MLB. NFL. NBA. Maybe. Not as often does a Warren County kid have dreams of playing in the NHL.

Solomon Wolf took a step closer to his dream when he was drafted 154th overall in round eight of the Ontario Hockey League Priority Selection Draft by the Erie Otters.

“The Otters just held the 2025 orientation camp. We spent three days together so they could get a look at what the future in Erie is going to look like,” said Solomon, 16, the son of Jeff and Cathy Wolf of Russell and brother of Abe and Winnie. “The next step will depend on a couple of different things, but we will have a conversation with my advisor and see where we will play next season.”

In his 13th year playing hockey (yes, almost as long as he could walk, he could skate), “I can’t imagine spending my time anywhere else,” he said. “When I’m on the ice, it feels like home. Playing hockey just makes me happy.”

Solomon Wolf

Not “home” in the literal sense, of course, as his parents have driven him everywhere and back.

“I began playing for the Jamestown Lakers A from 2013 to 2020,” said Solomon. “I moved to the Cazenovia Chiefs AA team in Buffalo. I joined the Buffalo Regals OMHA AAA for my 13U and 14U years and then downtown to the Buffalo Jr. Sabres AAA (Tier 1 Elite Hockey League) for draft year. In the offseasons, I have played for the NorthStar Elite and, most recently, TPH at the OHL Cup in Toronto, Canada. I have been fortunate enough to play in the greater Ontario, Canada region. From Whitby to Grey Bruce, Oakville, Guelph, Brampton, Burlington, and so on. In the U.S., Boston, Jersey, Philly, Pittsburgh, Cleveland, Detroit, Minneapolis, Chicago, Phoenix and everywhere in between.”

It hasn’t come without the sacrifice necessary to reach this next step.

“I played hockey, soccer, and tried a little baseball,” said Sol, “but the hockey schedule and travel times did not allow me to do too much with the other sports.”

He currently attends school online, which is another sacrifice he’s had to make.

“Social events and spending time with friends,” said Solomon. “I do not believe that I have ever been to a school dance or a formal dance. We have a joke in the family that really is not a joke at all. It’s that I have been to the city of Buffalo more than I have ever been to the city of Warren.

“I do not believe that I would have done anything differently,” he said. “I am exactly where I had hoped to be at 16 years old, so whatever I gave up, paid off.

“I was invited to skate at the MidAm District tryouts two years in a row, I have participated in the Junior Chowder Cup in Boston, and the World Selects Invitational in Philadelphia,” said Solomon. “My 14U season with the Buffalo Regals, we finished third in the league and went to championship weekend in Kingston, Ontario. This summer, I leave for Prince Edward Island. I was invited to join an international roster from Canada and Europe. I will be the only player on my team from the States, so I am interested and excited about this opportunity. I believe the best highlight of all of this would be beginning in Jamestown — a single A program — and working my way up through youth hockey for the opportunity to skate for the Buffalo Jr. Sabres club.”

With close to 50 former Erie Otters alumni of the National Hockey League, and Edmonton Oilers’ captain Connor McDavid — a first overall pick from the Erie Otters — vying for his first Stanley Cup, it’s easy to get excited for Solomon’s future. But juniors is four years and college four more years, so enjoying the moment is the short-term goal.

“My long-term goals are to play D1 NCAA hockey and hopefully more,” said Solomon. “On and off the ice, I will have to develop my game and become stronger to compete at that next level. That means pushing myself to develop my skill and understanding of the game.”

For the Jr. Sabres, the defenseman had 17 assists and four goals in 53 games.

“My strengths have been my work ethic, communication skills, size and skating ability,” said Solomon. “My weakness this season would have been my confidence. I came off a pretty gnarly injury and then dealing with a position change. Playing at less than 100%, and figuring my game out from a defensive view, left me uncomfortable. Once I was healthy and adapted to the move to my new role, I like to think that I improved the strength of our defensive line and was able to maintain an offensive responsibility that gave our team a different type of look.”

That type of play and attitude got Sol his own looks.

“My coaches and my advisor would update me when teams would call or express interest in me,” he said. “Scouts have approached my dad at events for conversation, text and emails, so we had an idea that there was some interest. We had watched several rounds of the draft together, waiting to get into the mid-round picks. When the Erie pick came in and my name was on the screen, I was absolutely speechless. When my phone rang and it was the general manager, Mr. Brown, and assistant GM, Mr. Grieve, it was just hard to believe this was really happening. Being drafted to the OHL was one of my biggest goals, but to be drafted by my childhood dream team was just unbelievable. I am honored to have been selected to the Erie Otters organization. To be part of this organization and its history and all of the amazing players that have played in Erie … is as surreal as it can possibly get. They are a first-class organization and it truly cares about their people. This is a very special opportunity that they have given me to attempt to make an Otters roster.

“The position change to defense was interesting,” said Solomon. “At first, I did not buy into the thought of moving back to the blue line, but apparently there were quite a few people that were very excited about me as a defenseman. I have been told that it has a lot to do with my size, being a right-hand shot and my skating ability. This is what got most of the attention from the next level.”

Solomon’s big brother, Abe, played hockey before him, “so I have been in ice rinks as long as I can remember,” he said. “I have always been passionate about the game. I have spent 13 years developing my skills and I just want to get better every time I step out on the ice. I think as a player, my best attribute is my work ethic. You just really have to love it. You really have to want to work for it and you have to be willing to live it. I was given an opportunity to play in the Ontario Minor Hockey Association and got to compete against some of the best skaters in all of Canada. I played in the T1EHL and got to play against the best skaters in North America. This level of competition is what prepared me for the draft. The amazing coaching, the leagues, the showcases and all of that exposure.”

Needless to say, exposure isn’t guaranteed without a driver’s license.

“My parents would be my biggest mentors,” said Sol. “They guide me through every challenge. Their unwavering support has given me the confidence to chase my dreams. I always know I have someone in the stands supporting me.”

Sol’s mother, Cathy, thinks “as long as he stays true and continues to be who he is, he should be able to make it as far as he wants to go.

“Solomon has a strong aptitude for life,” she said. “He is lighthearted and has a quick wit about him. Sol has a very positive approach to everything he does. He will find the light in almost everything and everybody. We appreciate his maturity, his dedication to his family and sport alike. The amount of work that goes into what he has accomplished is impressive and he truly respects the time and the effort required to get to where he is. You will never hear a complaint and he will always make it a point to let you know how appreciative he is for everything he has. He knew choosing this path was going to mean that he would miss so many things in his young life — school, events, sports, social activities and most of all, his friends. Sol is focused on his training and development and looking forward to the opportunity to make that roster and represent the Erie Otters and the Erie community. There is a lot of work ahead of him in order to make that happen. We will guarantee you that he will continue to put in the work to develop his skill.”

Solomon has been looking forward to this draft since he was 12 years old.

“Being selected in the Priority Draft is definitely the highlight so far,” he said. “My goal is to play Division I college hockey. My dream is to become a professional. Five years ago, I was playing single A hockey with my lifelong friends right up the road. Since then, I have been fortunate enough to have played against the best players in Canada. I have played with the best in the U.S. I have played alongside and against the best from Europe, and last month I was drafted into the best developmental league in the world. So, deep down, if you ask me if I believe that I can become a professional hockey player, they all say that it is a long shot. Kind of like the last five years.”