Joel Stuart Otto (born October 29, 1961) is an
American former professional
ice hockey
Ice hockey (or simply hockey) is a team sport played on ice skates, usually on an ice skating rink with lines and markings specific to the sport. It belongs to a family of sports called hockey. In ice hockey, two opposing teams use ice hock ...
center
Center or centre may refer to:
Mathematics
*Center (geometry), the middle of an object
* Center (algebra), used in various contexts
** Center (group theory)
** Center (ring theory)
* Graph center, the set of all vertices of minimum eccentricity ...
in the
National Hockey League
The National Hockey League (NHL; french: Ligue nationale de hockey—LNH, ) is a professional ice hockey league in North America comprising 32 teams—25 in the United States and 7 in Canada. It is considered to be the top ranked professional ...
(NHL) for the
Calgary Flames and
Philadelphia Flyers
The Philadelphia Flyers are a professional ice hockey team based in Philadelphia. The Flyers compete in the National Hockey League (NHL) as a member of the Metropolitan Division in the Eastern Conference. The team plays its home games in Wel ...
. An
undrafted
In professional sports, a free agent is a player who is eligible to sign with other clubs or franchises; i.e., not under contract to any specific team. The term is also used in reference to a player who is under contract at present but who is ...
player, Otto signed with the Flames as a
free agent
In professional sports, a free agent is a player who is eligible to sign with other clubs or franchises; i.e., not under contract to any specific team. The term is also used in reference to a player who is under contract at present but who is ...
in 1984 and played 11 seasons with the team. He was one of the top defensive centers in the league during his career and one of the NHL's best at
faceoff
A face-off is the method used to begin and restart play after goals in some sports using sticks, primarily ice hockey, bandy, floorball, broomball, rinkball, and lacrosse.
During a face-off, two teams line up in opposition to each other, and the ...
s; Otto was a two-time finalist for the
Frank J. Selke Trophy
The Frank J. Selke Trophy, or simply the Selke Trophy, is awarded annually to the National Hockey League Forward (ice hockey), forward who demonstrates the most skill in the defensive component of the game. The winner is selected by a poll of the ...
. He was known for his confrontations with
Mark Messier
Mark John Douglas Messier (; born January 18, 1961) is a Canadian former professional ice hockey centre of the National Hockey League (NHL). His playing career in the NHL lasted 25 years (1979–2004) with the Edmonton Oilers and New York Range ...
as part of the Flames'
rivalry
A rivalry is the state of two people or groups engaging in a lasting competitive relationship. Rivalry is the "against each other" spirit between two competing sides. The relationship itself may also be called "a rivalry", and each participant ...
with the
Edmonton Oilers
The Edmonton Oilers are a professional ice hockey team based in Edmonton. The Oilers compete in the National Hockey League (NHL) as a member of the Pacific Division of the Western Conference. They play their home games at Rogers Place, which ...
and was a member of Calgary's 1989
Stanley Cup
The Stanley Cup (french: La Coupe Stanley) is the championship trophy awarded annually to the National Hockey League (NHL) Stanley Cup playoffs, playoff champion. It is the oldest existing trophy to be awarded to a professional sports franchis ...
championship winning team. He joined the Flyers in 1995, with whom he played three seasons.
Otto was a frequent member of the
United States national team. He played in two
World Championships
A world championship is generally an international competition open to elite competitors from around the world, representing their nations, and winning such an event will be considered the highest or near highest achievement in the sport, game, ...
and two
Canada Cup
The Canada Cup (french: Coupe Canada) was an invitational international ice hockey tournament held on five occasions between 1976 and 1991. The brainchild of Toronto lawyer Alan Eagleson, the tournament was created to meet demand for a true world ...
s,
captaining the United States to the final in
1991
File:1991 Events Collage.png, From left, clockwise: Boris Yeltsin, elected as Russia's first president, waves the new flag of Russia after the 1991 Soviet coup d'état attempt, orchestrated by Soviet hardliners; Mount Pinatubo erupts in the Ph ...
