BULLDOGS NORTH AMERICAN TOUR ‘22
Coming off of the 2022 OHL Championship, the Hamilton Bulldogs will be sending 12 players to NHL Training Camps beginning this week, including 6 NHL drafted players and 6 players who earned invitations on strong 2021-22 performances. The Bulldogs North American Tour will include stops in Toronto, Dallas, Boston, Seattle, Nashville, Ottawa, Montreal & Anaheim before the new OHL season begins on September 30th.
Morrison Joins Drafted Dallas Duo
The Dallas Stars will have three Hamilton Bulldogs in their camp, comprised of a pair of draftees Artem Grushnikov (2nd Round, 48th overall in 2021) and frequent defense partner Gavin White (4th Round, 115th overall in 2022) will be joined by 2022 OHL Playoff MVP Logan Morrison. Morrison earned an invite to the Lone Star State after leading the Bulldogs with 34 goals & 66 assists for 100 points in the regular season and then led the entire Ontario Hockey League with 17 goals & 22 assists for 39 points in the playoffs with an additional 8 points at the Memorial Cup. While White will bring the flash and dash from the blueline, as evidenced by his 56 points in 66 games last season, Grushnikov brings a calm defensive stability as a top end shot blocker with a physically imposing style.
The Traverse City Prospect Tournament is right around the corner, and our roster and schedule is set 🙌🏒#TexasHockey
— Dallas Stars (@DallasStars) September 7, 2022
Trio of Bulldogs in Toronto
The Toronto Maple Leafs join the Dallas Stars in hosting three Hamilton Bulldogs for their development camp as goaltender Marco Costantini, defenseman Noah Van Vliet & forward Avery Hayes will all dawn the blue & white. Leading the OHL in goals against average, 2.32, save percentage, .917 and shutouts, 6, “Marvelous” Marco Costantini was joined by battery mate Matteo Drobac in winning the 2021-22 Dave Pinkney Trophy as the OHL’s top goaltending tandem after a brilliant season. Costantini only got better as the games got bigger running a 16-3 playoff record with a 2.29 GAA & ,913 SV% with 3 playoff shutouts in backstopping the Bulldogs to the 2022 OHL Championship. Noah Van Vliet joined the Bulldogs past the halfway point of the season but the Toronto product made an impact in the 11 regular season games he played with a poised and physical style of defense that immediately earned him the trust of his coaches in high pressure moments. Playing in 17 of 19 playoff games, Van Vliet continued that same path in earning his invite to his hometown team’s camp. Avery Hayes spent the 2021-22 season becoming one of the most dangerous & well-rounded players in the OHL, scoring 41 goals, only the second Bulldog to break 40, while also being recognized as one of the premier penalty killing forwards in the league. Finishing second to only linemate Logan Morrison in playoff scoring with 14 goals & 20 assists for 34 points in 16 games, Hayes heads to Toronto with plenty of momentum to go along with his incredible skill.
Traverse City bound 📍
— Toronto Maple Leafs (@MapleLeafs) September 13, 2022
California Dreamin’ Dog
Drafted 3rd overall by the Anaheim Ducks in the 2021 NHL Entry Draft, Mason McTavish could rightly be looked at as the best player not currently in the National Hockey League as he heads back to California. Acquired by the Bulldogs on January 9th, McTavish sandwiched 14 goals & 26 assists for 40 points in 24 regular season games; followed by 16 goals & 13 assists for 29 points in 19 playoffs games in between representing Canada at the 2022 Winter Olympics & captaining Team Canada to a gold medal at the 2022 World Junior Hockey Championship. A decorated player both domestically and internationally, McTavish will next look to take Anaheim by storm.
Everything you need to know for 2022 Rookie Camp and the Rookie Showcase tournament in San Jose. https://t.co/LwfaxRXzrW
— Anaheim Ducks (@AnaheimDucks) September 8, 2022
Czech-Mate in Montreal
Jan Mysak heads to Montreal, along with Bulldogs graduate Arber Xhekaj, to fully begin his North American professional career. Having already rescued his hometown Litvinov from relegation in the 2018-19 season, Mysak has played important roles on every team he’s been on since. Scoring 34 goals and 30 assists for 64 points in 61 games in the 2021-22 season and serving as an integral part of Jay McKee’s leadership team, Mysak helped lead the Bulldogs to the 2022 OHL Championship while playing up and down the lineup in a variety of roles and excelling in each one. Scoring the overtime winner in the Memorial Cup semi-final, Mysak’s game always rises in the difficult moments, a trait that will serve him well with the Montreal Canadiens.
