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| {{Short description|Ontario Hockey League team in Brantford}} | {{Short description|Ontario Hockey League team in Brantford}} | ||
| {{for|the former American Hockey League team|Hamilton Bulldogs (AHL)}} | {{for|the former American Hockey League team|Hamilton Bulldogs (AHL)}} | ||
| <noinclude>{{Requested move notice|1=Brantford Bulldogs|2=Talk:Hamilton Bulldogs#Requested move 16 January 2025}} | |||
| {{Use mdy dates|date=February 2023}} | </noinclude>{{Use mdy dates|date=February 2023}} | ||
| {{Infobox ice hockey team | {{Infobox ice hockey team | ||
| | team = Brantford Bulldogs | | team = Brantford Bulldogs | ||
| Line 26: | Line 27: | ||
| | dates3 = 2023–present | | dates3 = 2023–present | ||
| <!-- Championships --> | <!-- Championships --> | ||
| | robertson_cup = |
| robertson_cup = (2018, 2022) | ||
| | division_titles = |
| division_titles = (2018, 2022) | ||
| |uniform_image=OHL-Uniform-BFD.png}} | |||
| }} | |||
| ⚫ | The '''Brantford Bulldogs''', formerly the '''Hamilton Bulldogs''', are a major ] team in the ] (OHL) that began to play in the ]. Based in ], Canada, the Bulldogs play their home games at ]. They were purchased by owner ] in March 2015 and relocated to Hamilton after 34 years in ], where they were known as the ]. The Bulldogs won ] in 2018 and 2022. | ||
| ] | |||
| ⚫ | The '''Brantford Bulldogs''', formerly the '''Hamilton Bulldogs''', are a major ] team in the ] (OHL) that began to play in the ]. Based in ], Canada, the Bulldogs play their home games at ]. They were purchased by owner ] in March 2015 and relocated to Hamilton after 34 years in ], where they were known as the ]. The Bulldogs won ] in 2018 |
||
| The Bulldogs replaced the ] ], also formerly owned by Andlauer. The original team played in Hamilton from 1996 to 2015, after which they moved to ], to become the second incarnation of the ]. | The Bulldogs replaced the ] ], also formerly owned by Andlauer. The original team played in Hamilton from 1996 to 2015, after which they moved to ], to become the second incarnation of the ]. | ||
| ==History== | ==History== | ||
| ⚫ | On March 12, 2015, Michael Andlauer announced that he had acquired the ] and that they would move into the ] for the 2015–16 season as the Hamilton Bulldogs. The ] franchise which played in the ] had been sold to the ] and moved to ], for the 2015–16 season.<ref name=cbc-hammove>{{cite web |title=Hamilton Bulldogs sell AHL franchise, buy the OHL Belleville Bulls |url=http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/hamilton/news/hamilton-bulldogs-sell-ahl-franchise-buy-the-ohl-belleville-bulls-1.2992840 |website=CBC News |access-date=March 12, 2015}}</ref> | ||
| ===2015-18: Move to Hamilton and first OHL Championship=== | |||
| ⚫ | On March 12, 2015, Michael Andlauer announced that he had acquired the ] and that they would move into the ] for the 2015–16 season as the Hamilton Bulldogs. The ] which played in the ] had been sold to the ] and moved to ], for the 2015–16 season.<ref name=cbc-hammove>{{cite web|title=Hamilton Bulldogs sell AHL franchise, buy the OHL Belleville Bulls|url=http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/hamilton/news/hamilton-bulldogs-sell-ahl-franchise-buy-the-ohl-belleville-bulls-1.2992840|website=CBC News|access-date=March 12, 2015}}</ref> | ||
| ⚫ | In February 2023, due to upcoming renovations to the ], the Bulldogs announced they would be temporarily relocating to the ] and renaming as the Brantford Bulldogs for at least three seasons, beginning in the ]. The Civic Centre will also be undergoing over $9 million in renovations, funded by both the Bulldogs and the City of Brantford.<ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.chch.com/ohls-hamilton-bulldogs-to-temporarily-call-brantford-home |title=OHL's Hamilton Bulldogs to temporarily call Brantford home |last=Lawson |first=Samantha |date=February 8, 2023 |work=] |location=Hamilton, Ontario |access-date=February 9, 2023}}</ref> | ||
