Building it up in Brantford
There is new Ontario Hockey League ownership in Brantford led by Stuart Hyman and his sons Zach Hyman and Spencer Hyman. All star head coach Jay McKee has a new three year contract. There is lineup strength from standout goalie Ryerson Leenders to defenseman Owen Protz to proven forwards Sam McCue, Marek Vanacker and budding superstar Jake O’Brien, not to mention up and coming spark plug Nik Rossetto.
The Hyman family of Toronto has its own hockey history. Stuart, the dad, has owned junior A hockey teams and an international scouting service in addition to being a real estate mogul. 33-year old Zach is a standout forward with a strong work ethic as a member of the Edmonton Oilers of the National Hockey League. Spencer is just 31 years old but has held coaching and management positions in hockey since he was 22 — thus helping to prepare him for a role as the new general manager of the family-owned Bulldogs of the OHL.
On the ice, the Bulldogs are fresh from a ’24-25 OHL campaign in which they edged out three other teams by a mere five points to finish atop the Eastern Conference regular season standings. And while injuries to key players ended Brantford’s spring playoff run at two rounds, the Bulldogs are building it up to make another charge for the finish line in ’25-26.
Yes, there is much to like about the OHL hockey revival in Brantford, where the Bulldogs play to capacity crowds night in and out at the Civic Centre. There is the excitement of the Hyman family ownership and there is a roster of players to truly contend with again in ’25-26.
Of the aforementioned players, Leenders is already one of the better goalies in the OHL and with a 2006 birth date, still has time on his side. So too do Protz and Vanacker who were both born in 2006 and O’Brien, who has a 2007 birth date and is a likely future NHL star. Then there is Rossetto, a 2008 birth year forward from Sault Ste. Marie who is full of fire and desire. And ready to age out in Brantford as an overage forward in ’25-26 is the recently acquired McCue, who hails from Sudbury as another good northern lad.
Look for the Bulldogs of Brantford to again be a force to be reckoned with come the ’25-26 OHL season.
action photo of Nik Rossetto by Bob Davies
Many thanks for including Ryerson in your sports column, Randy.
Continued success. All the very best. 🥅👍
You are welcome, Gordon, and thank you. Your lad is one of the top goalies in the entire OHL.