Hockey Canada Names 4 Bulldogs for International Competition
July 16, 2024 - Ontario Hockey League (OHL)
Brantford Bulldogs News Release
Through a series of announcements from Hockey Canada, a quartet of Brantford Bulldogs have been named for international competition spanning three tournaments. O'Brien Heads to Hlinka-Gretzky Cup.
Coming off of his record shattering rookie season for the Brantford Bulldogs in which he set franchise records for assists and points by a rookie, led the OHL in assists, points, power-play goals, power-play assists & points-per-game & was named the Emms Award Winner as OHL Rookie of the Year and a CHL First Rookie Team All-Star, Jake O'Brien will represent Canada for the 2nd time, being named to the Hlinka-Gretzky Cup roster.
Part of a star-studded Canadian team, O'Brien stood out from the beginning of his major junior career, posting 13 goals & 51 assists for 64 points in 61 games, and has firmly planted himself as one of the top prospects in the world for the 2025 NHL Entry Draft. Taking place from August 5th - 10th at Rogers Place in Edmonton, the Hlinka-Gretzky Cup presents the only best-on-best international competition at the U18 level. After skating for Team Canada White at the World U17 Hockey Challenge, O'Brien will look to wow on the international stage the same way he has already done on the OHL stage while helping lead Canada to a Gold Medal. O'Donnell & Babin Dawn Maple Leaf at U17 World Challenge
Newly minted Bulldogs Aiden O'Donnell & Patrick Babin will follow in a long line of Bulldogs who have represented Canada at the World U17 Hockey Challenge when they head to Sarnia from November 1st - 9th.
Hailing from Cole Harbour, Nova Scotia, Aiden O'Donnell has quickly become one of the most interesting and exciting stories heading into the 2024-25 OHL Season. The towering left shot forward, who can play wing or center, comes off a brilliant season playing up an age group with Steele Subaru U18, leading his team in scoring & earning the league's Rookie of the Year Honours. O'Donnell, the 14th overall selection in the 2024 OHL Priority Selection Draft, will represent Canada for the 2nd time after a standout Youth Olympic Games appearance where he recorded 4 points in 4 games and led Team Canada as a plus-8. O'Donnell will look to open his major career with a medal and will be joined by a new teammate.
Patrick Babin will earn his first opportunity to represent Canada on the international stage, long lauded for his leadership abilities, Babin has captained the Niagara North Stars program at each of the U14, U15 & U16 levels, his latter season earning him selection by the Bulldogs in 2024. Taken with the 23rd overall pick, Babin recorded 8 goals & 26 assists for 36 points in 34 games in SCTA league play, impressing the Bulldogs with every facet of his game. The slick-skilled blueliner earned a look as an AP player at the Junior B level last season and now takes his talent to the international stage. Chris Cook Answers Familiar Call
Brantford Bulldogs Equipment Manager Chris Cook has become a fixture for Team Canada and will make his 6th trip to the international stage when he steps behind the Canadian bench in his hometown of Ottawa for his 3rd straight World Junior Hockey Championships.
Regarded from his NHL time through to the present as one of the elite equipment managers, the man affectionately known as "Cookie" has triple gold at the major junior level, having been part of the Team Canada staff that took home gold at the 2018 Hlinka-Gretzky Cup & 2023 World Junior Hockey Championship as well as the 2022 Robertson Cup Championship with the Bulldogs. Cookie looks to grow his already impressive trophy case and help Canada return to World Junior Dominance.
The Brantford Bulldogs are extremely proud of Jake, Aiden, Patrick and Chris and we will be rooting for each to return to Brantford with Gold!
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Ontario Hockey League Stories from July 16, 2024
- Parekh, Misa, and Zhilkin Receive Invites to Canada's Program of Excellence Camps - Saginaw Spirit
- Belchetz, Hicks, Lemieux and Nesbitt Invited to Hockey Canada Summer Camps - Windsor Spitfires
- 160 CHL Players Invited to Canada's Program of Excellence Summer Camp - OHL
- Eight Rangers Invited to Canada's Program of Excellence Summer Camps - Kitchener Rangers
- Barlow, George Headline Invitees to Hockey Canada World Junior Summer Camp - Owen Sound Attack
- Mbuyi & Kwajah Invited to Hockey Canada U17 Summer Camp - Owen Sound Attack
- Four Petes Named to Hockey Canada Program of Excellence Summer Camp Rosters - Peterborough Petes
- Hockey Canada Names 4 Bulldogs for International Competition - Brantford Bulldogs
- Erie Otters Announce Affiliation with GOJHL's Port Colborne Sailors - Erie Otters
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