Erie Otters’ head coach Stan Butler came into the media room soaking wet Saturday after his team upset the Saginaw Spirit 5-4. The win was significant on multiple fronts.
On a personal level for Butler, the win was his 800th CHL win in his long, storied career as a head coach. While he jokingly admitted the 800 wins meant that he was old, he gave credit to the teams he’s coached over the years. The reason he was soaking wet was because the Otters gave him a celebratory Gatorade/Powerade bath in the locker room.
The win was much more than Butler’s 800th win. It signaled that the plan started by the Otters last season with Butler’s hiring was working. Now they’re starting to see some of the fruits of it.
Quick Refresher
The Otters had a dreadful 2022-23 season. They had to dismiss coach B.J. Adams. It marked an important time in the franchise as they were now looking for their third head coach in a short amount of time.
To the Otters’ front office, experience mattered. They wanted someone who is a proven winner that could help reshape their locker room and get them back on the right track once and for all.
GM Dave Brown turned to someone he was familiar with hoping he could do the job. After some time away from hockey for health reasons, Butler joined in.
Butler joined the Otters at a time where a full evaluation of the team was needed. He was allotted the rest of the 2022-23 season to see where players were and what items needed addressed.
The Otters made an interesting move at the OHL Trade Deadline acquiring Pano Fimis from the Niagara Ice Dogs. The Otters were thought of as sellers. So why would the Otters buy? The move was met with a lot of criticism.
As it turned out, this move signaled the start of a long-term plan for the Otters to return to the respectability they’re known for. Fimis was regarded as one of the best players in his age group, He was also a center, something the team desperately needed in their lineup.
Brown acquired Fimis not just for the end of last season, but for this season and potentially next season too. That timeline fits when the Otters were expected to be good thanks to their young talent on the roster.
This playoff berth in 2023-24 is just the start of where the Otters are hoping to go. A plan is starting to come together.
2023-24 Hasn’t Been Easy
While the Otters will see playoff hockey at Erie Insurance Arena again for the first time since their championship season, getting to this point hasn’t been easy.
The Otters went out and acquired goalie Ben Gaudreau to help stabilize the net. When he was available, the Otters have gone 20-11-3. That’s a compelling case for league MVP given the team’s performance in the other games.
Gaudreau went down with a lower-body injury in January and hasn’t played since. There is no timeline for a return but everyone involved remains hopeful he can return for the playoffs.
The Otters have had to go through a rotation in net where as many as eight goalies have suited up in a game. On Saturday night, it was Ethan Fraser starting and earning the 5-4 win over Saginaw. Jacob Gibbons and Charlie Burns have seen recent action as they continue to play without Gaudreau.
The Otters have also had to overcome some slumps and less than average special teams. Saturday night’s perfect 3/3 on the penalty kill showed that progress has been made in that area.
Where the Otters have shined this season to overcome these challenges is their overall depth. They have four 20-goal scorers in Fimis, Carey Terrance, Sam Alfano and Martin Misiak. They also have both Ondrej Molnar and Malcolm Spence with 19 goals each. They can hurt you with different lines.
The depth scoring goes beyond those already mentioned. The Dylan Edwards comeback story has been among the brightest spots for the Otters in 2023-24. He has 18 goals in 35 games which has helped spark a great run of late. Bruce McDonald and Brett Bressette each have 17 goals while captain Spencer Sova has added 15 goals. That’s 10 players with at least 15 goals on the season. For comparison, the London Knights have 10 players with at least 15 and the Saginaw Spirit have nine players.
Butler’s Influence
It’s safe to say Butler has been able to get the Otters back on the right track in 2023-24. His influence has helped several key players find growth in their games. Here’s Fimis on the impact Butler has had.
“He’s meant the world to us because last year coming in with about three and a half weeks left in the season, he was able to assess the group as a whole just knowing the possibility of making the playoffs wasn’t greatly in our favor. So being able to assess us last year towards the end of the year and then coming in this year full force implementing everything that he’s been able to use in this league, that’s worked. And I think the guys have done a great job of just taking in all the information that he’s been giving us and applying it on the ice.”
Butler has the Otters playing a style that can be successful in a long playoff series. In Saturday’s win against the Spirit, there was speed and skill all over the ice. But there was also an extra level of physicality and emotion to the game. The Otters and Spirit could see each other in the first round of the playoffs. Spence believes Saturday’s win felt like a playoff game.
“It definitely was physical out there,” Spence said. “I’m really proud of our group. I thought we showed a lot of adversity and I think that’s one of the best teams in the league and we showed that we can play with anyone. We obviously had four lines playing tonight. I think from the bottom up we had a great game so I’m really happy with our effort tonight. I think we played three complete periods.”
Just the Beginning
The Otters will finish anywhere from 5th through 8th in the Western Conference. While they want to get the best possible seed and then play their best in these playoffs, the team is just at the beginning of what they hope to become in the near future.
These playoffs will serve as an excellent ground for experience and development for this young team. Spence and rookie Matthew Schaefer will each get their first taste of playoff action. Both are eligible for the 2025 NHL Draft.
Butler knows and understands that the journey is just beginning and that they have a ways to go to get to their ultimate goal. The win Saturday night was a good start.
“The biggest part of it is our kids got a win tonight and that’s good for them,” Butler said. “And you know what? Like we said at the start of the year here, we want to try to get the Otters back to what people have been expecting here in the past. We know it’s a long journey back. We’re still on the proper road. The car’s still got gas. Keep going and we’ll eventually get there.”
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The Otters made a plan with this season and beyond in mind. They overcame several challenges along the way. They got their playoff berth. If nothing else, it shows significant progress from where they were this time last season.
The road back to respectability can be a long one. For the Otters, they’re back on the right track. Butler being drenched for his 800th win was more than celebrating a milestone. It signaled just how much the team believes in what he’s doing. Now that’s progress worth celebrating if you are an Otters’ fan.