. Otto was a member of the team that won the inaugural
World Cup of Hockey
The World Cup of Hockey is an international ice hockey tournament. Inaugurated in 1996, it is the successor to the Canada Cup, which was held every 3 to 5 years from 1976 to 1991 and was the first international hockey championship to allow nat ...
in
1996
File:1996 Events Collage.png, From left, clockwise: A Centennial Olympic Park bombing, bomb explodes at Centennial Olympic Park in Atlanta, set off by a radical Anti-abortion violence, anti-abortionist; The center fuel tank explodes on TWA Flight 8 ...
and played in the
1998 Winter Olympics
The 1998 Winter Olympics, officially known as the and commonly known as Nagano 1998 ( ja, 長野1998), was a winter multi-sport event held from 7 to 22 February 1998, mainly in Nagano, Japan, with some events taking place in the ...
. He currently serves as an assistant coach of the
Western Hockey League
The Western Hockey League (WHL) is a major junior ice hockey league based in Western Canada and the Northwestern United States. The WHL is one of three leagues that constitutes the Canadian Hockey League (CHL) as the highest level of junior ho ...
's
Calgary Hitmen
The Calgary Hitmen are a major junior ice hockey team based in Calgary, Alberta, Canada. The Hitmen play in the Central Division of the Western Hockey League (WHL). They play their home games at the Scotiabank Saddledome. Bret "The Hitman" H ...
, with whom he won the
league championship in 2010.
Playing career
College
A native of
Elk River, Minnesota
Elk River is a city in Sherburne County, Minnesota, United States, approximately 34 miles northwest of Minneapolis. It is situated at the confluence of the Mississippi and Elk Rivers. The population was 25,835 at the 2020 census, making Elk R ...
, Otto played college hockey for
Division II school
Bemidji State. He scored 52
points in 31 games in his sophomore season of 1981–82, improving to 61 points the following season and finally 75 points in 31 games in 1983–84.
He was named to the
Northern Collegiate Hockey Association
The Northern Collegiate Hockey Association (NCHA) is a college athletic conference which operates in Illinois, Indiana, Michigan, Minnesota, and Wisconsin in the midwestern United States. It participates in the NCAA's Division III as a hockey- ...
(NCHA) first All-Conference Team and
National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) West All-American in 1982, 1983 and 1984. Otto captained Bemidji State in 1983–84, leading the team to an undefeated record at 31–0 and a Division II national championship. He was recognized as the NCHA player of the year in 1984.
He was a finalist for the
Hobey Baker Award
The Hobey Baker Award is an annual award given to the top National Collegiate Athletic Association men's ice hockey player. It has been awarded 41 times. It is named for Hall of Famer Hobey Baker, who played college hockey at Princeton University ...
in 1984, given to the top collegiate player in the United States. Otto scored over 200 points for Bemidji State, was the first player to have his
jersey retired by the school, and was inducted into Bemidji State's Athletics Hall of Fame in 2010.
Calgary Flames
Otto was never
drafted, and upon graduation, sought opportunities from
National Hockey League
The National Hockey League (NHL; french: Ligue nationale de hockey—LNH, ) is a professional ice hockey league in North America comprising 32 teams—25 in the United States and 7 in Canada. It is considered to be the top ranked professional ...
(NHL) clubs. The teams he contacted offered only a try-out, some insisting he pay his own way. Finally, his agent contacted
Cliff Fletcher
George Clifford "Cliff" Fletcher (born August 16, 1935) is a National Hockey League executive and is a former general manager of the Atlanta Flames/ Calgary Flames, Toronto Maple Leafs, and Phoenix Coyotes. He is currently a senior advisor to th ...
, general manager of the
Calgary Flames, who offered him a contract to play for the
Moncton Golden Flames
The Moncton Golden Flames were a professional ice hockey team based in Moncton, New Brunswick, playing home games at the Moncton Coliseum. The team operated in the American Hockey League between 1984 and 1987. The new franchise was purchased by ...
