89 Champs: Where Are They Now: Joel Otto

Joel Otto spent 11 of his 14 seasons in the NHL wearing the Flaming C. He tallied 428 points in his 11 years with the Flames and was a menace at the face off dot for other teams best centers. He also appeared on the 1998 USA Olympic hockey team at the age of 36, playing in 4 games for the team’s 6th place finish.

Joel Otto finished out is career with 3 season in Philadelphia, followed by retirement. He worked for a law firm, a company that made golf clubs and various charities. As with most players, hockey came calling again and Otto worked briefly with the University of Calgary Dino’s hockey team.

Currently Joel Otto is an assistant coach for the Calgary Hitmen, a position he has held since 2006. He and his family still live in the Calgary area and he is gearing up for his 10th season behind the bench for the WHL team.

While Otto was a checking center, he was also know for his good looks. The Canadian Punk Rock band Belvedere immortalized those looks in the song “Two Minutes For Looking So Good.”

by Mark Parkinson