The Brantford Bulldogs have announced their eighth captain in franchise history
The Brantford Bulldogs are one of the latest OHL franchises to announce their newest captain.
The Bulldogs announced on Friday that Oakville, Ontario native Patrick Thomas has been named the eighth captain in franchise history.
Thomas was drafted in the fourth round, 103rd overall in the 2023 NHL Entry Draft by the Washington Capitals. He was picked as an overage forward in the draft after posting a 56-point season in 66 games with the Bulldogs in their last season in Hamilton before relocating to Brantford.
When his junior team relocated, it was a bittersweet feeling for the Washington prospect.
Thomas played for the Hamilton Huskies junior organization growing up. He was drafted 57th overall in the third round of the 2020 OHL Priority Selection and won an OHL Championship with them in Hamilton in his rookie season in 2021-22.
“Patrick exemplifies everything we look for in a leader, his leadership traits are vast and consistent. Along with taking pride in his focus and preparation, Patrick brings a consistent, relentless work ethic, which starts every day in practice and carries over into games," said Brantford Bulldogs Head Coach Jay McKee.
The six-foot forward is known for his competitive, diligent off-puck play and positioning. His hockey IQ allows him to play in any situation the coach throws him into.
Thomas has the potential to become an energy role player at the professional level with time. But don't sleep on his excellent playmaking skills and ability to land those tough passes when distributing through traffic, which he has shown extremely capable of doing over the past two seasons.
Patrick leads Brantford in points this season with 14 in nine games, 12 of them are assists. Additionally, he's been strong in the faceoff department, batting 54.1% as it stands today.
This will be Patrick Thomas's last year in the OHL and bidding for an NHL contract from the team that picked him in 2023. He is four games away from playing in his 200th OHL regular season game. He has recorded 117 assists and 163 points in 196 games.