, their
American Hockey League (AHL) affiliate. Otto agreed, scored 63 points in 56 games for the Golden Flames in the
1984–85 AHL season
The 1984–85 AHL season was the 49th season of the American Hockey League. Thirteen teams played 80 games each in the schedule. The Binghamton Whalers finished first overall in the regular season. The Sherbrooke Canadiens won their first Calder ...
and appeared in 17 games with Calgary.
He made his NHL debut on November 23, 1984, against the
St. Louis Blues
The St. Louis Blues are a professional ice hockey team based in St. Louis. The Blues compete in the National Hockey League (NHL) as a member of the Central Division in the Western Conference. The franchise was founded in 1967 as one of the s ...
. On March 1, 1985, he recorded his first point, an assist, against the
Montreal Canadiens
The Montreal CanadiensEven in English, the French spelling is always used instead of ''Canadians''. The French spelling of ''Montréal'' is also sometimes used in the English media. (french: link=no, Les Canadiens de Montréal), officially ...
. He scored his first goal two nights later against goaltender
Darren Eliot
Darren Joseph Eliot (born November 26, 1961) is a Canadian sports broadcaster and a former professional ice hockey goaltender. He played 88 games in the National Hockey League for the Los Angeles Kings, Detroit Red Wings, and Buffalo Sabres betwe ...
of the
Los Angeles Kings
The Los Angeles Kings are a professional ice hockey team based in Los Angeles. The team competes in the National Hockey League (NHL) as a member of the Pacific Division in the Western Conference and was founded on June 5, 1967, after Jack Kent ...
.
Otto established himself as a top defensive forward for the Flames in
1985–86. Coach
Bob Johnson discovered his niche when he had Otto shut down
Marcel Dionne
Marcel Elphège "Little Beaver" Dionne (born August 3, 1951) is a Canadian former professional ice hockey centre who played 18 seasons in the National Hockey League for the Detroit Red Wings, Los Angeles Kings and New York Rangers. Marcel Dion ...
, the top player of the
Los Angeles Kings
The Los Angeles Kings are a professional ice hockey team based in Los Angeles. The team competes in the National Hockey League (NHL) as a member of the Pacific Division in the Western Conference and was founded on June 5, 1967, after Jack Kent ...
. Afterward, Otto was consistently used against the opposition's
top line
An income statement or profit and loss accountProfessional English in Use - Finance, Cambridge University Press, p. 10 (also referred to as a ''profit and loss statement'' (P&L), ''statement of profit or loss'', ''revenue statement'', ''stateme ...
where he used his size and
faceoff
A face-off is the method used to begin and restart play after goals in some sports using sticks, primarily ice hockey, bandy, floorball, broomball, rinkball, and lacrosse.
During a face-off, two teams line up in opposition to each other, and the ...
ability to his advantage.
He was most famous for shadowing
Mark Messier
Mark John Douglas Messier (; born January 18, 1961) is a Canadian former professional ice hockey centre of the National Hockey League (NHL). His playing career in the NHL lasted 25 years (1979–2004) with the Edmonton Oilers and New York Range ...
of the
Edmonton Oilers
The Edmonton Oilers are a professional ice hockey team based in Edmonton. The Oilers compete in the National Hockey League (NHL) as a member of the Pacific Division of the Western Conference. They play their home games at Rogers Place, which ...
when the
Battle of Alberta
The Battle of Alberta is a term applied to the intense rivalry between the Canadian cities of Calgary, the province's most populous city (since 1976), and Edmonton, the capital of the province of Alberta (since 1905). Most often it is used to d ...
reached its peak in the late 1980s.
Otto later remarked that Messier was the reason he was in the NHL, as the Flames needed a big center who could match Messier physically, especially in the faceoff circle.
Johnson also used Otto in front of the opposition net to
screen
Screen or Screens may refer to:
Arts
* Screen printing (also called ''silkscreening''), a method of printing
* Big screen, a nickname associated with the motion picture industry
* Split screen (filmmaking), a film composition paradigm in which mu ...
the goaltender. He struggled offensively early in the 1985–86 season, scoring only two goals in the first third of the year, but as he grew in confidence and saw increasing ice time, his offense improved.
