Joel Otto
Joel Stuart Otto ( born October 29, 1961 in Elk River, Minnesota ) is a retired American professional ice hockey player ( center ) and coach, who played from 1984 to 1998 for the Calgary Flames and Philadelphia Flyers of the National Hockey League.
Career
Joel Otto studied at Bemidji State University and played for the team from the University of the Western Collegiate Hockey Association, a league game in the operation of the National Collegiate Athletic Association. After strong seasons between 1982 and 1984, he signed shortly before the start of the 1984/85 season a contract with the Calgary Flames.
In his first season he often ran the farm team, the Moncton Golden Flames, in the American Hockey League, but also denied 17 games for the Calgary Flames in the NHL. Even in the playoffs, he stood in the NHL squad and brought it with three inserts on two goals and an assist. Then he supported the U.S. National Team at the World Ice Hockey Championship 1985 in Prague. The following season 1985/86 brought for Otto the final breakthrough in the NHL. He arrived with 25 goals and 59 points records, which he should not reach in his career. Otto was an important player for the Flames, as it not only offensive, but thanks to his physical strength and defensively held an important role. So he not only reach four consecutive years over 50 points, he brought it in these years respectively to more than 180 penalty minutes. Whenever it was important, he convinced with presence. When the Flames first time in 1986 reached the finals for the Stanley Cup, he drove in 22 games with 15 points. In 1987 he represented his country at the Canada Cup. In 1989 he reached the Flames again the final series for the Stanley Cup. With 19 points, he had a great share in the first win of the Cup. In the Ice Hockey World Championship in 1990 and the Canada Cup in 1991, he represented the United States again. Mid-1990s, built the leaders of the Flames the team around, and for the experienced Otto was no longer a place in the team.
End of July 1995, he signed with the Philadelphia Flyers. The team led by Eric Lindros were almost exclusively tall players. Here, Otto ranked one excellent. With the U.S., he won the 1996 World Cup of Hockey. In the 1996/97 season he reached the finals with the Flyers where they lost to the Detroit Red Wings. He played one more year with the Flyers and ended after the 1998 Winter Olympics in Nagano his active career.
Since 2006 he has been with the Calgary Hitmen of the Western Hockey League as an assistant coach.
NHL stats
Sporting successes
- Stanley Cup: 1989
- World Cup of Hockey: 1996
Personal Awards
- Nominated for the Selke Trophy Frank J.: 1993 and 1995