The new owner of the Brantford Bulldogs is coming off a 50-goal season for the Edmonton Oilers in the National Hockey League.
The Bulldogs announced on Monday the Ontario Hockey League (OHL) team has been sold to Zach Hyman.
The “agreement to purchase the Brantford Bulldogs by a group led by Zach Hyman has been approved by the Ontario Hockey League’s board of directors,” said a news release sent Monday morning. “Hyman will assume control of the organization’s operations, effective Jan. 16.”
Hyman, a star forward, scored 54 goals in the 2023-24 season, playing alongside three-time NHL MVP Connor McDavid. Hyman finished tied for fourth in league scoring during the Oilers’ playoff run last spring.
Hyman played for the Hamilton Red Wings of the Ontario Junior Hockey League from 2008 to 2011 while the team was owned by his father, Stu, before leaving for the University of Michigan. After that, his NHL career began with the Toronto Maple Leafs in the city where he was born.Â
In 2021, Hyman, now 32, left the Leafs for the Oilers after signing a seven-year, $38.5-million contract.Â
In Monday’s news release, Hyman said the Bulldogs were “an amazing organization, from the players, to the staff, to the most passionate fanbase in the OHL. My family and I are thrilled to officially be a part of the Bulldogs family and the Brantford community.”
Hyman bought the team from Michael Andlauer, who owns the NHL’s Ottawa Senators and had owned a minority share of the Montreal Canadiens since 2009, until he bought the Senators in 2023.Â
“I want to congratulate Zach Hyman and his family on the purchase of the Brantford Bulldogs,” Andlauer said in the news release. “The passion they have portrayed to me in owning an OHL franchise, and their commitment to the Brantford community, a community who has proven to be so deserving of OHL hockey, is the major reason for my decision to sell the club. I want our fans and community to know that I would not sell the team unless I felt certain it was in good hands.”
The team did not disclose the sale amount on Monday.
Team moved from Hamilton to Brantford
The team relocated to Brantford from Hamilton in 2023 due to long-term renovations at Hamilton’s FirstOntario Centre, where they had played since 2015.
The move was supposed to leave the team in Brantford until 2025. It’s unclear if the sale of the team makes it more likely they won’t return to Hamilton once renovations are completed.Â
A news conference is scheduled for Wednesday, Jan. 15, in Brantford, the same day the city hosts the OHL’s Top Prospects Game, featuring some of the best players in the league.
Brantford Mayor Kevin Davis said he was “very excited to warmly welcome Zach and the entire Hyman family to Brantford,” Davis said in the release.
“We very much look forward to supporting them in every way we can to build on the successes of the Brantford Bulldogs and carry on the tradition of showcasing exceptional hockey in our city.”
OHL commissioner Bryan Crawford welcomed the sale, saying, “On behalf of the League’s Board of Governors, I’d firstly like to thank Michael Andlauer for his tremendous leadership and contributions to the game. 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.”
