Brantford Bulldogs win 2026 East Division title

The Brantford Bulldogs are 2026 East Division Champions, securing their second straight Leyden Trophy and fourth in Bulldogs history following previous banners in 2025, 2022 and 2018.

The Bulldogs sealed the deal with Wednesday’s 5-2 win over the Niagara IceDogs that saw Marek Vanacker score goals 45 and 46 on the season to re-establish the OHL goal-scoring lead. Bulldogs captain Jake O’Brien collected a goal and three assists in the win.

Now 47-9-8-2, Brantford began the season with a remarkable 23 consecutive games without a regulation loss to begin the year. They also played 17 consecutive home games without a regulation loss, with a 3-2 defeat against Erie on Dec. 30th remaining the only such instance so far this season. Only two other teams since the year 2000 have seen similar success at home, with the 2017-18 Soo Greyhounds losing just once in regulation at home during the regular season, as well as the 2004-05 London Knights who went on to win an OHL championship and Memorial Cup crown.

Jay McKee’s Bulldogs boast the OHL’s top power play, with a 34.3% success rate among the best the OHL has ever seen. Brantford leads the league in goals scored with 289 while their 179 against are the fourth-fewest.

Names like the aforementioned Vanacker and O’Brien have enjoyed individual success, while others such as NHL Draft prospect Caleb Malhotra has emerged as one of the League’s top rookies with 81 points (29-52–81) over 65 games. First-year forward Cooper Dennis has also done big things with 74 points (34-40–74) over 66 games with a league-leading plus-48 rating.

The Bulldogs have two games remaining on their regular season schedule, with an opportunity to best the franchise benchmark of 107 points set in 2021-22 with upcoming matchups against North Bay and Brampton. They’ll enter the postseason as the first seed in the Eastern Conference and face the Sudbury Wolves in the first round of the 2026 OHL Playoffs presented by Nissan that begin next week.

The Leyden Trophy was first presented in the 1975-76 season when the OHL was split into divisions with the expansion of the League to 12 teams. The award originated in recognition of Matt Leyden for his contribution to Junior hockey in Ontario.

WE DID IT AGAIN!

Tonight's win against the Niagara IceDogs makes the Brantford Bulldogs East Division Champions!#BFD pic.twitter.com/PZMjPV2e4Z

— Brantford Bulldogs (@BulldogsOHL) March 19, 2026