MEET THE OTTERS HOCKEY STAFF

Waters Family 

Ownership Group

After retiring from his previous career in the broadcasting industry, Jim Waters purchased the Otters franchise on July 17, 2015, fulfilling a lifelong dream he had to own a professional sports team. That dream culminated on May 12, 2017 when the Erie Otters won the OHL Championship for the second time in franchise history in just the second year under Waters’ administration.Waters served as president of CHUM Ltd. from 1994 to 2006 and was also the chairman of the board from 2002-2006. Waters oversaw operations for the company which featured 33 radio stations across Canada. During that time, Waters was honoured as the Broadcasting Executive of the Year at Canadian Music Week in March 2001. He was also elected into the Canadian Music Industry Hall of Fame in 2007.In sports, Waters served on the board of directors for the Ottawa Rough Riders of the Canadian Football League. Waters’ company owned the franchise from 1977-1987.

With Jim Waters' passing in December of 2024, the Waters Family is committed to honor and continue Jim's legacy and core values within the organization.

“The Waters Family is excited to usher in a new chapter for our organization. United by our shared commitment to Jim’s legacy, the family is stepping forward to guide the future of the franchise, ensuring that our core values and traditions remain at the forefront."

In keeping with our longstanding commitment to excellence both on and off the ice, the family’s collective vision will steer the team through this exciting time. This united, family-led approach will continue to honor Jim’s legacy and maintain Erie’s reputation.

Dave Brown 

Executive Vice President and General Manager

Dave Brown is entering his 11th season as General Manager of the Erie Otters after being named to the position on July 20, 2015. The 2026 season marks his fifteenth year with the team, helping to bring the Otters their second OHL Championship in May of 2017. He served as Director of Hockey Operations his first four seasons, helping build the Otters into the only CHL team in history to record four consecutive 50-win seasons.

The Niagara-on-the-Lake, Ontario resident brings a wealth of hockey operations experience to the Otters as Brown was a part of the Mississauga/Niagara IceDogs organization from 2003-2010, the last five seasons as General Manager. In his first season as Assistant General Manager with Mississauga, the team won the Eastern Conference championship. As General Manager, the team made the playoffs for four consecutive seasons, including a second-place finish in the Eastern Conference in 2006-07.

Prior to becoming an OHL executive, Brown was a general manager for the Milton Merchants (2002-03) and Brampton Capitals (1999-2002) of the Tier II Junior A Ontario Provincial Junior Hockey League. Brown guided the Capitals to two league championships in 2000 and 2002. In July 2020, Brown was named the Executive Vice President, providing oversight to the Business Staff of the Otters. Brown has also served worked with Hockey Canada's National Program, winning gold in at the 2023 World Under-17 Tournament, gold at the World Under-18 Tournament, and gold at the 2024 Hlinka-Gretzky Cup. Dave was also part of the Management group for the Team CHL in the CHL USA Top Prospects Challenge in 2024. 

Kris Mallette

Head Coach

Kris Mallette is currently in his second season with the Otters, being hired in January of 2025. Mallette is no stranger to the CHL – the 47-year-old native of Kelowna, BC played four seasons in the WHL as a defenseman for Kelowna and the Moose Jaw Warriors. Drafted #62 overall to the Philadelphia Flyers in the 1997 NHL Entry Draft, Mallette would continue his hockey career professionally as a player, playing nine seasons between the Central Hockey League, East Coast Hockey League, United Hockey League, and the final iteration of the International Hockey League. Shortly after his professional playing career ended, Mallette would become a name-to-know in the junior hockey coaching world – coaching the North Okanagan Knights of the KIJHL for three seasons as assistant (2010-11) and head coach (2011-12, 2012-13), a single season in the British Columbia Hockey League as an assistant (2013-14) in Vernon, before being promoted to Kelowna of the WHL in 2014. Returning as a coach to the organization he spent most of his major junior career, Mallette would serve as an assistant coach from the 2014-15 season through 2019. In his time as an assistant, Mallette would be part of the Rockets 2014-15 WHL championship season that would see the WHL-representative advance all the way to the Memorial Cup Finals. In the midst of the 2019-20 season, Mallette would be promoted for his first role as a head coach in major junior hockey – with the city of Kelowna to host the Memorial Cup in 2020 prior to tournament cancellation due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Mallette would serve as head coach of Kelowna up until an organizational change in January 2025.

Beyond his time in the CHL, with Mallette serving as an assistant coach (2022, 2023) and head coach (2024) for Hockey Canada in the last three Hlinka Gretzky Cups, helping lead the country to gold medals all three years. More recently, Mallette served as head coach for Team CHL at the 2024 CHL USA Top Prospects Challenge

Mitchell Brown

Assistant Director of Hockey Operations

Mitchell enters his fifth season with the Otters, having completed a Hockey Operations internship prior with the Otters prior. Mitchell is a graduate of Brock University's Sport Management program and oversees the day to day team logistics, travel and ensures the players and staff have everything they need to succeed on a day-to-day basis. Mitchell serves as the connection between hockey operations and business operations, handling the day-to-day schedules of the players while making sure they have everything they need to succeed. Mitchell also works alongside the coaching staff with game preparation and pre-scouts and handles the Otters video in-game.