Saturday, June 24th

The Huntsville Jr C Otters will be hosting their first prospect skate for the 2023-2024 season at the Allandale Recreation Centre in Barrie on Saturday, June 24th from 2:00-4:00.

The skate is open to players and goalies interested in becoming an Otter for the upcoming season.

Otter Nation is the place to be this season – we have a great group of returning vets, a state of the art facility, awesome fans, along with a supportive bench staff and executive whose first priority is the team and its players.

Details:

• You must register in advance and your registration must be approved to be invited to attend
• This camp is expected to fill quickly, please don’t delay in getting registered to avoid disappointment
• Registration is on a first come, first serve basis
• Minimum birth year of 2006
• No charge for this skate
• Select Attendees will be invited to move forward to our next camp
• Permission to Skate required
• Any questions, please contact Brian Crozier, Otters GM at: briancrozier62@gmail.com or (705) 388-0835
• Arena Address: 190 Bayview Drive, Barrie, Ontario L4N 4Y8 (Allandale Recreation Centre)
• Please complete the below Otters Prospect Registration to register for the prospect skate – you must receive confirmation that you have been invited to attend the skate (any issues, reach out to Brian Crozier)

Huntsville Otters Main Camp

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The Huntsville Jr C Otters unfortunately had their season come to an end this past Tuesday (March 14th).

While we are sorry to see our season end in the first round of the playoffs, we have so much to celebrate and be thankful for looking back over the 2022-2023 season.

This season saw the Otters in somewhat of a rebuilding phase, with new bench staff and almost half our team being Rookies, we started off with a relatively new and inexperienced team. Most of our returning Vets were Rookies themselves last season. Together these young men quickly became a cohesive group, supporting each other both on and off the ice. They became a true hockey family and that is something that lasts much longer than the ringing of the final buzzer at the end of the season.

This team was exciting to watch – the boys brought a combination of speed, physical play, teamwork, skill at both ends of the ice and a great goaltending pair protecting our house. The dedication was evident with this group as was apparent with attendance during both practices and games – there was never a concern of not having a full roster prepared to hit the ice. The boys provided great entertainment for our fans and built a very strong and supportive fan base, averaging 300 fans per game (with several games having many more than 300 in attendance). Our fans really are the best and we are so thankful for their support all season long!

This young team finished the season with 36 points, which is the most earned by any previous Otters team since Huntsville joined the PJHL in 2016 (even with the seasonal structure having 2 less games this season than past years). This success can be attributed to hard work and dedication, with players and coaching staff working cohesively together all season long. Even during games that ended in a loss for the Otters, many were close match ups that were entertaining to watch.

Out of 9 teams in the North Carruthers Division, the Otters ended up 6th at the end of the regular season. Throughout the season, the Orillia Terriers, Innisfil Spartans and Huntsville Otters were tight in the standings and kept trading control of the 4th, 5th and 6th positions. The division saw the Stayner Siskins hold control of the the #1 seed all season, with the Alliston Hornets and Schomberg Cougars battling out between the 2nd and 3rd seed and the Midland Flyers, Penetang Kings and Caledon Golden Hawks in tight in the 7th, 8th and 9th positions. Final standings determinations were not set until basically the end of the regular season, which is great from a competition standpoint and made for many close match ups between teams throughout the season.

Once the standings were determined, the Otters were pitted against the Schomberg Cougars (who ended up 3rd in the division) in a best of 7 series. For whatever reason, the style of hockey played by the Cougars proved challenging for the Otters all season long. In 5 regular season match ups, each game went to the Cougars. Ironically, the Otters had closer match ups with both the 1st and 2nd seeds, winning a few of those games and having closer games with both, with the exception of 1 game with each team early on.

The playoff series began in Schomberg on a Thursday night. The game was a little flat and Huntsville walked away with a loss along with some injuries and a suspension, however, they were determined to come back in game 2 the next night at home, in front of a hometown crowd. Although Huntsville lost 4-1, the game was much closer than the score indicated. Huntsville scored the first goal of the game and the score was 2-1 until approximately 3 minutes left in the third, when Schomberg managed to score another goal and follow it up with an empty netter. The Otters were down, but still not out when they returned to the Canada Summit Centre for game 3 two days later. Huntsville once again scored first early on and brought the score to 4-3 with a goal late in the third. There were some unfortunate turns of events during the game, along with some Otters injuries, but that did not deter the Otters from digging in and playing a hard fought game, but sadly they came up a goal short to tie the game and try to make an overtime push. Two days later, the Otters returned to the Schomberg Arena for game 4. The boys came in a little banged up and missing a few out of their roster, but they were still determined to walk away with a win and force game 5 of the series. Unfortunately, the Cougars were able to score 3 goals on the Otters in the first. Even though the Otters regrouped and played a much stronger second and third period, they were unable to turn the tables and pull out a win and the season ended there for the Otters.

