67’s Josh Brady putting in work to better self
If the OHL handed out a most improved player award, it’s quite possible that defenceman Josh Brady would be the Ottawa 67’s nominee.
The player taking the ice for the Barber Poles today is a far cry from the kid who played his way onto the squad a season ago, improving in every metric, and in some places, drastically.
His development has been a long process, spanning a number of years. His junior career began when he was drafted in the 10th round of the 2022 OHL Priority Selection, but the Peterborough native didn’t crack the club, despite impressing at development camp, and subsequently training camp a few months later.
He spent the 2022-23 season in the CCHL with the Pembroke Lumber Kings, before again impressing at camp for the 67’s. He earned a spot on the team, playing in 34 regular season games. Still, his battle wasn’t over, something he quickly understood in a difficult rookie season.
In 34 other games, Brady watched from the stands, scratched from the lineup. For anyone, that can be frustrating, but he learned playing time is earned in the OHL, forcing him to look in the mirror and make actionable changes to his daily routine.
“Trusting the process has been a big thing for me,” Brady said. “There was a lot of doubt, but I’m the type of person that will accept the challenge, I’m here to try to overcome it and prove people wrong.”
The reflection staring back at him revealed a solid base to build upon, but correctable flaws that held him back from his full potential.
“I made a lot of mistakes, especially last year,” Brady admitted. “It was a big growth year for me and there were a lot of lessons learned. I feel like my maturity has grown off and on the ice, and I think that has helped my mindset.”
The 19-year-old’s turnaround started without the glitz and glam last season, happening almost exclusively behind the scenes. Extra film time, working harder in the gym and treating practice like games all became foundational elements of Brady’s regimen, which continued into the offseason.
Coming into camp this year, Brady looked a much different player. Combining those training patterns, he was the cliché bigger, faster and stronger, but also more poised and confident.
He says the game has slowed down for him this season, helping him effectively make the first pass out of his zone and read plays better. Defensively, he’s been a solid cog in the 67’s machine, but offensively, he’s starting to find his voice so to speak.
“That is something we’ve talked about with as a team and with coaches, we want to have a defencemen jump in as a fourth man and be there in every play,” Brady explained. “I’ve been trying to introduce that into my game because I know it’s there.”
On Friday night against the Niagara IceDogs, Brady toe-dragged around a defender and wired a shot for his fifth goal of the season. In shocking news to him, Brady leads all 67’s in game-winning goals, growing his total to four with last week’s marker.
He says last season, he never would have tried something like that, but the more it works, the more confident he’s becoming that it can — and will — work again.
With only 11 games left on the schedule, Brady isn’t exactly focusing on individual milestones or accolades, instead looking to help his club in their playoff push.
Of course, there is still plenty of room to get even better before the season comes to a close, and Brady has no plans of slowing down any time soon.
“I’m not there yet,” Brady said. “I’m still improving and proving people wrong, and I hope I can continue to do that going forward.”