Otto finished the season with 25 goals and 59 points. He added 5 goals and 15 points in the playoffs as the Flames reached the
Stanley Cup
The Stanley Cup (french: La Coupe Stanley) is the championship trophy awarded annually to the National Hockey League (NHL) Stanley Cup playoffs, playoff champion. It is the oldest existing trophy to be awarded to a professional sports franchis ...
final.
The Flames lost the series in five games to the
Montreal Canadiens
The Montreal CanadiensEven in English, the French spelling is always used instead of ''Canadians''. The French spelling of ''Montréal'' is also sometimes used in the English media. (french: link=no, Les Canadiens de Montréal), officially ...
.
Continuing to chip in on offense in the following seasons, Otto scored at least 50 points in each of his first four full seasons. He reached the 20-goal mark for the second time in
1988–89, a season he ended on an 11-game point scoring streak.
The Flames entered the
1989 Stanley Cup Playoffs
The 1989 Stanley Cup playoffs, the playoff tournament of the National Hockey League (NHL) began on April 5, after the conclusion of the 1988–89 NHL season. This was the final year that all of the Division Semifinals began with teams playing t ...
as the top team in the NHL, and a prohibitive favorite against their first round opponent, the
Vancouver Canucks
The Vancouver Canucks are a professional ice hockey team based in Vancouver. They compete in the National Hockey League (NHL) as a member of the Pacific Division of the Western Conference, and play their home games at Rogers Arena. Bruce Bo ...
. Nonetheless, the Canucks forced the Flames into
overtime
Overtime is the amount of time someone works beyond normal working hours. The term is also used for the pay received for this time. Normal hours may be determined in several ways:
*by custom (what is considered healthy or reasonable by society), ...
of the seventh and deciding game of the series. Late in the first overtime period, Otto rushed toward the net as
Jim Peplinski carried the puck up the right side boards. Peplinski's shot was kicked-in by Otto past Vancouver goaltender
Kirk McLean
Kirk Alan McLean (born June 26, 1966) is a Canadian former professional ice hockey goaltender who played in the National Hockey League (NHL) for the New Jersey Devils, Vancouver Canucks, Carolina Hurricanes, Florida Panthers and New York Rangers. ...
. Otto was credited with the series-winning goal. He scored a total of 19 points in 22 playoff games as the Flames won their first Stanley Cup championship in franchise history.
Considered one of the league's best faceoff men and a top two-way forward, Otto was frequently the subject of inquiries by other teams in trade talks, which the Flames refused. He scored his 100th career goal on October 30, 1990, against the
New Jersey Devils
The New Jersey Devils are a professional ice hockey team based in Newark, New Jersey. The Devils compete in the National Hockey League (NHL) as a member of the Metropolitan Division in the Eastern Conference. The club was founded as the Kansa ...
and his 300th point on October 4, 1991, against Edmonton.
He was the Flames' nominee for the
Bill Masterton Memorial Trophy
The Bill Masterton Memorial Trophy is awarded annually to the National Hockey League player who best exemplifies the qualities of perseverance, sportsmanship, and dedication to ice hockey. It is named after Bill Masterton, the only player in NHL ...
in
1991–92, a league award given for dedication and perseverance.
His role with the Flames changed into the 1990s as the team placed greater emphasis on his defensive play into the 1990s,
though he surpassed 50-points for the fifth time in
1992–93.
Otto was also named a finalist for the
Frank J. Selke Trophy
The Frank J. Selke Trophy, or simply the Selke Trophy, is awarded annually to the National Hockey League Forward (ice hockey), forward who demonstrates the most skill in the defensive component of the game. The winner is selected by a poll of the ...
as the league's top defensive forward that season. He was again named a finalist for the Selke Trophy in
1994–95.
Philadelphia Flyers
Otto hoped to remain in Calgary after his contract expired following the 1995 season, but with the Flames facing financial difficulties as the NHL's salary structure rapidly changed, the team was unable to agree to a new contract.