While the time in the playoffs was shorter than the Otters hoped for, there was lots from the overall season to be proud of for this relatively new team. There was lots of learning and growth throughout the season and the Otters will be back next season with experience gained and ready to build on the successes earned over the last 44 games. We are sad to say good bye to our 4 overaged players, #18 Adam Lewis (C), #21 Nick Coleman, #25 Colin Jones and #31 Tyler Miller – your experience and dedication to the team will be greatly missed, as well as each one of you as a person!

Before you know it, Prospect Skates and Training Camps will be starting up for next season and the Otters will once again be hitting the ice!

We would like to give a heartfelt thanks to all our players, bench staff, sponsors, fans, volunteers, billet families, parents, executive, on and off ice officials, PJHL, arena staff and the Huntsville Community. We are so grateful for the countless individuals, businesses and groups who support us in so many ways that makes it possible for us to bring Jr C Hockey to our community – thank you all!!

We can’t wait for next season! See you at the rink!

Your Hometown Huntsville Jr C Otters

Your Hometown Huntsville Jr C Otters are set to start their playoff run. The first round of the playoffs sees the Otters face off against the Schomberg Cougars in a Best of 7 Series.

After a 40 game Regular Season, it’s time to step it up a notch with playoff hockey.

Don’t miss out on all the action! Be sure to treat yourself to some fast paced and entertaining hockey. Bring a friend or two and head to the rink to support your Otters – let’s make some Noise for the Boys!

1st Round Playoff Schedule:

This weekend sees your Hometown Jr C Otters play their final two games of the 2022-2023 Regular Season.

The last home game of the regular season is on Friday, March 3rd where the Otters will host the first place Stayner Siskins. Puck drops at 7:30 at the Don Lough Arena. Come out and cheer on your Otters. This match up should prove to be an exciting one. Let’s fill the stands and make some noise for the boys!

The following day, sees the Otters travel to Innisfil on Saturday, March 4th to take on the Spartans in their home barn for the last regular season game for both clubs. These match ups often tend to be spirited between these two teams. Come join us on the road, bringing some hometown support to your Otters. Puck drops at 7:30 at the Innisfil Recreation Complex.

Hard to believe this weekend brings the last of the regular season’s 40 games. This team has proved to be exciting to watch and has brought a competitive edge to the season’s match ups. This group is a relatively new team with many Rookies combined with some returning Vets to round out our roster. We have several local boys as well as quite a few from the surrounding area and from a distance also. They have all come together as a team and collectively have made up a close knit hockey family. This team has been supported by a large group of fans that has grown throughout the season – Huntsville truly is a great hockey town and you have all been so supportive all year. It is so great to see large crowds cheering on these deserving young men all season – many thanks to you all!

After this weekend, we will jump right into playoffs. This part of the season is always an exciting time as each team battles their opponents with the strong desire to win each series and continue to advance one round at a time. The first round for the Otters will see us square off in a 4 out of 7 series against the Schomberg Cougars. The playoff contracts are not yet final, but it is likely Game 1 will take place in Schomberg during the upcoming week, with us returning home next weekend for 2. Once the schedules are confirmed, they will be updated on both our website and the PJHL site.

We look forward to bringing you some exciting playoff action and hope to see you all at the rink!

GO OTTERS GO!!

Your Hometown Jr C Otters will be collecting donations for Hayden McNichol at their home game against the Caledon Golden Hawks on Friday, February 17th. Game starts at 7:30pm. There will be donation jars available at the Entrance Gate. We thank you in advance for your generosity.

Hayden McNichol is a first year U15 Huntsville Otter who has received a devastating diagnosis of a serious health condition that no family ever wants to hear. He and his family will have a long road to battle his way back to recovery and good health. There will be many challenges along this journey, including financial strain for travel and the expenses that go along with being out of your community for care.

Hockey families are the best and we take care of our own – any donation of funds to help ease the financial burden are greatly appreciated!

We send Hayden and his family strength and healing thoughts at this difficult time.

Huntsville Jr C Otters

On Sunday, December 11th, the Otters hosted an Appreciation Dinner at The Active Living Centre for our volunteers following the 2:30 game vs the Penetang Kings.

We have many wonderful people in our community who support our team in a volunteer capacity on a regular basis. Without these volunteers who are so generous with their time and energy, we would not be able to operate.

The team rolled up their sleeves to serve dinner to our volunteers and show their appreciation for all these people do to support their team.

We are so grateful for each and every volunteer who helps us out throughout the season. You are all MVP’s in our eyes.

Thanks so much from your Hometown Huntsville Jr C Otters!

During the Otters Friday, December 9th home again vs the Midland Flyers the admission to the game was free with a donation to The Table Soup Kitchen Foundation.

Our Otters fans showed us all once again what a supportive and charitable community we live in. By the end of the evening we had collected a mountain of food, along with over $800.00 in cash donations, as well some toys for Christmas, pet food and toiletry donations. When the U18 Otters found out we were doing a food drive, they also collected for The Table at their home game (which was taking place at the same time on the other pad) – hockey families are great to dig in and help each other, along with their community.

