A deeper look at the Bulldogs' preseason roster.
Last night, the Brantford Bulldogs defeated the Niagara IceDogs 5-2. Patrick Thomas had a pair of goals while Jake O'Brien recorded three assists. Brantford has been successful during the preseason. In five games, the Bulldogs hold a winning record of 3-1-1.
Given the Bulldogs' preseason success, it feels like the perfect moment to take up Brantford as the subject of our next installment in the preseason roster series.
Last year, Brantford finished third in the Eastern Conference with 85 points and 37 wins. Despite the regular season success, Ottawa stopped the team in its tracks and eliminated them in the first round of the playoffs.
This year's team will surely have the disappointing first-round exit in mind as they enter a new season.
Overage Players
The four overage players in Brantford's roster are Zakary Lavoie, Ben Bujold, Thomas Patrick and Cedricson Okitundu. All of the players are forwards except for Okitundu.
Patrick has feasted so far this preseason, recording three goals and three assists through four games. For the past two seasons, Patrick has scored more than 50 points while setting personal bests in goals and assists. He was part of the 2021-22 Bulldogs squad that won an OHL Championship. The Washington Capitals selected the Oakville native in the fourth round of the 2023 NHL Entry Draft. If he remains with the team, Patrick will add scoring ability and experience to the team.
After being traded from Niagara to Brantford last year, Lavoie enters his fourth OHL season. Between the two teams, Lavoie scored a combined 55 points and set personal records in all categories. He has extensive OHL experience and is a proven scorer in the league. As a former captain in Niagara, his leadership qualities could be a great addition to Brantford next year.
Bujold spent all of last season with the Bulldogs after being traded to the team by London during the 2022-23 season. He scored 14 goals and added 26 assists for a total of 40 points last year. The breakout campaign makes Bujold an interesting option for Brantford for the upcoming season.
Okitundu is the final overage player on the roster. Through three OHL seasons, the 6-foot defender has scored 24 points in 141 games. Though he is not a prolific scorer, Okitundu is defensively solid and his experience could be a critical addition to a young Brantford D-corps.
Import Players
There are no import players on Brantford's preseason roster. The team drafted Czech forward Adrien Bartovic with the 42nd pick in the 2024 CHL Import Draft. However, they have not signed the 2007-born player as of yet.
Rumors swirled during the summer that St. Louis Blues prospect Adam Jiricek could end up playing for Brantford this season. However, he is not present on the team's preseason roster. The team selected Jiricek during the first round of the 2023 CHL Import Draft.
Goaltenders
There are four goaltenders on the Bulldogs' preseason roster. Headlining the group is recent acquisition Ryerson Leenders.
The team acquired the veteran goaltender, and Buffalo Sabres prospect, several weeks ago in a trade with the Brampton Steelheads. The 2006-born goaltender led the Steelheads' young goalie tandem last season. In 46 starts, Leenders recorded a 3.12 goals against average and a .909 save percentage. It feels very likely that he will be the starting goaltender for Brantford this year.
Second on the depth chart is returning goaltender David Egorov. In 22 games, Egorov recorded a 3.86 goals against average and a .870 save percentage. He was the clear backup for the team last year and probably has the inside track to retain that role heading into the 2024-25 season.
Brantford drafted Logan Snyder in the 12th round of the 2023 OHL Priority Selection. He spent the last two years playing in the OJHL with the Niagara Falls Canucks. However, he only played in two games last year and recorded a 6.46 goals against average and a .839 save percentage. As a 2007-born player, he is the youngest goalie on the preseason roster.
Gabriel Longo was taken by Brantford in the second round of the 2023 OHL U-18 Priority Selection. Last year, he played for the Hamilton Kilty B's in the GOJHL where he recorded a 3.43 goals against average and a .888 save percentage in 26 games.
2024 Drafted Players
The Bulldogs' first three picks in the 2024 OHL Priority Selection are on the preseason roster.
Fourteenth-overall selection Aiden O'Donnell signed with the team in May. From Cole Harbour Nova Scotia, O'Donnell scored 24 goals and added 22 assists while playing for the Steele Subaru U-18 team. Having played with players 1-2 years older than him last year, O'Donnell may have an easier transition to the OHL.
Second-round pick Patrick Babin also signed with the team in May. As the captain of the Niagara North Stars U-16 AAA team, Babin scored 36 points in 34 games last year. The 6-foot right-handed defender joins a Brantford D-corps that is very young.
Nikolas Rossetto spent last season playing for the Pittsburgh Penguins Elite 15-U team. He scored 54 goals and added 27 assists in 58 games played. The young forward has a knack for putting pucks into the back of the net based on his stats from last year. Whether that translates to the OHL is yet to be seen. He was Brantford's third-round pick in the 2024 OHL Priority Selection.
Brantford is a solid team with good prospects for next year. Their solid roster from last year has been augmented during the offseason by good trades and draft acquisitions. Marek Vanacker will likely be one of the most important players on this team alongside fellow 2024 NHL Draft pick Owen Protz.