After a trip to the conference final, the Bulldogs have rebuilt with a ton of American talent.
There's no hiding the Brantford Bulldogs went all-in during the 2025-26 season.
Stacked with talent such as the rising Caleb Malhotra, Czech imports in Adam Benak and Adam Jiricek, high NHL draft picks in Marek Vanacker, Jake O'Brien, Jett Luchanko, Ben Danford and more, the Bulldogs made it to the Eastern Conference final, but fell to an experienced and hard-working Barrie Colts in a hard-fought series.
Now, essentially all the players listed above, and more will be leaving for either professional avenues, the NCAA, or in-league trades, and the retool is on in Brantford.
Brantford is rebuilding after players like Caleb Malhotra and Ben Danford move on, but they're still eager to be competitive next season. (Photo: Natalie Shaver/OHL Images)But, a rebuilt roster doesn't always mean a step back. Bulldogs GM Spencer Hyman has gone aggressive in recruiting talent from the USHL, smart trades and other areas in order to keep the level as high as possible in the new campaign.
Here's a laundry list of new names signed or acquired this summer: Cullen McCrate, Kaden McGregor, Chase Petrova, Jack Torr, Jean-Samuel Daigneault, Jet Kwajah, Camden McCuaig, Jack Good, Brayden Lappalainen, George Komadoski, Abe Barnett, Xavier Lieb, Noah Lapointe, Nathan Hauad, Owen DeGraff, Jason Musa, Vilmer Salen Forsberg.
There's no team in the OHL that's been busier than the Bulldogs this summer, and with that will be a roster with more turnover than anyone else.
Obviously, with so many new names, there's a wide range of possibilities in terms of what could happen with this team, and they're truly one of the biggest wild cards in the league heading into 2026-27.
How will these new signings gel together? Who can grab the mantle as a leader on this team? These are the questions that will need answers to see what heights this unique group of acquired talent can achieve.
That's why the Brantford Bulldogs will be one of the more intriguing teams to keep an eye on as the season starts.
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