| The first season in Hamilton saw the Bulldogs finish 9th overall in the Eastern Conference, four points behind the ] with a record of 25-35-8-0. | |||
| In January 2025, ] player ] and his family purchased the Bulldogs from Michael Andlauer,<ref>{{Cite web |last=Collaco |first=Conrad |date=2025-01-13 |title=OHL's Brantford Bulldogs sold to Edmonton Oilers star Zach Hyman |url=https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/hamilton/brantford-bulldogs-edmonton-oilers-zach-hyman-1.7429739 |access-date=2025-01-16}}</ref> and signed a memorandum of understanding with the City of Brantford for the Bulldogs to play at a proposed sports complex in Brantford for 15 years, despite $290 million renovations to FirstOntario Centre.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Collaco |first=Conrad |last2=Chandler |first2=Justin |date=2025-01-16 |title=OHL's Bulldogs won't return to Hamilton, new owners sign 15-year-deal in Brantford, Ont.. |url=https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/hamilton/brantford-bulldogs-hamilton-zach-hyman-1.7432170 |access-date=2025-01-16}}</ref> | |||
| The 2016-17 season saw the Bulldogs qualify for the playoffs for the first time since moving to Hamilton, finishing 5th overall in the Eastern Conference with a record of 33-27-4-4. They faced the ] in the first round, falling in 7 games. | |||
| 2017-18 saw the teams' first division championship and J. Ross Robertson Cup, finishing with a record of 43-18-4-3, good for first in the Eastern Conference with 93 points. Rookie ] set the then-rookie record for points in team history (48), which ranked third among OHL rookies. | |||
| They faced the ] in the first round of the playoffs, winning in 5 games for the teams' first playoff series win in Hamilton. In the conference semi-finals, they went up against the ], also winning in 5 games, where they advanced to the conference finals against the Kingston Frontenacs, winning in 5 games and advancing to the OHL Championship Series. They faced the Western Conference and regular season champion ], winning in 6 games to clinch the teams' first J. Ross Robertson Cup and first OHL championship for the city of Hamilton since 1976. | |||
| The championship earned them a birth in the ] in Regina, Saskatchewan, where they finished 3rd in round robin play. This sent them to the tournament semi-final against the host ], which they lost, 4-2. | |||
| ===2018-20: Post-First Championship=== | |||
| The 2018-19 season saw a regression in the teams' play, including the departure of head coach John Gruden who was hired by the ] as an assistant coach, with assistant coach Dave Matsos taking the helm. Despite this, now second-year player Arthur Kaliyev put up 51 goals that season, becoming the youngest player in OHL history to score more than 40 goals in a season. The team still managed to qualify for the playoffs, finishing 8th overall in the Eastern Conference with a record of 29-34-3-2. In a rematch of their first round playoff series the year prior, the Bulldogs fell to the eventual Eastern Conference Champion Ottawa 67's in a 4-game sweep. | |||
| Dave Mastos departed the team after the season, and was succeeded by Vince Laise for the 2019-20 season. This season, the teams' play didn't change much, but on March 4, 2020, coach Laise was fired by the team and replaced by Steve Staios on an interim basis. When the season was paused, and eventually cancelled due to the , the Bulldogs had a record of 24-30-7-1, good enough for 7th in the Eastern Conference and would've had them qualify for the playoffs. | |||
