Overage OHL forwards Cooper Foster and Brad Gardiner are out for redemption after their signing rights expired with their respective NHL teams.
Every year, the CHL is filled with players who have affiliations with NHL teams. Some of these players have just been drafted, while others are competing to secure a contract before their signing rights with the drafting team expire. NHL teams have two years to sign a player they draft from the CHL, unless the player decides to commit to an NCAA school and move there.
If players remain in the CHL for more than two years without being signed by their NHL team, they become free agents. Typically, these players enter their overage season, where they seek to demonstrate their capabilities in hopes of earning a professional contract, either in the AHL or NHL.
There are four players in the OHL this season whose signing rights had expired. Two of those players have gotten off to strong starts in the first half of the season with their club, and are out for redemption.
Brad Gardiner and Cooper Foster were teammates playing for the Ottawa 67’s during their NHL draft season in 2022-23. They couldn’t have been more identical players, known as solid 200-foot forwards, and put up matching 19 goals that season.
Gardiner played one more season with the 67’s before he was traded to the Barrie Colts during the summer before the start of the 2024-25 season.
In the 2023 NHL Draft, Foster was drafted 174th overall in the sixth round by Pittsburgh, and Gardiner was picked 79th overall in the third round by Dallas. Neither the Penguins nor the Stars signed either of the forwards, and they are free agents.
Ottawa has had an incredible resurgence this season. After missing the playoffs last season with only 24 wins, they are tied for second in the league standings, with already one win away from tying last year’s win total.
Cooper Foster has played a big role in that. He’s part of the incredible depth scoring the 67’s have had this season. The team arguably is without a bona fide star player, but they have four players with ten or more goals (not including Sam McCue, who they recently acquired). Foster leads the team in goals (18) and points (33). He’s found his groove on the man advantage, with a career-high eight power play markers. And he’s been clutch, with a team-leading five game-winning goals.
Barrie went all in last year, making several trades to bolster their team, which included that summer trade involving Brad Gardiner. The list of forwards Barrie has lost from last season is extensive: Dalyn Wakely, Owen Van Steensel, Beau Jelsma, Anthony Romani, and Riley Patterson (traded to Niagara). With all of those players gone, the Colts needed returning players to step up; overager Gardiner has done that.
Gardiner had a season-low 38 points last season in his first year with the Colts (excluding his rookie season). A significant reason for that was the depth Barrie had. But as mentioned, that depth is gone, and Gardiner has stepped up in his new top-six role with the team.
The former third-rounder recorded 13 goals and 13 assists for 26 points in his opening 20 games. Especially when Dallas Stars first-rounder Emil Hemming wasn’t back yet, Gardiner filled the void. Gardiner has cooled off in his last 11 games with two goals and five points, but he’s on pace for his most productive OHL season. He also has one of the league’s best win percentages in the draws at 59%.
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