Erie Otters owner Jim Waters dies at 73

The Erie Otters announced Friday the sudden passing of team owner and Ontario Hockey League governor Jim Waters. He was 73.

“Jim passed away this morning, leaving a profound void in the lives of his family, friends and the Canadian hockey and broadcasting communities,” the club said in a statement.

The OHL called Waters “a leader who demonstrated tremendous vision paired with a kindness and generosity towards others.”

“This is very sad news for so many people across the OHL,” OHL Commissioner Bryan Crawford said. “Jim was very involved with the Otters franchise; it was a real passion for him. He was a brilliant and ambitious man who achieved great things and treated others with a genuine kindness and we’ll miss him very much.”

Waters purchased the Otters ahead of the 2015-16 season, and in just his second year owning the club, they won their second OHL Championship in franchise history.

The Hockey Writers‘ reporter Mark Scheig wrote on social media that Waters was “the reason the OHL are still in Erie to this day.”

“He bought the team in 2015 just after Connor McDavid’s draft season. He was one of the kindest men I’ve ever known. Went out of his way to say how much he enjoyed my coverage over the years,” Scheig wrote.

Before buying the Otters, Waters served as president of CHUM Ltd., a Canadian media company, between 1994 and 2006, and was also chairman of the board from 2002 to 2006. During that time, he was named the Broadcasting Executive of the Year at Canadian Music Week in 2001 and was elected into the Canadian Music Industry Hall of Fame in 2007.

His previous work in sports included serving on the board of directors of the Ottawa Rough Riders of the Canadian Football League, as well as owning the franchise between 1977 and 1987.