| === 2021-Present: Second OHL Championship, Move to Brantford=== | |||
| When the OHL returned for the 2021-22 season, it ended up becoming the Bulldogs' best season to date in franchise history. With new coach, Jay McKee, along with a strong roster including Arber Xhekaj and Mason McTavish, the team finished with a record of 51-12-3-2 and 107 points, setting franchise records in terms of wins and points, winning the franchise's second division title and first Hamilton Spectator Trophy as the top regular season team, as well as going into the playoffs with 18 consecutive home ice victories. | |||
| In the first 3 rounds, the Bulldogs went 12-0, sweeping the ] in the first round, the ] in the conference semi-finals, and the ] in the conference final to clinch the teams' second Eastern Conference title. They soon faced the ] for the OHL Championship, defeating them in 7 games for the franchises' second J. Ross Robertson Cup. Game 7 also set the record for the highest attended OHL Championship Series game, with 11,779 people. | |||
| In the ] in St. John, New Brunswick, the Bulldogs finished 3rd in round-robin play. With them playing in tournament semi-final against the QMJHL Champion ], ] deflected a shot from ] at 10:08 of Overtime to win the game 4-3 and send the team to the final against the host ]. They would ultimately lose in the final, 6-3. | |||
| The 2022-23 season saw a regression, but not a big one. In the season which would prove to be the last in Hamilton for at least 3 years, the team compiled a record of 33-30-5-0, placing them 6th in the Eastern Coference. They faced the ] in the first round of the playoffs, with the first 4 games having the home team win every game, yet Barrie took the final 2 games to win the series in 6 games. | |||
| ⚫ | In February 2023, due to upcoming renovations to the ], the Bulldogs announced they would be temporarily relocating to the ] and renaming as the |
||
| In the 2023-24 season, the first in Brantford, the Bulldogs were 1-5-1-0 in their first 7 games, but drastically improved as the season progressed to finish with a record of 37-20-9-2, putting them 3rd in the Eastern Conference. Rookie Jake O'Brien overtook Arthur Kaliyev's rookie franchise points record, putting up 64 points in 61 games, which also made him the highest scoring rookie in the OHL that season. Overage goaltender Matteo Drobac also set the franchise record for most wins by a Bulldogs goalie in franchise history (66) that season. | |||
| In the first round of the playoffs, the Bulldogs met up with the Ottawa 67's. Despite winning the first game, the 67's won 4 of the next 5 to upset the Bulldogs in 6 games. | |||
| ==Coaches== | ==Coaches== | ||
| Line 86: | Line 55: | ||
| *2022–present, Matt Turek | *2022–present, Matt Turek | ||
| == |
==Players== | ||
| ===Team captains=== | |||
| {{Div col|colwidth=15em}} | {{Div col|colwidth=15em}} | ||
| *Justin Lemcke |
*Justin Lemcke (2015–2018) | ||
| *] |
*] (2018–2019) | ||
| *Matthew Strome |
*Matthew Strome (2018–2019 ) | ||
| *Isaac Nurse |
*Isaac Nurse (2019–2020) | ||
| *Colton Kammerer |
*Colton Kammerer (2021–2022) | ||
| *Logan Morrison |
*Logan Morrison (2022–2023) | ||
| *Lawson Sherk |
*Lawson Sherk (2023–2024) | ||
| {{Div col end}} | {{Div col end}} | ||
| ==Notable players== | ===Notable players=== | ||
| {{Div col|colwidth= |
{{Div col|colwidth=15em}} | ||
| *] | |||
| *] | *] | ||
| *] | *] | ||
| *] | |||
| *] | |||
| *] | |||
| ⚫ | *] | ||
| *] | *] | ||
