My first impressions of the Otters, when major junior hockey came to Erie in 1996 to replace the Panthers of the East Coast Hockey League, really did not become embedded in my mind until late in the second OHL season.
Suddenly, in late January of 1998, it became apparent that junior hockey could be the real deal for Erie fans who were skeptical at first about high school-age hockey players who were actual NHL prospects. There was sensational rookie Tim Connolly, dangling the puck like a yo-yo on a string, fan favorite Colin Pepperall continually lighting the red lamp, mid-season acquisition Steve 'The Big Valley' Valiquette, who backstopped a 17-game unbeaten streak, then the epic first-round playoff series with the rival London Knights, who won the first three games before having to rally in Game 7 to win it.
That was an exciting and fun time to be the main beat writer for the club, which I was until the beginning of the 2003-04 season. That period was special to me.
It took tragic circumstances, the serious burns from a riding mower explosion suffered by Jason Baird, a rookie forward on that 1997-98 team, to bring together some familiar names that fans and myself will never forget.
The fundraiser for Baird at the Warner Theatre on Aug. 19 enabled me to catch up with Pepperall, Connolly, Mike Rupp, Valiquette, their coach Dale Dunbar, and Adam Munro, who came to the Otters two seasons later.
It seemed much less than 11 years ago.
I met up with Pepperall at the press conference with OHL commissioner David Branch. I can still envision him wearing a loud lavender suit that he would wear at functions or games he sat out.
Pepperall comes from Niagara Falls, Ontario, where he played with the Niagara Falls Thunder before the franchise moved to Erie. He's said he's giving up the game, with 12 years of pro hockey enough.
"I've been up and down the American League and the Coast (ECHL), and I'm going to pack it in this year,'' he said. I've been trying to get into the fire department (in Niagara Falls) for the past year and a half, hopefully that works out.
Married for two years to a hometown girl he met about five or six years ago, Pepperall said he hasn't been to Erie for at least eight or nine years.
"I think I've been back once or twice for the following (summer) banquets, and that's about it. Unfortunately, I've been playing at the same time these guys have been playing, so it was not easy to get back here, and pick up games or anything,'' he aid. "I've kept in touch with a few people, but it's not easy to do.''
Pepperall was happy to come to Erie to support Baird's family.
"I was at (former Otters captain and defenseman) Jeff Paul's house, and we heard about it. So I called Jenny (publicity and media relations director/radio play-by-play) Mark Jeanneret) to find out what he was doing with it, and he told me about this. This was two hours away, so of course I would come.''
Pepperall was a 19-year-old, 3-year OHL veteran and a New York Rangers draft pick who had 67 goals and 163 points in two seasons in Erie when he played with Baird, who was a rookie forward.
"Bairdie would fight anybody, he had all heart,'' Pepperall said. "I had a blast playing with him here.''
Pepperall, now 30, remembers the surge in junior hockey interest in Erie.
"You could see the fan support, and the interest they had in it. Those first two years we had hard-working teams. I think they really appreciated that,'' he said.
I remember Valiquette as a good kid in his four or five months with the team, and when he saw me at the fundraiser, I found that I made a good impression on him.
"I remember you Bob. You're the guy who gave me my nickname, the Big Valley,'' were his first words said when we greeted each other.
I told him that actually, I heard that from Channel 35's Gary Drapcho first, and I assumed that was his nickname since the kid is 6-foot-6. Apparently, his nickname in print took flight.
Valiquette, a backup goaltender with the New York Rangers, has played on 13 professional teams and just 25 NHL games since he graduated from the OHL in 1998, coming to Erie in a trade with the Sudbury Wolves.
"I've signed for two more years. I've always been a bubble player and call-up, but I finally cemented myself into a position. I've worked really hard,'' he said.
Valiquette, a native of Etobicoke, Ontario who now lives in Orange, Conn., turned 31 the day after the fundraiser.
"The toughest thing about coming here was I had to tell my wife I wouldn't be with her for my birthday,'' he said with a big grin.
Although he hasn't talked to Baird since leaving Erie, and has not returned to the town since, the ever-smiling Valiquette brought a rack of NHL memorabilia to the fundraiser, because Baird made such an impression on him.
