OHL Alumni Central

The Lahden Pelicans of Finland’s SM-Liiga are treading in rare territory. Three quarters of the way through the 2011-12 season, Pelicans find themselves in second place in the fourteen team Finnish elite league. The team has never never won a championship and has really never enjoyed any great playoff success. 2011-12 might just be the year of the Pelicans.

Pelicans are led by an Ontario Hockey League grad and the team has recently picked up two more OHL alumni for the playoff run. Justin Hodgman is tied for tenth in league scoring. Czech natives Jan Platil and Radek Smolenak are recent pickups from other SM-Liiga teams.

Justin Hodgman played four years in the Ontario Hockey League with the Erie Otters from 2005-06 to 2008-09. Undrafted, Hodgman spent the past two years bouncing around between the IHL, ECHL and AHL. In 2010-11, Justin played mostly with the Toronto Marlies of the AHL with a few games down in the ECHL with the Reading Royals. This is his first season in Finland.

Jan Platil played for the Barrie Colts for three seasons from 2000-01 to 2002-03. A seventh round pick of the Ottawa Senators at the 2001 NHL Entry Draft, Platil spent three years in Ottawa’s farm system with the AHL’s Binghamton Senators before heading to Europe for the 2006-07 season. Jan has since played in Russia, Czech Republic, Slovakia, Germany and Austria. He began the season with Orli Znojmo in Austria’s EBEL before moving to Tappara in the SM-Liiga.

Radek Smolenak played two seasons with the Kingston Frontenacs, 2004-05 and 2005-06. Drafted by the Tampa Bay Lightning after his first year in the OHL, Radek excelled in his second season with Kingston, scoring 42 and assisting on another 42 for 84 points in 65 games. Smolenak did get into seven NHL games after turning pro, six with Tampa Bay in 2008-09 and one with the Chicago Blackhawks in 2009-10.

Smolenak has been in Europe for the past two seasons. in 2010-11, he played for his hometown HC Sparta Prague. He began the current season in Finland with Assat.

Back in 1974-75 and 1975-76, Greg Hotham played for the Kingston Canadians. Three decades later, both of Greg’s sons, Andrew and Scott, also played in the Ontario Hockey League. All three are blue liners.

The Toronto Maple Leafs selected Greg in the fifth round of the 1976 NHL Amateur Draft, 84th overall. Between 1979-80 and 1984-85, Greg played in 230 regular season NHL games with the Maple Leafs and Pittsburgh Penguins. He retired from the American Hockey League after the 1989-90 season, after playing 513 regular season games with the New Brunswick Hawks, Baltimore Skipjacks and Newmarket Saints (all three are extinct now).

The oldest Hotham son, Scott, played in the Ontario Hockey League from 2001-02 to 2004-05. He began with the North Bay Centennials and moved with the club to Saginaw, where he played one game with the Spirit in 2002-03. After that game, Scott went back to Canada to play for the Mississauga IceDogs. The following season, he was traded early again, this time to the Barrie Colts.

Scott Hotham went undrafted and spent the four years post-OHL with St. Mary’s University. Hotham entered the world of pro hockey in 2009-10, mostly with the ECHL’s Florida Everblades but also playing nine games with the Rochester Americans of the AHL. In 2010-11, he played for Lillehammer in Norway’s Get-Ligaen. This season, he is playing in Austria’s Erste Bank Hockey League (EBEL) for Olimija Ljubljana.

Andrew Hotham’s career has paralleled brother Scott’s in several ways. Both played for the Barrie Colts (at the same time) and Saginaw Spirit (not at the same time) in the Ontario Hockey League. Both played four years with St. Mary’s. Both had a cup of coffee with the Rochester Americans.

Andrew played in the Ontario Hockey League from 2003-04 to 2006-07 with the Barrie Colts, Erie Otters and Saginaw Spirit. He played with St. Mary’s from 2007-08 to 2010-11, joining the Americans after the CIS season had ended. With St. Mary’s, Andrew was an All-Canadian First Team All-Star in his final three seasons and was the Atlantic’s Most Valuable Player for 2010-11, This season, Hotham is playing for the Wheeling Nailers of the ECHL.