| ⚫ | *] | ||
| *] | *] | ||
| *] | |||
| *] | *] | ||
| *] | *]<!-- not an NHL alumnus --> | ||
| *] | |||
| *] | |||
| *] | *] | ||
| *] | *] | ||
| Line 111: | Line 88: | ||
| *] | *] | ||
| {{Div col end}} | {{Div col end}} | ||
| ===NHL first-round draft picks=== | |||
| *]: ], 20th overall, ] | |||
| *]: ], 25th overall, ] | |||
| *]: ], 3rd overall, ] | |||
| *]: ], 27th overall, ] | |||
| ==Season-by-season results== | ==Season-by-season results== | ||
Latest revision as of 15:02, 21 January 2025
Ontario Hockey League team in Brantford For the former American Hockey League team, see Hamilton Bulldogs (AHL). | A request that this article title be changed to Brantford Bulldogs is under discussion. Please do not move this article until the discussion is closed. |
| Brantford Bulldogs | |
|---|---|
| [REDACTED] | |
| City | Brantford, Ontario |
| League | Ontario Hockey League |
| Conference | Eastern Conference |
| Division | East |
| Founded | 1981 |
| Operated | 2015–present |
| Home arena | Brantford Civic Centre |
| Colours | Black, gold, white |
| General manager | Matt Turek |
| Head coach | Jay McKee |
| Affiliate | Hamilton Kilty B's |
| Franchise history | |
| 1981–2015 | Belleville Bulls |
| 2015–2023 | Hamilton Bulldogs |
| 2023–present | Brantford Bulldogs |
| Championships | |
| Division titles | (2018, 2022) |
| Robertson Cups | (2018, 2022) |
| Current uniform | |
 | |
The Brantford Bulldogs, formerly the Hamilton Bulldogs, are a major junior ice hockey team in the Ontario Hockey League (OHL) that began to play in the 2015–16 season. Based in Brantford, Ontario, Canada, the Bulldogs play their home games at Brantford Civic Centre. They were purchased by owner Michael Andlauer in March 2015 and relocated to Hamilton after 34 years in Belleville, Ontario, where they were known as the Bulls. The Bulldogs won OHL championships in 2018 and 2022.
The Bulldogs replaced the American Hockey League team of the same name, also formerly owned by Andlauer. The original team played in Hamilton from 1996 to 2015, after which they moved to St. John's, Newfoundland and Labrador, to become the second incarnation of the St. John's IceCaps.
History
On March 12, 2015, Michael Andlauer announced that he had acquired the Belleville Bulls and that they would move into the FirstOntario Centre for the 2015–16 season as the Hamilton Bulldogs. The Hamilton Bulldogs franchise which played in the American Hockey League had been sold to the Montreal Canadiens and moved to St. John's, Newfoundland, for the 2015–16 season.
In February 2023, due to upcoming renovations to the FirstOntario Centre, the Bulldogs announced they would be temporarily relocating to the Brantford Civic Centre and renaming as the Brantford Bulldogs for at least three seasons, beginning in the 2023–24 season. The Civic Centre will also be undergoing over $9 million in renovations, funded by both the Bulldogs and the City of Brantford.
In January 2025, National Hockey League player Zach Hyman and his family purchased the Bulldogs from Michael Andlauer, and signed a memorandum of understanding with the City of Brantford for the Bulldogs to play at a proposed sports complex in Brantford for 15 years, despite $290 million renovations to FirstOntario Centre.
Coaches
- 2015–2016, George Burnett
- 2016–2018, John Gruden
- 2018–2019, Dave Matsos
- 2019–2020, Vince Laise
- 2020, Steve Staios (interim)
- 2021–present, Jay McKee
General managers
- 2015–2016, George Burnett
- 2016–2022, Steve Staios (6)
- 2022–present, Matt Turek
Players
Team captains
- Justin Lemcke (2015–2018)
- MacKenzie Entwistle (2018–2019)
- Matthew Strome (2018–2019 )
- Isaac Nurse (2019–2020)
- Colton Kammerer (2021–2022)
