BULLDOGS ACQUIRE 2025 1st OVERALL PICK KADEN MCGREGOR
BRANTFORD, ONTARIO. Brantford Bulldogs President of Hockey Operations & General Manager Spencer Hyman today announced the acquisition of the 1st overall selection in the 2025 OHL Priority Selection Draft, forward Kaden McGregor from the Peterborough Petes in exchange for forward Cooper Dennis.
McGregor, of Braeside, ON, won the Jack Ferguson Award as the #1 overall selection in the 2025 OHL Priority Selection off of an incredible season with the Ottawa Valley Titans 16U AAA program. Named captain of the Titans, McGregor led the entire HEO with an incredible 38 goals & 44 assists for 82 points in just 29 league games, following that with another monster performance in the playoffs striking for 11 goals & 13 assists for 24 points in just 9 games, leading the Titans to an HEO U16 Championship while being named HEO Player of the Year. With time in between winning the HEO Championship & the OHL Cup, McGregor laced up his skates for the St. Joseph’s High Jaguars to play at OFSAA where McGregor led the Jaguars to a silver medal, recording 21 goals & 6 assists for 27 points in 6 games. Back with the Titans for the OHL Cup, McGregor dominated again, scoring 3 times and adding 8 assits for 11 points in 5 games while skating to a plus-7 rating, leading the OHL Cup in points-per-game. Joining the Petes for the 2025-26 season, McGregor showed the star potential he arrived with as the 6’0”/181 right-shot centerman scored 7 goals & added 13 assists for 20 points in 39 games before an injury halted his rookie year.
On the international stage, McGregor debuted for Team Canada at the World U17 Hockey Challenge, posting 5 points in 5 games to help Team Canada White to a Silver Medal.
“Kaden McGregor is an incredible addition to our organization.” said Hyman. “He is an elite talent in every sense of the word. Elite skill, elite hockey IQ, elite competitiveness and, most importantly, elite character and leadership. Kaden is the kind of player you build around, and we’re incredibly excited to welcome him and his family to Brantford. We believe he will be a foundational piece of our program for years to come, and we’re looking forward to watching him grow and succeed as a Bulldog!”.
Dennis, of Ithica, NY, was originally selected in the 6th round, 109th overall by the Bulldogs in the 2023 OHL Priority Selection Draft after two dominant seasons with the Bishop Kearny Selects 14U & 15U that saw the offensively gifted winger post 128 goals & 136 assists for 264 points across 151 games. Making stops with the Long Island Gulls, where he won a US Tier 1 16U Championship and the Dubuque Fighting Saints of the USHL, Dennis made his way to the OHL for the 2025-26 season.
Immediately becoming a key part of the Bulldogs forward group both offensively and on the penalty kill, and developing tremendous chemistry with fellow newcomer Caleb Malhotra, Dennis set a new mark for first year Bulldogs, posting 34 goals while adding 40 assists for 74 points, skating in all 68 games. The Michigan Wolverines commit added another 7 points across 15 playoff games.
“Cooper was an important part of a special season in Brantford, and we’re grateful for everything he brought to our organization.” said Hyman. “His professionalism, work ethic, and commitment helped our team every day. We thank Cooper for all of his contributions and wish him nothing but success as he begins this next chapter with Peterborough. Once a Bulldog, always a Bulldog.”.