The 2001-02 Erie Otters weren’t the best team during the Ontario Hockey League’s regular season, although close. However, in the Robertson Cup playoffs, the Otters won 16 games while losing just five in capturing the championship. Erie took out the Sarnia Sting, London Knights and Windsor Spitfires before facing the Barrie Colts in the Robertson Cup finals. Erie took out Barrie in five games and earned a berth at the Memorial Cup tournament. The Otters lost in the semi-final to Victoriaville in overtime. The Kootenay Ice of the WHL were crowned Memorial Cup champions in the tournament held in Guelph, Ontario.

Ten members of the 2001-02 Erie Otters are still actively playing in professional hockey today. Three were originally first round picks at the NHL Entry Draft and three are currently still playing in the National Hockey League.

Tommy Lee played goal for the Otters in 2001-02 and with the Barrie Colts in 2002-03 and 2003-04. He is currently playing for the Brooklyn Aviators of the Federal Hockey League (FHL).

Adam Munro played goal for Erie from 1998-99 to midway through 2002-03 when he was traded to the Sault Ste. Marie Greyhounds to complete his final OHL season. Munro was a first round pick of the Chicago Blackhawks at the 2001 NHL Entry Draft, 29th overall. Adam is currently playing for Székesfehérvár in Austria’s Erste Bank Eishockey Liga (EBEL).

Chris Campoli played defense for the Otters from 2000-01 to 2003-04. Campoli was a seventh round pick of the New York Islanders at the 2004 NHL Entry Draft, 227th overall. Chris is currently playing for the NHL’s Montreal Canadiens.

Carlo Colaiacovo was a member of the Erie Otters from 1999-00 to 2002-03. Colaiacovo was a first round pick of the Toronto Maple Leafs at the 2001 NHL Entry Draft, 17th overall. Carlo is currently playing for the St. Louis Blues.

Brian Lee played defense for Erie from 2000-01 to 2004-05. Lee was a third round pick of the Anaheim Ducks at the 2002 NHL Entry Draft, 71st overall. Brian is playing in Italy’s Lega Italiana Hockey su Ghiaccio (LIHG) for Vipiteno.

Brad Boyes played with the Otters for four seasons, his final being the 2001-02 season. Brad was a first round pick of the Toronto Maple Leafs at the 2000 NHL Entry Draft, 24th overall. Boyes is now a member of the Buffalo Sabres.

Scott Dobben started his Ontario Hockey League career with the Otters in 2000-01. He was traded to the Sault Ste. Marie Greyhounds during the 2002-03 season and finished off his OHL career with the Hounds in 2003-04. Scott was a fourth round pick of the Ottawa Senators at the 2002 NHL Entry Draft, 113th overall. Dobben is currently playing for the Cardiff Devils in Great Britain’s EIHL.

Olexander Karaulshuk played for the Otters from 2001-02 to 2003-04. Karaulshuk is playing in the Ukraine for Berkut Kiev.

Michal Kokavec played just one season in the Ontario Hockey League, 2001-02. Kokavec is currently playing for HC Banska Bystrica in Slovakia.

Corey Pecker began his Ontario Hockey League career with the Sault Ste. Marie Greyhounds in 1997-98 and came over to the Erie Otters during the 2000-01 season. 2001-02 was his final season in the OHL. Pecker was a sixth round pick of the Calgary Flames at the 1999 NHL Entry Draft, 166th overall. Cory is in Switzerland, playing for Olten of the Swiss National League ‘B’.

Thank god for the cut & paste function on word processors! If I had to type out Székesfehérvár more than once, this article would never happen. Don’t even bother trying to pronounce it…

Székesfehérvár is one of eleven teams in Austria’s Erste Bank Eishockey Liga (EBEL). Like four other teams in the league, Székesfehérvár is not actually located in Austria. Located 65 km southwest of Budapest, Székesfehérvár is the only Hungary based team in the EBEL.

Adam Munro

Two Ontario Hockey League grads are currently on the roster of Székesfehérvár. Adam Munro and Justin DaCosta are doing their part for the much improved team. In 2010-11, the club finished tied for last, when the EBEL consisted of ten teams, and finished out of the post-season. Currently, at just over the halfway point of the 54 game schedule, Székesfehérvár sits fifth and poised for a berth in the playoffs.