- Logan Morrison (2022–2023)
- Lawson Sherk (2023–2024)
Notable players
- William Bitten
- Nick Caamano
- MacKenzie Entwistle
- Kaden Fulcher
- Ben Gleason
- Jan Jeník
- Arthur Kaliyev
- Matt Luff
- Mason Marchment
- Connor McMichael
- Mason McTavish
- Christian Mieritz
- Logan Morrison
- Riley Stillman
- Marian Studenic
- Robert Thomas
- Ryan Winterton
- Arber Xhekaj
NHL first-round draft picks
- 2017: Robert Thomas, 20th overall, St. Louis Blues
- 2019: Connor McMichael, 25th overall, Washington Capitals
- 2021: Mason McTavish, 3rd overall, Anaheim Ducks
- 2024: Marek Vanacker, 27th overall, Chicago Blackhawks
Season-by-season results
Regular season
Legend: OTL = Overtime loss, SL = Shootout loss
| Season | Games | Won | Lost | OTL | SL | Points | Pct % | Goals For |
Goals Against |
Standing |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2015–16 | 68 | 25 | 35 | 8 | 0 | 58 | .426 | 197 | 260 | 5th East |
| 2016–17 | 68 | 33 | 27 | 4 | 4 | 74 | .544 | 238 | 225 | 4th East |
| 2017–18 | 68 | 43 | 18 | 4 | 3 | 93 | .684 | 252 | 207 | 1st East |
| 2018–19 | 68 | 29 | 34 | 3 | 2 | 63 | .463 | 241 | 283 | 4th East |
| 2019–20 | 62 | 24 | 30 | 7 | 1 | 56 | .452 | 235 | 267 | 4th East |
| 2020–21 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | .000 | 0 | 0 | Season cancelled |
| 2021–22 | 68 | 51 | 12 | 3 | 2 | 107 | .787 | 300 | 176 | 1st East |
| 2022–23 | 68 | 33 | 30 | 5 | 0 | 71 | .522 | 226 | 251 | 3rd East |
| 2023–24 | 68 | 37 | 20 | 9 | 2 | 85 | .625 | 267 | 243 | 2nd East |
Playoffs
- 2015–16: Did not qualify.
- 2016–17: Lost to Kingston Frontenacs 4-games-to-3 in conference quarter-finals.
- 2017–18: Defeated Ottawa 67's 4-games-to-1 in conference quarter-finals.
Defeated Niagara IceDogs 4-games-to-1 in conference semi-finals.
Defeated Kingston Frontenacs 4-games-to-1 in conference finals.
Won championship vs Sault Ste. Marie Greyhounds 4-games-to-2.
Third-place finish in 2018 Memorial Cup. - 2018–19: Lost to Ottawa 67's 4-games-to-0 in conference quarter-finals.
- 2019–20: Playoffs cancelled
- 2020–21: Season cancelled
- 2021–22: Defeated Peterborough Petes 4-games-to-0 in conference quarter-finals.
Defeated Mississauga Steelheads 4-games-to-0 in conference semi-finals.
Defeated North Bay Battalion 4-games-to-0 in conference finals.
Won championship vs Windsor Spitfires 4-games-to-3.
Second-place finish in 2022 Memorial Cup. - 2022–23: Lost to Barrie Colts 4-games-to-2 in conference quarter-finals.
- 2023-24: Lost to Ottawa 67's 4-games-to-2 in conference quarter-finals.
See also
References
- "Hamilton Bulldogs sell AHL franchise, buy the OHL Belleville Bulls". CBC News. Retrieved March 12, 2015.
- Lawson, Samantha (February 8, 2023). "OHL's Hamilton Bulldogs to temporarily call Brantford home". CHCH-DT. Hamilton, Ontario. Retrieved February 9, 2023.
- Collaco, Conrad (January 13, 2025). "OHL's Brantford Bulldogs sold to Edmonton Oilers star Zach Hyman". Retrieved January 16, 2025.
- Collaco, Conrad; Chandler, Justin (January 16, 2025). "OHL's Bulldogs won't return to Hamilton, new owners sign 15-year-deal in Brantford, Ont." Retrieved January 16, 2025.
- "Bulldogs Name Vince Laise Head Coach". OurSports Central. August 20, 2019.
- "'It was a culmination of things' says Hamilton Bulldogs GM on firing of coach Vince Laise". Global News. March 4, 2020.
- "Hamilton Bulldogs Name Jay McKee Head Coach". OurSports Central. July 6, 2021.
External links
| Brantford Bulldogs | |
|---|---|
| |
| The Franchise | |
| Arenas | |
| Conference Championships | |
| Division Championships | |
| J. Ross Robertson Cup | |
| Retired numbers | |
![[REDACTED]](https://u3vuiephb.global.ssl.fastly.net/File:Hamilton_Bulldogs_logo.svg){kind=link}