He was among the most sought after players in free agency, and was pursued by the
New York Rangers
The New York Rangers are a professional ice hockey team based in the New York City borough of Manhattan. They compete in the National Hockey League (NHL) as a member of the Metropolitan Division in the Eastern Conference. The team plays its hom ...
, who hoped that he could help their team shut down
Eric Lindros
Eric Bryan Lindros (; born February 28, 1973) is a Canadian former professional ice hockey player. Lindros was born in London, Ontario, but grew up in Toronto. He played junior hockey in the Ontario Hockey League (OHL) for the Oshawa Genera ...
of the
Philadelphia Flyers
The Philadelphia Flyers are a professional ice hockey team based in Philadelphia. The Flyers compete in the National Hockey League (NHL) as a member of the Metropolitan Division in the Eastern Conference. The team plays its home games in Wel ...
. Otto considered the offer, and thought if the Rangers thought that highly of their opponent, he would be better off playing with Lindros than against him.
Otto signed a three-year contract with the
Philadelphia Flyers
The Philadelphia Flyers are a professional ice hockey team based in Philadelphia. The Flyers compete in the National Hockey League (NHL) as a member of the Metropolitan Division in the Eastern Conference. The team plays its home games in Wel ...
on July 21, 1995.
He scored 41 points in 67 games in
1995–96, including the 500th of his career, when he notched a goal and an assist in a 5–4 win over the Edmonton Oilers on March 13, 1997. Still regarded as one of the league's top defensive centers in
1996–97, Otto helped the Flyers reach the
1997 Stanley Cup Finals
The 1997 Stanley Cup Finals was the championship series of the National Hockey League's (NHL) 1996–97 season, and the culmination of the 1997 Stanley Cup playoffs. It was contested by the Detroit Red Wings and the Philadelphia Flyers. Detroi ...
, which they lost to the
Detroit Red Wings. He scored only 7 points in 68 games in
1997–98 after recording 32 the season before, and had lost some of his skating speed.
Following the season, Otto announced his retirement.
International
Otto made his debut with the
United States national team at the
1985 World Ice Hockey Championships
The 1985 Ice Hockey World Championships took place in Prague, Czechoslovakia from 17 April to 3 May. Eight teams took part, with each team playing each other once. The four best teams then played each other once more with no results carrying over ...
. He appeared in ten games, scoring two goals.
His goal against
Czechoslovakia helped the US complete its third of three consecutive upset victories, including defeats of
Canada and
Sweden
Sweden, formally the Kingdom of Sweden,The United Nations Group of Experts on Geographical Names states that the country's formal name is the Kingdom of SwedenUNGEGN World Geographical Names, Sweden./ref> is a Nordic country located on ...
, that left the United States in second place after the preliminary round. The Americans ultimately finished fourth in the tournament. Otto played in a second World Championship in
1990
File:1990 Events Collage.png, From left, clockwise: The 1990 FIFA World Cup is played in Italy; The Human Genome Project is launched; Voyager I takes the famous Pale Blue Dot image- speaking on the fragility of humanity on Earth, astrophysicist ...
, scoring six points in nine games for the fifth-place Americans.
The
1987 Canada Cup
The 1987 Labatt Canada Cup was a professional international ice hockey tournament held from August 28 to September 15, 1987. The finals took place in Montreal on September 11 and Hamilton, on September 13 and September 15, and were won by Team ...
was Otto's first appearance in a best-on-best tournament. He appeared in five games for the fifth-place Americans, and returned as the
captain
Captain is a title, an appellative for the commanding officer of a military unit; the supreme leader of a navy ship, merchant ship, aeroplane, spacecraft, or other vessel; or the commander of a port, fire or police department, election precinct, e ...
of the American squad that entered the
1991 Canada Cup
The 1991 Labatt Canada Cup was a professional international ice hockey tournament played in August and September 1991. The finals took place in Montreal on September 14 and Hamilton on September 16, and were won by Canada. The Canadians defeate ...
.
