In early June 2025, the Brantford Bulldogs sent seven draft picks to the Flint Firebirds in exchange for Toronto Maple Leafs prospect Sam McCue from the Flint Firebirds. 

It was a steep price to pay for the overage forward, parting ways with a second and two third-round draft picks, knowing they would have the power forward, goal-scorer for only one season. Well, they only had McCue for just over a quarter of a season. 

On Thursday, the Ottawa 67’s acquired Sam McCue and a 2029 fifth-round pick in exchange for a 2029 second and third-round pick. 

“We are pleased to welcome Sam to Ottawa and look forward to seeing him in the Barber Pole,” said new Ottawa 67’s GM, Jan Egert. “Sam is a proven goal scorer in our league, and we look forward to his contributions to our team.”

Ottawa will be the fifth OHL franchise McCue will have played for in his OHL career. After starting out with the Peterborough Petes, he has been traded a total of four times. 

The OHL moved the 67’s to the top of their Power Rankings in their latest release, dropping the Bulldogs to the number two spot. Ottawa has been one of the hottest teams in the OHL, winning 12 of its last 14 games. 

Ottawa Sweeps The Weekend: The Young 67's Are Officially The OHL's Biggest Early Season Surprise Story Ottawa 67's young roster is surprising the OHL, showcasing depth on offense and stellar import talent. Their surprising early season success continues with back-to-back wins over the weekend.

Brantford parting ways with a player they acquired this summer for seven draft picks creates an initial shock. However, there had been rumours going around that McCue wasn’t happy with his playing situation on the Bulldogs, and wouldn’t have minded a change of scenario where he could play a bigger role. 

After starting the season red hot with eight goals in 11 games, McCue has cooled off, scoring only two goals in his last 14 games. Additionally, he hadn’t recorded a shot on goal in his previous four games. 

Ottawa hosts the Barrie Colts on Friday night. We will see where McCue is slotted in their lineup. Head Coach Dave Cameron has something great going on right now. How much does he want to disrupt the chemistry of his top six? 

Brantford has already made two big splashes this season, acquiring another Maple Leafs prospect, Ben Danford, along with his Oshawa Generals teammate Zackary Sandhu, and snagging Philadelphia Flyers top prospect Jett Luchanko from Guelph. Now, the organization has two more high draft picks they can dangle to acquire another player. 

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