Dylan Strome will be getting an incredible honor later this season.
The Erie Otters will retire Strome’s number 19 from junior on February 6, raising it to the rafters at Erie Insurance Arena.
On an Instagram Story post, Strome called the gesture, “One of the greatest honors of my life. Can’t wait to be back in Erie.”
Strome’s former teammate both in Erie and with the Chicago Blackhakws, Alex DeBrincat, will have his number 12 retired the very next day, on February 7. The two stars will be the third and fourth players to have their numbers retired by the Otters, joining Connor McDavid and Vince Scott.
Both jersey retirement nights will take place during the Otter’s 2017 Championship Weekend, celebrating the team’s J. Ross Robertson Cup win as part of the organization’s larger 30th anniversary festivities. The team will wear specialty yellow script jerseys — the same jerseys the team wore in 2017 — for both games against the Owen Sound before auctioning them off to the fans.
“Some players come through your organization and leave an impression long after they have moved on,” Otters general manager Dave Brown said in a press release. “Dylan Strome and Alex Debrincat are two of those players. They not only put up great numbers but also helped produce countless wins, left us with many memories, set CHL records that still stand today and I would be remiss not to mention the 2017 championship.
“When Dylan and Alex first came to Erie, they were young players with tremendous talent and big aspirations. None of us knew exactly where their hockey journeys would take them, but it did not take long to see something special about both of them. For those of us that had the privilege of watching them grow, we feel great pride seeing them develop from young junior hockey players into NHL players, husbands and great dads they are today. They share a special bond that still exists today, and we are thrilled to recognize their contributions and the lasting impressions they have left on the Otters, our fan base and the community. And that’s what makes this weekend so special. These guys became the fabric of what the organization strives for.”
Prior to his NHL career, Strome played four seasons in Erie from 2013-2017, becoming captain for the 2015-16 season. Through 288 regular and playoff games, he recorded 440 points (114g, 326a), and is the franchise’s leading scorer in both the regular season and playoffs. He was the CHL’s top scorer for the 2014-15 season, racking up 129 points, and the CHL Memorial Cup MVP and Most Points winner.
He once described “the best I’ve ever played, the best game of my life” as a six-point night (4g, 2a) he had on on March 14, 2015, overtaking Mitch Marner on the last day of the season to win the OHL scoring title.
DeBrincat, who was an alternate captain during their championship season, is the franchise’s leading goal scorer, with 197 goals through 246 regular and playoff games.
Both nights will also feature bobblehead and player card giveaways for the first 2,000 fans in attendance. Fans can also purchase a special ticket package for each game where they can receive meet-and-greet access, an exclusive poster, an autograph, a photo, and that night’s giveaway.
