Bulldogs and Generals complete major trade involving five players and nine draft selections

The Brantford Bulldogs and Oshawa Generals have completed a significant trade ahead of the weekend, involving five players and nine OHL Priority Selection picks.

The Bulldogs have acquired defencemen Ben Danford and Zackary Sandhu from the Generals in exchange for defencemen Lucas Moore and Luca DiPlacido, as well as forward Aiden O’Donnell, along with a package of future draft selections.

Heading to Oshawa are nine draft picks, including three second-round selections, three third-round selections, two fourth-round selections, and a tenth-round selection:
OTT 2nd (2026), BFD 4th (2026), KGN 2nd (2027), BAR 10th (2027), OSH 2nd (2028), SBY 3rd (2028), GUE 3rd (2029), BRAM 3rd (2029), BFD 4th (2029).

Danford, from Madoc, Ont., was selected 14th overall by the Generals in the 2022 OHL Priority Selection. The 6-foot-2, 194-pound right-shot defenceman was chosen 31st overall by the Toronto Maple Leafs in the 2024 NHL Draft after a strong season anchoring Oshawa’s blue line. Serving as the 72nd captain in Generals history, Danford appeared in 196 OHL regular season games, recording 83 points (11-72-83), along with 16 points across 47 playoff contests. He helped lead the Generals to consecutive Eastern Conference titles and appearances in back-to-back OHL Finals. Internationally, he represented Canada at both the World Under-17 Hockey Challenge and the 2023 Hlinka Gretzky Cup, winning silver and gold, respectively.

Sandhu, a 19-year-old Toronto native, was originally selected in the seventh round of the 2021 OHL Priority Selection by Guelph and later joined Oshawa during the 2023-24 season. The 6-foot-2, 194-pound defender appeared in 189 regular-season games and 47 playoff contests, playing a key shutdown role during Oshawa’s recent postseason runs.

“We’re extremely excited to acquire Ben Danford and Zach Sandhu,” said Bulldogs General Manager Spencer Hyman. “We’ve seen both players a ton over the past two seasons — through countless battles and a full playoff series — and we know firsthand the impact they can have. Both Ben and Zach have been to back-to-back OHL Finals, and they bring with them a championship mindset and an understanding of what it takes to win. Ben is a leader and one of the premier defencemen in the entire CHL. Zach is a hard-nosed, intelligent defender who plays with poise and intensity. These are two players we targeted immediately, and their addition gives our blue line the ability to play bigger, heavier, and adapt to any style required to win hockey games. We’re absolutely thrilled to welcome both Ben and Zach to the Bulldogs organization.”

Going the other way, Lucas Moore departs Brantford after becoming one of the longest-serving players in franchise history. The Peterborough native was part of Hamilton’s 2022 OHL championship team and has appeared in 247 regular-season games. Aiden O’Donnell, Brantford’s first-round pick (14th overall) in 2024, has tallied four goals and four assists through 14 games this season after posting 17 points as a rookie. Luca DiPlacido, a 2007-born defenceman and Cornell University commit, joins Oshawa after suiting up in 11 playoff games for Brantford last spring while currently skating at St. Andrew’s College.

“Both Ben and Zack have been incredible people and players for this franchise,” said Generals General Manager Roger Hunt. “They were part of back-to-back Bobby Orr Trophy runs and two OHL Finals. Without them, we wouldn’t have done that. But we know we need to retool, and bringing in players like Aiden, Lucas, and Luca, along with valuable draft capital, helps set us up for the future.”

Danford and Sandhu are expected to make their Bulldogs debut this week and won’t have to wait long to face their former team as Brantford visits Oshawa on November 7.

The deal ranks among the largest of the 2025-26 OHL season as both clubs reshape their rosters in pursuit of continued success.