Otters, including his own.
But after 14 seasons, his tenure with the OHL club is over. Sherry Bassin, Otters managing partner and general manager, has chosen not to renew Sidorkiewicz’s contract, which expires at the end of this season, because “they’re looking at going in another direction,” Sidorkiewicz said Friday.
Sidorkiewicz, 49, joined the Otters in 1999 to serve as assistant and goaltending coach under then-coach Dave MacQueen. He replaced MacQueen as coach before the 2006-07 season, but was demoted to assistant under coach Robbie Ftorek after posting an 18-62-1-2 record during one-plus seasons.
Sidorkiewicz, a former NHL goaltender, again chose to remain on staff after Kris Knoblauch was hired to replace Ftorek this past November.
Yet Sidorkiewicz said, “I’m not part of the plan” for the 2013-14 season. “I think they want to get a couple of younger coaches.
Dave Brown, Otters assistant manager of hockey operations, said the staff likely will include two full-time assistants and a part-time goaltending coach, although club officials wouldn’t rule out hiring one of the new assistants to also work with the goaltenders.
Bassin declined to comment on if Sidorkiewicz’s performance factored into the decision. The Otters topped 300 goals allowed – 650 in all – the past two seasons, and their goaltenders – Ramis Sadikov and Devin Williams in 2011-12, as well as Oscar Dansk and Williams this season – struggled mightily.
“I have nothing negative to say about it. We’re looking at different things that could be done,” said Bassin, who added that Knoblauch wants input into the staff. Sidorkiewicz said he worked well with Knoblauch. But with a new coach, Sidorkiewicz said, “you always know (a change is) possible.”
Sidorkiewicz will turn his attention to finding a new job. “It’s like a kick in the gut,” he said of leaving the Otters. “But I have to get off the floor. I have to find a new job.” Bassin said he plans to help Sidorkiewicz find a job at a higher level. “I’m going to do my best to call a lot of people because he would be a wonderful addition to their staff,” Bassin said. “I think the world of him. I’m going to do my best to get him to the next level.”
In other news, the Otters have chosen not to retain Mike Hildenbrand, who spent the past three seasons as equipment manager. Paul Roper, who served as play-by-play broadcaster and media relations manager for the past four seasons, won’t also remain with the club.

- Victor Fernandes

Victor Fernandes unveils his predictions for the OHL playoffs:

Eastern Conference
Quarterfinals
No. 1 Belleville def. No. 8 Mississauga, 4-1
No. 2 Barrie def. No. 7 Kingston, 4-0
No. 6 Niagara def. No. 3 Oshawa, 4-2
No. 4 Brampton def. No. 5 Sudbury, 4-2
Semifinals
No. 1 Belleville def. No. 6 Niagara, 4-2
No. 2 Barrie def. No. 4 Brampton, 4-1
Finals
No. 1 Belleville def. No. 2 Barrie, 4-3

Western Conference
Quarterfinals
No. 1 London def. No. 8 Saginaw, 4-0
No. 2 Plymouth def. No. 7 Sarnia, 4-1
No. 3 Owen Sound def. No. 6 Sault Ste. Marie, 4-1
No. 5 Guelph def. No. 4 Kitchener, 4-3
Semifinals
No. 1 London def. No. 5 Guelph, 4-1
No. 2 Plymouth def. No. 3 Owen Sound, 4-2
Finals
No. 2 Plymouth def. No. 1 London, 4-3

League finals
No. 1W Plymouth def. No. 1E Belleville, 4-2

- Victor Fernandes