Paquette reunites with his former co-captain, dramatically enhancing the Bulldogs' already formidable offensive firepower.
Back in late November, the Brantford Bulldogs acquired Philadelphia Flyers’ prospect Jett Luchanko from the Guelph Storm. When he was loaned back to the OHL by his NHL club team, he was named co-captain with Dallas Stars prospect, Charlie Paquette. Now, Paquette will join his former co-captain in Brantford.
On top of acquiring the overage forward, the Bulldogs also received a 2026 third-round pick (London) in the deal. Guelph received two second-round draft picks, one in 2027, one in 2028 (Kingston), and a 2029 third-round pick (OTT).
Guelph is building for the future, with the future being next year, in 2027, when they host the Memorial Cup. By trading away Luchanko and Paquette, they have recouped four second-round picks, two thirds, and one fifth-round pick. They’ve already made one move to bolster their team for next year, acquiring Toronto Maple Leafs prospect Tyler Hopkins from Kingston.
For the Bulldogs, this trade further bolsters their incredible depth.
Brantford addressed their blueline by acquiring Toronto Maple Leafs prospect Ben Danford and Zackary Sandhu. That move solidified their top six unit. Up front on forward, the addition of Minnesota Wild prospect Adam Benak has given the team another dynamic offensive creator outside of Seattle Kraken prospect Jake O’Brien.
The addition of top NHL draft-eligible prospect Caleb Malhotra also can’t be understated. The skilled, full 200-foot center leads the team in scoring with 50 points (18 goals, 32 assists), benefiting from the added ice time with the absence of their stars at the World Junior Championship.
Bulldogs GM Spencer Hyman acquired Toronto Maple Leafs prospect Sam McCue in the summer to add some grit and scoring to his top six. However, his time in Brantford didn’t work out, and he was shipped out to Ottawa. With the addition of Paquette, Hyman has once again fulfilled the need for a scoring power forward in his top six.
Charlie Paquette is a player we’ve been targeting for a long time,” said Hyman. “He’s big, strong, heavy, and he can score. He’s a captain who brings leadership, and he fills a clear need for us with his physicality, relentless forecheck, and willingness to play hard at the net. He plays the kind of game that helps you win in the playoffs.”
The Bulldogs have been slumping as of late, but that’s because of all the star power missing from their lineup. When everyone is back and healthy, they will have a top six consisting of Jake O’Brien, Marek Vanacker, Adam Benak, Caleb Malhotra, Jett Luchanko, and Charlie Paquette. Keep in mind, they also have Cooper Dennis, who has been an outstanding addition offensively in his first year in the league.
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