OHL's Hamilton Bulldogs temporarily moving to Brantford

The Ontario Hockey League announced Wednesday that the Hamilton Bulldogs franchise will be temporarily relocated to Brantford for the beginning of next season.

The move is due to impending renovations and the long-term closure of FirstOntario Centre in Hamilton.

Brantford City Council put its full support behind the move on Tuesday night with a unanimous 11-0 vote approving a three-year term that will see the Bulldogs play out of the Brantford Civic Centre through the conclusion of the 2025-26 season, with an option to extend the agreement for three additional one-year terms.

“We are so thankful for the enthusiastic and immediate response from Mayor Davis, Brantford Council and city staff,” said Bulldogs owner Michael Andlauer in a statement. “Together, we have been able to make a home for the Bulldogs in a short and unexpected period of time.”

Brantford served as home to the OHL’s Brantford Alexanders from 1978-84.

“The city that produced the great Wayne Gretzky has long been a hockey hotbed,” said OHL Commissioner David Branch in a statement. “This has been demonstrated once again by their tremendous enthusiasm for the return of OHL hockey to Brantford.”

The Bulldogs have won the J. Ross Robertson Cup as OHL Champions twice in the past four seasons, developing NHL talent such as Robert Thomas (St. Louis Blues), Arthur Kaliyev (Los Angeles Kings), MacKenzie Entwistle (Chicago Blackhawks), Mason McTavish (Anaheim Ducks) and Arber Xhekaj (Montreal Canadiens).