Owen Protz Signs ATO with Laval Rocket

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OHL Brantford Bulldogs

Owen Protz Signs ATO with Laval Rocket

May 9, 2025 - Ontario Hockey League (OHL)
Brantford Bulldogs News Release


Brantford Bulldogs defenseman and Montreal Canadiens 2024 4th round NHL Draft selection Owen Protz has signed an Amateur Tryout (ATO) on Wednesday evening. Coming off his best season in the Ontario Hockey League and playing a major part in the Brantford Bulldogs capturing their first East Division crown in the Bell City, Protz will now get his first taste of the pro level.

A product of Ottawa, ON, Protz arrived with the Bulldogs in a 2024 OHL Trade Deadline trade, going on to play a massive part in the 2nd half of the 2023-24 season, skating in 30 games and recording 12 points while being thrust, as a rookie, onto the Bulldogs top pair alongside Daniil Sobolev, following an injury to Tomas Hamara. Protz picked up in the 2024-25 season where he left off in 2023-24 looking to build off of his selection to the Montreal Canadiens in the 2024 NHL Draft. Setting career highs in goal, assists, points and games played with a 5-27-32 line over 67 games while skating to a plus-11 rating, Protz was a rock for the Bulldogs on the blueline in forming an outstanding partnership with another import defender in Adam Jiricek. Protz took his game another leap forward in the playoffs where the towering rearguard skated in all 11 Bulldogs playoff games scoring a goal and adding 5 assists for 6 points while posting a team leading plus-10 rating to really capture attention as a foundational piece for the black & gold.

Now coming off of his best performances in the OHL, Protz will join the Laval Rocket of the AHL who appear poised for a lengthy run and a Calder Cup challenge. After a 3-0 best-of-five series win over the Cleveland Monsters, the Rocket will square off with the Rochester Americans in a best-of-five series for the North Division crown. Protz joins a familiar face in former Bulldogs teammate Florian Xhekaj who excelled in his rookie season with the Rocket.

In joining Laval, Protz becomes the fourth Bulldog to head to the pro level following the end of the season joining Marek Vanacker, Rockford, Patrick Thomas, Hershey, & Tomas Hamara, Belleville.

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