"Basically, Jason was the first player that really approached me when I came through the doors in Erie. I remember coming into the room, and he said first off that he was so happy I was joining the club, because he thought that I was a good goalie, and if you mind and I come out and take some shots at you,'' he said. "I got pretty excited. The guys knew that I was coming here, and I want to win. And he really left an impression on me right away. He and I were close friends here, and I really liked him. He was a great character kid, and I can see why he had a long tenure here in Erie. As soon as I heard what happened, I was talking to Mike Rupp, and it was great that Mike stepped up and really took the initiative to get this thing started.''
Connolly picked Valiquette up at the Buffalo airport and drove to Erie.
"You know what, I missed being here,'' Valiquette said. "I got traded from Sudbury. If I didn't get traded, I wouldn't be talking here with you, or playing in a place like New York City. It all started in Erie for me. Timmy and I spoke about it coming up here. It's amazing how difficult it is to keep in touch with your teammates. I played on 13 teams professionally, and there's a million teammates that I don't even remember their names. But Jason Baird is one of those guys that has a footprint on my mind. I'll never forget him. As soon as I heard it was him, it was like, OK, what can we do.''
Valiquette remembered the goal that I will never forget in Game 6 of the London series, when Baird was heading to the bench, dumped in the puck from center ice, and it went in to tie the game and send it into overtime. Rupp scored on a pass from Connolly to win it.
"When he scored that goal from center ice, I remember Bairdie coming to me, and we hugged, and we fell to the ice together,'' Valiquette said. "There were so many emotions at that time."
I was elated to see Dale Dunbar, a great guy who I got to know fairly well in his one and a half-season tenure as coach. In fact, he called me at home to tell me first that he was out of his job with the Otters in favor of Paul Theriault, a move made by Theriault's friend Sherry Bassin that myself and many other fans did not fully understand.
Dunbar works for Bobby Orr and is a player agent for Erie's Justin Mercier, a Colorado Avalanche draft pick and Miami (Ohio) senior center who was one of the leading scorers in the NCAA last season. Dunbar was with Justin's father Doug, and I reminded both of them that I have worked at the Times for so long that I used to type Doug Mercier's Erie Youth Hockey League goals in the 1970s.
Dunbar -- that's Dunbah, with that thick Boston accent -- said that Baird inspired the Otters by taking on the London bench in that epic series.
"Bairdie was that kind of kid who never feared anything,'' Dunbar said.
Dunner, as he was nicknamed, said his time in Erie was special.
"I really had a fantastic time here and loved coaching here,'' he said. "The Erie people were always great to me, and I loved it here. My daughter is 12 now, but she was here when she was a year old. It's old home for me.''
It was apparent by the many people who greeted and chatted with the old coach.
Adam Munro, who played from 1999 to 2002 and was on the 2001-02 OHL championship team, spent two seasons with Baird.
"I was two or three years younger than he was, and I always looked up to him,'' Money said. "You don't like to see a thing like this happen, but I'm happy that some people remember me, and I can help out.''
Munro, 25, who was 58-26-8 with the Otters in goal, is looking for a job. The St. George, Ontario native played just 25 games last season with the AHL's Syracuse Crunch, the top farm team of the Columbus Blue Jackets.
"Right now, I'm still trying to figure it out. Last year was injury-plagued, and I was out for half of the season. I'm trying to figure out the best option. Maybe European-bound (he played in Switzerland in 2006-07). It's kind of late now to go anywhere, so maybe I'll get a later start.''
I had only a short time to chat with Rupp and Connolly, because of the long lines to their tables where they signed autographs, took photos, and had friendly discussions with the fans.
I haven't seen Rupp since I was in Cleveland in 2003 when the Stanley Cup arrived at his home. Rupper is still a member of the New Jersey Devils, and he scored the winning goal in a 3-0 win over the Anaheim Mighty Ducks in Game 7 of the 2002-03 NHL finals. Rupp is one of the nicest young men I've dealt with in my career, and by his spearheading the fundraiser validates his sincerity to help others.
Connolly is still soft-spoken and doesn't say much, like Baird, but his efforts to help his fellow OHL rookie teammate speaks volumes.
-- Bob Jarzomski
