The firesale in Erie continues. Dylan Edwards out the door. Gabriel Frasca out the door. Alex Misiak out the door. Now, a couple of 2006-born players from their roster are on the move. 

The Peterborough Petes have acquired defenseman Garrett Frazer and forward Brett Hammond from the Erie Otters in exchange for three draft picks and draft-eligible defenseman Blake Gowan. 

Below are the full trade details. 

Peterborough Petes Receive:

RW, Brett Hammond (2006) - 27GP, 10G, 4A, 14PTS
RHD, Garrett Frazer (2006) - 38GP, 2G, 9A, 11PTS

Erie Otters Receive:

LHD, Blake Gowan (2008) - 36GP, 8A, 8PTS
2028 2nd round pick (NB)
2028 3rd round pick (BFD
2027 5th round pick (OTT)

The Eastern Conference is led by the “Big Three,” Brantford, Ottawa, and Barrie. The Bulldogs are the favorites to win it all, but the 67’s and Colts have strengthened their lineups in hopes of an upset. But what about the middle of the pack?

That’s where the Peterborough Petes find themselves. At the time of writing this, the Petes sit in fourth place in the East with a record of 21-14-1-2. The Petes have about maybe a 20% chance of catching up to Ottawa or Brantford in the standings, meaning, barring a losing record the rest of the way, they're likely to finish between fourth and sixth in the East. They will want to avoid that No. 6 seed, as it would mean a matchup against Ottawa or Brantford in the first round. 

If they aim to upset in the playoffs, they must use physicality to push top contenders out of games. This is why Petes GM, Michael Oke, made this trade. 

“Brett is a big forward who plays a gritty, two-way game. He brings a physical presence, skates well, and will be strong on the forecheck. Garrett is a solid right-handed defenseman who is tough to play against. He plays a very physical game and is someone who opposing players take note of when he’s on the ice,” said Oke.

Peterborough has pride themselves on its depth this season. With Hammond’s 10 goals added to the team, the organization now has eight players on the roster with 10 or more goals. Brantford leads the league in this category with nine players. 

The focus for the Otters is entirely on the future. This team has lost key players from last year's roster, including Pano Fimis, Sam Alfano, Malcolm Spence, Martin Misiak, Carey Terrance, and, most importantly, Matthew Schaefer. Given these significant departures, it was clear that they would be sellers this season.

Blake Gowan was a highly-touted prospect in his OHL draft year. Peterborough took him 32nd overall in the second round of the 2024 OHL Priority Selection. He won a silver medal as a member of Canada Red at the 2024 U17 World Hockey Challenge. 

“We are very excited to welcome Blake and the Gowan family to Erie. Blake is a young, highly-regarded defenseman who we envision to be a key part of our young core as we continue to build with the group,” said Erie Otters’ Director of Hockey Operations Scott Grieve.  

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