Dog Bites: Vanacker named to NHL Central Scouting’s midterm rankings
Brantford Bulldogs, OHL news and notes
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Brantford Bulldogs’ players Marek Vanacker, Luca Testa and Owen Protz have been named to NHL Central Scouting’s midterm rankings of the top prospects eligible for the 2024 NHL draft.
Vanacker, a Delhi native, was ranked 25th among North American skaters. He was the 19th ranked forward and fourth-ranked left winger.
Testa, a centre, was ranked 62nd, while Protz, acquired from Sudbury prior to Wednesday’s trade deadline, was ranked 168th. Protz is a defenceman.
Nanticoke’s Ryerson Leenders and Lennart Neisse of the Greater Ontario Junior Hockey League’s Brantford Bandits were also named to the list. Leenders and Neisse are both goaltenders.
Leenders, who plays for the OHL’s Mississauga Steelheads, was the third-ranked North American goalie with Neisse ranked 29th.
Boston University’s Macklin Celebrini is the top-ranked North American skater and Carter George of the Owen Sound Attack is the top-ranked North American goalie.
The 2024 NHL draft will be held on June 28-29 in Las Vegas.
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Brantford Bulldogs defenceman Tomas Hamara made his return to the civic centre on Friday after playing at the World Junior Hockey Championship.
Hamara helped lead Czechia to bronze, scoring the game-winning goal in the third-place game. He also won silver the year before that when Canada beat Czechia in overtime of the championship game.
The Bulldogs rewarded him with an ‘A’ on his jersey and prior to Friday’s game against Ottawa the team played a video tribute highlighting his bronze performance. Brantford equipment manager Chris ‘Cookie’ Cook, who was Team Canada’s equipment manager, was also honoured.
“Tomas has come in, and I’ve been in the league for nine years, and he’s been one of the highest quality character guys that I’ve had on a team,” Brantford head coach Jay McKee said.
“He has a real positive energy every day and a great work ethic. He has a smile on his face and treats the young guys like old guys. He’s just a quality leader and we’re proud to have him wear an ‘A’.”
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The recently traded Bulldogs have fit in nicely with their new teams following Wednesday’s trade deadline.
Defenceman Jorian Donovan and the Saginaw Spirit crushed the Windsor Spitfires 11-3 last week with Donovan contributing a pair of assists. He was a plus-seven in the game.
Noah Van Vliet and the Sudbury Wolves lost 2-1 to the Mississauga Steelheads in his debut. Van Vliet, a defenceman, was credited with four shots on goal in the game, third most by a Wolves player.
Forward Masen Wray made his debut with Niagara on Thursday as the IceDogs defeated the Barrie Colts 4-1. Defenceman Callum Cheynowski, also traded, did not play for Niagara on Wednesday but he was in the lineup on Friday in a 5-2 loss to the Flint Firebirds.
“We haven’t moved a guy in the three years that I’ve been here that we didn’t really like,” said McKee.
“It has nothing to do with not liking the player or not liking what they bring. (We’re) looking to give the best opportunities to the guys who are moving out. Last year we had five former players in the final between the two teams.”
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With Brantford’s acquisition of Niagara captain Zakary Lavoie, there was a vacancy for the IceDogs.
The captain’s spot was promptly filled by Gavin Bryant, a product of the Brantford Minor Hockey Association.
Bryant got a goal in Niagara’s 4-1 win against Barrie on Thursday.
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The Barrie Colts also have a new captain with a local connection.
Beau Jelsma, a former Brantford Minor Hockey Association player, was given the ‘C’ by the Colts becoming the 25th team captain in history.
Jelsma got an assist in a 4-3 loss to Brantford on Saturday.
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Maddox Callens’ career with the Kingston Frontenacs came to a close this week.
Callens, an overager from Langton, was released when the Frontenacs acquired Peterborough’s Jax Dubois, giving Kingston an extra overage player.
Callens, who was nagged by injuries during his time in Kingston, finishes his OHL career with 35 goals and 30 assists in 183 games with the Frontenacs.
It didn’t take long for Callens to find a landing spot as he signed with the Greater Ontario Junior Hockey League’s St. Marys Lincolns. The Lincolns are currently in a tight battle with London and LaSalle for first place in the GOJHL’s Western Conference with LaSalle and St. Marys three points behind London.
Callens scored in an 8-3 loss to Strathroy on Friday.
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