Erie, Pennsylvania – A member of the 2017 Ontario Hockey League Champion Erie Otters returns to the team’s coaching staff, as General Manager Dave Brown announced the hiring of Wes Wolfe as Assistant Coach today.
The 32-year-old native of Niagara Falls, ON comes back to Erie after spending the 2021-22 season as the General Manager and Head Coach of the Ontario Junior Hockey League’s Cobourg Cougars. Prior to last season, Wolfe spent five seasons with the Erie Otters from 2016-2021 as Assistant Coach.
“Leaving Erie [in 2021] was an extremely tough decision, but it was important for my own career to take the step and get more experience leading an organization.” said Wolfe, “Taking some of those lessons about establishing a culture of your own and what it takes to bring an organization from where you start to where you want it go. There were a lot of really good lessons that I’ll be able to bring back into this role with Erie.”
In his previous role as Otters’ Assistant Coach, Wolfe worked alongside then-Assistant and now-Head Coach BJ Adams – including their work in the team’s run for the J. Ross Robertson Cup in 2017.
“[Coach Adams] is someone that I admire a lot. He’s a great communicator, somebody who has a vision, and knows the steps he needs to take to put it into place. The old phrase is that ‘you win a championship and you walk together forever’, and so those memories of what it took [to win the 2017 Championship], you build a special bond.” said Wolfe, “To see the progress in the short period of time that he was able to achieve with [last year’s team], I’m really looking forward to being part of the coaching staff with BJ and Vince [Laise].”
Coach BJ Adams, who was named the ninth Head Coach in team history in November 2021, enters his first full-season as bench boss for the Otters – and does so with high-praise for his newest assistant.
“[Wes] brings an incredible work ethic, high positive-energy kind of person, really relates well with the players. We’re really excited to have him joining our staff, and I think he’ll round it out well for us.” said Adams, “The players should be excited too, because he’s great at developing guys.”
Erie’s bench staff now features three coaches with head coaching experience in Head Coach BJ Adams, Assistant Coach Vince Laise [Hamilton, 2019-20], and Assistant Coach Wes Wolfe [OJHL, GOJHL]. All three have laid claim to an OHL Championship as coaches in the last five years as well.
The Erie Otters welcome back Coach Wes Wolfe, and look forward to seeing him back behind the bench going into the 2022-23 season.
