OHL 20 in 20: Brantford Bulldogs

The Bulldogs brought OHL fever to Brantford last season as tickets were hard to come by at the Civic Centre in 2023-24. While they came up short in their first round bout with the Ottawa 67’s, it was a memorable season in the Telephone City, with Brantfordians looking ahead to a highly anticipated 2024-25 season. The Dogs bring back the majority of their core, with OHL Rookie of the Year Jake O’Brien joining Chicago Blackhawks picks Nick Lardis and Marek Vanacker along with Washington Capitals prospect Patrick Thomas and winger Zak Lavoie in forming a capable offensive nucleus. Bulldogs GM Matt Turek made a big splash a couple weeks ago with the addition of Buffalo Sabres prospect Ryerson Leenders in the crease, giving Brantford a solid tandem in the crease when paired with David Egorov. The East Division is going to be competitive this season, and you can expect the Bulldogs to be right in the thick of things.

Five Questions Heading Into 2024-25:

1. What does Rookie of the Year O’Brien have in store for an encore?
Jake O’Brien didn’t need a lot of time to settle into the OHL last season as the OHL Cup MVP translated his success into OHL Rookie of the Year honours with 64 points (13-51–64) over 61 games. O’Brien continued his excellence into the summer, helping Canada win gold at the Hlinka Gretzky Cup. He’s not always flashy, but you can typically count on O’Brien to be the most intelligent player on the ice – he always seems to know where to be, and how to find his teammates. Slot him in on the top line, and keep an eye on his NHL Draft stock as the season progresses.

2. How much damage can Hawks prospects Vanacker, Lardis do if healthy?
The former will start the season on the shelf as he recovers from offseason shoulder surgery, but should be back in the Brantford lineup by sometime in December. Lardis missed a good portion of 2023-24 to injury, returning for the playoffs where he put up eight points (4-4–8) in six games. Lardis is among the OHL’s top goal-scoring threats thanks to his quick release and excellent shot. If the Bulldogs can keep these two guys in the lineup along with names like O’Brien, Zak Lavoie and Patrick Thomas, they’re going to be one of the league’s top offensive squads.

3. How do the Bulldogs adapt behind the bench?
Jay McKee returns as Head Coach, but assistants Andrew Campbell (Belleville Senators) and Andreas Karlsson (Edmonton Oilers) have moved on to pro opportunities after helping the club win an OHL title in 2022. It’s a big loss for Brantford, but they fill those departures with Ryan Kuwabara and Vince Laise, who have both served as OHL head coaches in the past. McKee has done a great job with the Bulldogs program, and tries to push them back into championship form with a pair of new assistants at his side.

4. Who is the lead dog on the blueline?
This is a question that spans back to last spring when the Bulldogs, without an injured Tomas Hamara, couldn’t get it done in their first round series against the lower seeded Ottawa 67’s. The Brantford blueline was a little banged up and that could’ve been one of the big differences in the series. The Bulldogs have some quality names on their blueline, but there’s no clear cut number one guy to begin the season. Anyone who follows the OHL knows that bona fide top pairing defenders don’t grow on trees and take time to develop. Lucas Moore would be the most experienced of the group as he returns for a fourth season along with overage candidate Cedricson Okitundu. Owen Protz emerged as a steady option after being acquired from the Sudbury Wolves last season while former third rounder Ben Radley is off to a great start in the preseason. The Bulldogs think they have something special in 23rd overall 2024 choice Patrick Babin out of the Niagara North Stars AAA program.

5. Will NHL picks Brown, Thomas, Protz earn entry-level deals?
Three pretty solid players who could push themselves into NHL deals with solid performances this coming season. The oldest of the group, Thomas is set for his overage season and was a fourth round pick of the Washington Capitals in 2023. The former OHL champion has a proven ability to slot in with just about anyone and can play a versatile game, making a name for himself in the league as a one-time linemate of Mason McTavish in Hamilton. Brown is a former sixth round pick of New Jersey in 2023 who has sprouted to 6-foot-3 and 189Ibs. He comes off 39 points (16-23–39) over 65 games last season. Protz was a fourth round pick of Montreal this past summer. He quickly earned a reputation for delivering crushing hits and showing he’s willing to block shots after being picked up from the Sudbury Wolves in January.

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