We are so thankful to our fans for helping us bring some much needed donations to The Table. We realize that many people are finding it increasingly difficult to put food on the table with the sky rocketing cost of just about everything and still this community finds a way time and again to support those who are less fortunate.

Our Otters team and organization are also very thankful for the support we receive from the community, which allows our team to operate and we are happy to be able to give back to the community who supports us all season long.

We thank you all for your support!

Your hometown Otters have a stretch of upcoming home games before Christmas: Sunday, December 11th vs Penetang Kings 2:30, Friday, December 16th vs Schomberg Cougars 7:30 and Friday, December 23rd vs Orillia Terriers 7:30. Come on out and take in some exciting hockey at the Canada Summit Centre. This team is taking fire and is really fun to watch and they love to play in front of a large crowd of their supportive fans.

See you at the rink!

Come cheer on your Hometown Huntsville Jr C Otters as they take on the Midland Flyers at the Canada Summit Centre Friday, December 9th @ 7:30PM. As we have been on the road the last couple of weeks, we have missed you all and want to welcome you back to the rink to enjoy an exciting game of hockey!

In the spirit of the season, the Otters are offering a free game to all fans. All we ask in return is for each attendee to donate at the gate to the Table Food Bank. The Table welcomes any monetary donation, non-perishable food item or items including baby and feminine products, toiletry items and pet food.

With the cost of food sky rocketing, needy families in our community are finding it increasingly difficult to afford to put food on the table for their families. Food Banks are struggling to keep food on their shelves for all who need it as donations are down (due to an increased cost of living for everyone) and donated dollars do not go as far as in the recent past due to the increased cost of food. This is all happening at a time when Food Banks are seeing record numbers of people coming through their doors looking for help to feed their families.

We thank you all in advance for your generosity.Holiday Game

The game scheduled for Sunday, November 20th at 2:30 vs the Schomberg Cougars at the Canada Summit Centre has been cancelled due to poor weather conditions south of here. The game will be postponed to a later date.

The Huntsville Jr C Otters are off to a solid start this season, with an 8-7 record at the 15 game mark of a 40 game regular season, putting them just north of 500.

The Otters first game of the season saw them hosting the Caledon Golden Hawks for the home opener at the Canada Summit Centre. This was an exciting back and forth game that treated our fans to an edge-of-your-seat, 4-3 Overtime Win for the home team.

This season’s team consists of several rookies, with a few returning vets and some new faces with the bench staff as well. This young team is made up of a great group of young men who are exciting to watch and bring a big compete factor to the rink for each game.

After the home opener win, the Otters played the next 10 games, with some successes and lots of learning and growing, going 3-7 in those match ups.

Over the last two weeks, the Otters have gone 4-0 in their last 4 match ups.

The first of these games began with a Friday night road trip to Penetang. The Otters opened the books with the first goal, only to see the Kings return with two more of their own. At the end of the second period, Huntsville was down 1-2. The Otters came back after the flood and buried 3 unanswered goals in the third, giving them the 4-2 win.

Next, the Otters hit the road again for a Sunday afternoon tilt against the Caledon Golden Hawks. Within the first 5 minutes of the first period the Hawks had come out with a vengeance and buried 3 goals on the Otters. The Otters didn’t let the barrage rattle them, rather it energized the boys. They dug in and took control of the game, burying 5 unanswered goals and leaving the final score a 5-3 win for the Otters.

Last Friday night saw the Otters return home to host the 11-0 Stayner Siskins who sat atop both the Carruthers Division and the PJHL itself. The Otters came to the rink to play and lit the scoreboard up with the first goal of the game, just over the half way mark of the first period. Stayner returned fire, adding their own goal a couple of minutes later, but it would be their last of the game. Huntsville added one more goal for insurance in the second period, which ended the scoring for both teams. The game was a fast paced, end to end match up between the two clubs, providing lots of excitement for our hometown fans. When the final buzzer rang, it was Huntsville with the 2-1 win.

Huntsville hit the road the next day for a match up with the Innisfil Spartans. Innisfil came out strong and snuck in the first goal of the game. Huntsville dug in and found a few more gears, returning with 6 of their own goals and taking control, allowing only 1 more goal for the Spartans. At the end of the 60 minutes, the Otters left with a decisive 6-2 win.

The Otters have been providing lots of entertainment for our awesome hometown fans. Huntsville really is a great hockey town and they have been showing substantial support to our boys with an average of 285 fans per home game. We are just getting started – there are 25 regular season games remaining. Come on out for a fun evening/afternoon of hockey either at home or on the road-most weekends see the boys hitting the ice for 2 games. You can follow our website, Facebook and Instagram pages and the PJHL website to keep up to date with our schedule and scores and login to our Youtube page when you can’t get to the rink in person (our home games are livestreamed with our away games uploaded after the game).

See you at the rink – GO OTTERS GO!!