BRANTFORD, Ont. — A group led by Edmonton Oilers forward Zach Hyman and his family have purchased the Ontario Hockey League's Brantford Bulldogs.
The league announced Monday that its board of governors has approved the sale of the Bulldogs by Ottawa Senators majority owner Michael Andlauer to a group including Hyman, his brother Spencer and father Stuart.
The OHL said the team currently plays at the Brantford and District Civic Centre, which has a capacity 2,952 spectators according to the city's website. The OHL says the new ownership group is pursuing a long-term lease agreement with the city that would include plans for a new arena.
"Hockey is more than just a game for my family," Zach Hyman said in a release. "It teaches our youth about the importance of teamwork and it brings together communities.
"I am humbled and greatly appreciate the faith Michael has placed in me to continue his incredible legacy with such a storied franchise."
Andlauer, who also owns the American Hockey League's Belleville Senators, purchased the OHL's Belleville Bulls in 2015 and moved them to Hamilton, where they were rebranded as the Bulldogs.
The team announced it was moving to Brantford for at least three seasons before the 2023-24 campaign due to renovations at Hamilton's FirstOntario Centre. It was the first time Brantford had been home to an OHL team since the Alexanders moved to Hamilton in 1984.
The Bulldogs won OHL titles in 2018 and 2022 under Andlauer. The team entered Monday in sixth place in the Eastern Conference with a 21-15-4 record.
“The strength of the OHL is its communities, and Brantford has proven to be an outstanding destination for OHL hockey,” league commissioner Bryan Crawford said in a release.
"I’m excited to welcome the Hyman family to the OHL community and am looking forward to seeing the OHL continue to thrive in Brantford for years to come," he added.
Stuart Hyman has a history of financing junior hockey teams in the Greater Toronto Area and is the owner of the Ontario Junior Hockey League's Markham Royals, where Spencer Hyman is president of hockey operations and brothers Shane and Oliver also hold positions with the club.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published Jan. 13, 2025.
The Canadian Press
