Friday Night Faceoff: Bulldogs’ Thomas looking to round-out accomplished OHL career with another championship

Patrick Thomas has covered the bases in his OHL career. Overcoming adversity, the thrill of a championship, setting records, and wearing the ‘C’. There’s something there that every young player would aspire to.

Now, in his final season, the overage centreman is hunting down one more big accomplishment – an NHL contract.

Drafted in the fourth round of the 2023 NHL Draft by Washington, Thomas is in the midst of a career-best season with 73 points (22-51–73) through 50 games, sitting tied for the OHL lead in assists with 51. It’s a big push to see if he can earn himself the opportunity to sign on the dotted line with the Caps before June.

Originally a third round pick by his hometown Hamilton Bulldogs in 2020, Thomas’ success in the OHL didn’t come immediately as he had to wait out the Covid-affected 2020-21 campaign that never got off the ground.

His rookie season saw him progress from the club’s fourth line to eventually playing alongside Mason McTavish and Ryan Winterton as the Bulldogs captured the OHL championship in a seven-game series against Windsor.

The playmaking centre has also had the chance to play alongside names like Avery Hayes, Logan Morrison, Sahil Panwar and most recently, goal-scoring flank Nick Lardis who enters tonight’s contest one goal shy of 50 on the season.

“He’s incredible,” long-time Bulldogs teammate Lucas Moore recently said of Thomas. “He’s been incredible since day one. He has eyes in the back of his head and he sees everything.

“It’s gold, everything he touches.”

Thomas’ overage season has included a pair of newly established records including the Bulldogs’ all-time assists benchmark set on Jan. 11th in Peterborough. He surpassed the previous mark held by Logan Morrison and is up to 156 entering tonight’s action.

He made Bulldogs history on Jan. 22nd, racking up a goal and five assists for six points as Brantford defeated the Niagara IceDogs 6-2.

Etching his name into the Bulldogs’ record books is a point of pride for Thomas, who is trying to finish-off his OHL career with another championship.

“It’s been unreal,” he told the Brantford Expositor’s Brian Smiley of his experience. “It really flew by, especially with my first year being the Covid year. It doesn’t feel real saying I’ve been here for four years. It feels like I just got into the league.”

“Patrick, right from his first year, he’s done everything right,” Bulldogs head coach Jay McKee told Smiley late in the 2023-24 season.

“He prepares right, he’s a really good teammate and you know as a coach what you’re going to get every shift. He’s very dependable, not just offensively, because he doesn’t give up on a single play defensively.

“I’m grateful to have had a guy like him here. He’s been fantastic for us.”

Thomas continues his pursuit of an NHL deal, and might even be able to set up linemate Nick Lardis for his 50th in tonight’s Friday Night Faceoff when the Bulldogs host the Saginaw Spirit at 7:00pm. See the game streaming for free on OHL Live, YouTube, X and Facebook.