Otto scored two goals in a 7–3 victory over
Finland
Finland ( fi, Suomi ; sv, Finland ), officially the Republic of Finland (; ), is a Nordic country in Northern Europe. It shares land borders with Sweden to the northwest, Norway to the north, and Russia to the east, with the Gulf of Both ...
in the semi-final to lead the United States into its first championship game in five
Canada Cup
The Canada Cup (french: Coupe Canada) was an invitational international ice hockey tournament held on five occasions between 1976 and 1991. The brainchild of Toronto lawyer Alan Eagleson, the tournament was created to meet demand for a true world ...
appearances. The Americans lost the best-of-three final to Canada 2–0. Otto next appeared in the
1996 World Cup of Hockey
The first World Cup of Hockey ( WCH), or ''1996 World Cup of Hockey'', replaced the Canada Cup as one of the premier championships for professional ice hockey.
Inaugural ''World Cup of Hockey''
The first edition of the Cup featured eight teams d ...
, the successor tournament to the Canada Cup, where the Americans again faced Canada in the final. Otto and his teammates defeated Canada to claim the inaugural
World Cup
A world cup is a global sporting competition in which the participant entities – usually international teams or individuals representing their countries – compete for the title of world champion. The event most associated with the concept i ...
title.
His final international appearance came at the
1998 Winter Olympics
The 1998 Winter Olympics, officially known as the and commonly known as Nagano 1998 ( ja, 長野1998), was a winter multi-sport event held from 7 to 22 February 1998, mainly in Nagano, Japan, with some events taking place in the ...
. At 36, Otto was the oldest player on the American team and was counted on to contribute to the American team as a checking center.
He appeared in four games for the sixth-place Americans.
Off the ice
Otto and his wife Kary have two children together. The family settled in Calgary, but return to Minnesota for various events. Following his retirement as a player, Otto worked for Calgary law firm MacLeod Dixon as a professional player consultant and later for a company that manufactured golf clubs.
Otto is active within the community. As a player with the Flames, he was a spokesman for the Calgary Children's Milk Fund Society,
and was named the recipient of the
Ralph T. Scurfield Humanitarian Award in 1993 in recognition of his leadership and community involvement. Otto remains active with the Calgary Flames Alumni Association and in 2004 joined the
Calgary Hitmen
The Calgary Hitmen are a major junior ice hockey team based in Calgary, Alberta, Canada. The Hitmen play in the Central Division of the Western Hockey League (WHL). They play their home games at the Scotiabank Saddledome. Bret "The Hitman" H ...
of the
Western Hockey League
The Western Hockey League (WHL) is a major junior ice hockey league based in Western Canada and the Northwestern United States. The WHL is one of three leagues that constitutes the Canadian Hockey League (CHL) as the highest level of junior ho ...
(WHL) as a spokesman for their "Hitmen Kidz" community program.
While he had worked with the
University of Calgary Dinos hockey program for a couple seasons following his retirement, Otto left to be closer to his family. He returned to the game in 2006 as an assistant coach for the Hitmen. He helped coach the Hitmen to the
Ed Chynoweth Cup
The Ed Chynoweth Cup is an ice hockey club championship trophy awarded to the playoff champion of the Western Hockey League (WHL). Originally called the President's Cup when the league was founded in 1966, the trophy was renamed in 2007 to honou ...
as WHL champions in
2009–10, and returned for his fifth season behind the bench in
2011–12.
Career statistics
Regular season and playoffs
International
Curiosities
Canadian punk band Belvedere wrote a song about Joel Otto's career called "Two minutes for looking so good".
References
*Career statistics:
External links
*
{{DEFAULTSORT:Otto, Joel
1961 births
American men's ice hockey centers
Bemidji State Beavers men's ice hockey players
Calgary Flames players
Ice hockey players from Minnesota
Ice hockey players at the 1998 Winter Olympics
Living people
Moncton Golden Flames players
Olympic ice hockey players for the United States
People from Elk River, Minnesota
Philadelphia Flyers players
Stanley Cup champions
Undrafted National Hockey League players