OHL Brantford Bulldogs sold to Edmonton Oilers star Zach Hyman

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 that the Ontario Hockey League (OHL) team has been sold to Oilers star 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 January 16th."

Hyman is a star forward with the Edmonton Oilers of the NHL. He scored 54 goals in the 2023-24 season, playing alongside three-time league MVP Connor McDavid. He 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. 

In 2021, Hyman, now 32, left the Leafs for the Oilers where he signed a seven-year, $38.5 million contract. 

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 Ottawa Senators of the NHL and had owned a minority share of the Montreal Canadiens since 2009, until he bought the Senators in 2023. 

"I want to congratulate Zach Hyman and his family on the purchase of the Brantford Bulldogs," Andlauer said in the news release. "The