Rookie Camp opens on Wednesday at the Bell Sports Complex in Brossard.#GoHabsGo https://t.co/dOjDDkQIPE
— Canadiens Montréal (@CanadiensMTL) September 11, 2022
Release the Kraken
Ryan Winterton will head to his second NHL camp after being selected by the expansion Seattle Kraken in the 3rd Round (67th overall) in 2021. After recovering from an injury that held him out until the beginning of 2022, Winterton returned and posted 20 goals & 26 assists for 46 points over 37 games, getting attention of prospect onlookers around the hockey world. The U18 Gold Medalist posted 7 goals & 12 assists for 19 points in 18 games through the OHL playoffs, adding the J. Ross Robertson Cup to his trophy case.
#SeaKraken Training Camp, pres. by @Starbucks is right around the corner! Who’s excited?! 👀
Check out the full schedule → https://t.co/Jq4cOk6M9r pic.twitter.com/5DpoL2IzZx
— Seattle Kraken (@SeattleKraken) September 15, 2022
Family Tradition in Ottawa
A delayed rookie season for the Bulldogs 6th overall selection in the 2020 OHL Priority Selection Draft turned out to be a very successful one as Jorian Donovan recorded 3 goals & 19 assists for 22 points during the season while skating in 13 playoff games on route to the 2022 OHL Championship. Donovan played an increasingly key role through the playoffs with injuries to both Nathan Staios & Colton Kammerer and his success in post-season play led to the Ottawa Senators selecting the smooth skating defenseman in the 5th Round, 136th overall in the 2022 NHL Entry Draft. Donovan now departs to Ottawa where his father Shean Donovan played 177 games with the Senators and has served as Development Coach since 2016.
Breaking: We have #Sens hockey this week!!
Announcing the 2022 Rookie Camp and Tournament roster: https://t.co/4bDyOfuKYX pic.twitter.com/GB6yYcNd3M
— Ottawa Senators (@Senators) September 12, 2022
Bulldog in Beantown
With the likes of Ken Linseman & Brad Marchand in the modern area serving as “shift-disturbers” it only seems right that Ryan Humphrey would earn an invitation from the Boston Bruins. Coming off a tremendous sophomore season where the Michigan born winger posted 25 goals & 37 assists for 62 points while playing in all 68 games. Humphrey’s line with Morrison & Hayes proved to be the OHL’s best in the post-season, where the pesky forward scored 9 points in 19 games while playing a key part in shutting down the opposition’s best players in matchups. The 2022 OHL Champion will look to follow in the footsteps of Stanley Cup Champion “shift-disturbers” Linseman & Marchand in earning a deal in Boston.
Bruins Announce Roster & Schedule for Rookie Camp and Prospects Challenge: https://t.co/MLaJrtEYve pic.twitter.com/qWzRap4sCw
— Boston Bruins (@NHLBruins) September 13, 2022
Music City Mayhem
Originally a 14th Round selection, 278th overall in the 2018 OHL Priority Selection Draft, Hamilton’s own Mark Duarte has continued a legacy began by fellow Hamiltonian Isaac Nurse in late round selections making a big impact with the Bulldogs. The power-forward recorded 10 goals & 14 assists for 24 points in 53 games on the season, spending a lot of time patrolling the right wing opposite George Diaco & Jan Mysak while serving a strong piece of the Bulldogs penalty kill. Duarte continued that into the playoffs, providing a physical spark and bringing his effort, guts and heart on every shift. Duarte now heads to the Nashville Predators where he’ll look to translate his physicality and full heart effort to the next level as a Champion.
Rookie Camp 🔜 https://t.co/JVejFUT420
— Nashville Predators (@PredsNHL) September 8, 2022