Adam Munro played between the pipes in the Ontario Hockey League for five years from 1998-99 to 2002-03. Munro starred with the Erie Otters until eight games into his final season when he was shipped to the Sault Ste. Marie Greyhounds. In 2000-01, Adam had the best save percentage in the OHL. In the following season, Adam helped the Otters to a Robertson Cup victory, after topping the Barrie Colts in the final, four games to one.

Taken in the first round of the 2001 NHL Entry Draft by the Chicago Blackhawks, 29th overall, Munro played a total of 17 National Hockey League games. He was on the ice for seven with Chicago in 2003-04 and ten with the Blackhawks in 2005-06. Munro spent 2010-11 in Italy’s Lega Italiana Hockey su Ghiaccio (LIHG) with Cortina.  So far this season with Székesfehérvár, Munro has played in 27 games, posting a 2.74 GAA and .921 save percentage.

Justin DaCosta began his 2011-12 season with Chamonix of France’s Ligue Magnus. After just six games on the point with the French squad, DaCosta headed east. Justin played four seasons in the Ontario Hockey League from 2002-03 to 2005-06. He began his OHL career with the Barrie Colts. He played with the Owen Sound Attack before finishing his career with the Mississauga IceDogs.

Undrafted by an NHL club, DaCosta spent time in the Canadian university system and North American minor pros before travelling to Europe this season. In 2010-11, he played with the Allen Americans of the Central Hockey League.

Székesfehérvár is an ancient city with an area population of around 140,000. The team plays out of a 3,500 seat arena, which should feel like home to Justin after his days in Owen Sound!

34 year old Steve Valiquette is attempting to prolong his pro hockey career with a professional try-out (PTO) with the American Hockey League’s Bridgeport Sound Tigers. Valiquette played four seasons in the Ontario Hockey League from 1994-95 to 1997-98 and last played with CSKA Moscow of Russia’s KHL in 2010-11.

Steve Valiquette with Lokomotiv Yaroslavl in 2005-06.

Steve played his first three and a half seasons in the OHL with the Sudbury Wolves. He was traded to the Erie Otters during the 1997-98 season and finished out his OHL career there. In 1996-97, Valiquette played 61 of Sudbury’s 66 games with the team finishing last in the Central Division and out of the Robertson Cup playoffs. With Erie, he played all seven games of their opening round series against the London Knights in his final season. Steve posted an impressive 1.93 GAA with one shutout in a losing cause.

Valiquette was an eighth round pick of the Los Angeles Kings in the 1996 NHL Entry Draft, 190th overall. Steve never played for the Kings but has played a backup role with the New York Islanders, Edmonton Oilers and New York Rangers. With the Rangers affiliate, the Hartford Wolf Pack, in 2004-05, he teamed up with Jason LaBarbera to win the Harry Holmes Trophy as the best goaltending duo on the AHL. Valiquette played 35 games and posted a 1.77 GAA and a .935 save percentage.

One of Steve’s best performances in pro hockey came in 2005-06 with the ill-fated Lokomotiv Yaroslavl of the then Russian Super League (RSL). Valiquette played 45 of the team’s 51 regular season games with a 1.95 GAA and .923 save percentage. Yaroslavl finished third overall in the league and lost in the semi-finals. Despite the numbers, the top goaltender award went to another Ontario Hockey League grad. Fred Brathwaite had a higher GAA, lower save percentage and played less games, yet the goalie who played for the Oshawa Generals, London Knights and Detroit Junior Red Wings between 1989-90 and 1992-93, took the prize as a member of Ak Bars Kazan.

This past season, Valiquette played in the KHL for CSKA Moscow. CSKA was dismal, finishing 19th overall in the 23 team league and out of the post season. Steve still recorded decent numbers, playing in 35 games with a 2.94 GAA and .897 save percentage.

Bridgeport hopes to find a spot for their original goaltender. Steve played with the Sound Tigers in their first two years of existence, 2001-02 and 2002-03. Bridgeport is the AHL affiliate of the National Hockey League’s New York Islanders and currently sits tenth in the fifteen team Eastern Conference.