Quote:
Originally Posted by Styx and Stones
OttersFan
Could you please give your best recruitment pitch to convince a player to come to Erie?
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Sure but what perspective are you looking at this at? And also know I am not directly affiliated with the organization its self so please do not see my post in that sense.
I know Erie had a rough season this year but this team has a huge upside. Adam Pelech will most likely make the world junior roster for team Canada and I would say Stephen Harper has a chance in two years and many have him labeled as a first round NHL pick in 2013. They have an abundance of young prospects that are going to develop and make this team a serious title contender ( Pelech, Harper, Fox, Brown, Cairns, Williams, Mcdowell) just to name a few. All sources point toward Connor McDavid playing here at this point although nothing is on paper yet adding him to the team makes them a front runner in my opinion. McDavid is touted as the best prospect since Crosby so his play and skill speaks for himself. I cannot stress enough the impact Connor will have on any team in this league. What kid from a hockey stand point would turn down an opportunity to play on the same team as him? Erie also has 5 selections in the top 55 in this years draft and the 3rd overall import pick. The right selections here with the players reporting will also make this team a contender. They have all the makings to turn the franchise around in the next two years. People tend to forget Windsor a few years back was not a strong organization by any means and London in the mid 90’s set the league record with fewest wins at 3.
Erie also has great high schools that all the younger players attend. Most go to McDowell high school which is an excellent school that has around 90 percent of each class go on to secondary education. I believe some go to Cathedral Prep which is a private all boys school.
http://www.bestofbothworlds.ca/academic-advisors-s12058 is a link that describes the education in the OHL more.
Erie is in all honesty an excellent place to play junior hockey and it is an absolute perfect town with a loyal fan base that supported the team through this season. The atmosphere at an Erie game can easily compete if not be better than any other team in the league. Ask any fan out there that went to any playoff games when the team won the championship, other teams and players said that they have never played in a building with such a passionate and loud crowd.
The Tulio arena is also under 42 million dollar renovations that will be half finished by next season and completed for the start of the 2013-14 season. A brand new place to play hockey and a team that is wining is going to sell a massive amount of tickets in the city. When Erie has a good team on the ice there ticket sales are in the top 7 easily. This year they had just 10 wins but still averaged nearly 3,000 fans a game. I know many other OHL teams with that record would not stand a chance at those sales.
I can go on about other topics if you wish or elaborate more on anything. This is just a start but it is a huge post and I don’t know if you want to read this much. Let me know what you think.
