You may or may not remember a story which came to light last March, with hockey analyst and writer Andrew Berkshire gaining plenty of attention after comments he made about Zach Hyman. More specifically, that the Edmonton Oilers winger was only successful, because he grew up 'insanely' rich and has gone on to play the majority of his NHL career on lines with either Connor McDavid or Auston Matthews.
As you can imagine, Berkshire received a lot of negative backlash over what he claimed. For what little it matters, we threw our two-cents worth in, about how he said the sports media needs to do a better job of telling truthful stories -- which is correct as a standalone statement -- but then immediately contradicted this with how he presented his rationale behind Hyman's success in the NHL.
In any event, this story came to mind -- the insanely rich part -- following the latest news which emerged involving Hyman on Monday. As per a press release by CHL.ca, the Toronto native and his family -- including his brother Spencer and father Stuart -- have purchased the Brantford Bulldogs, who play in the OHL.
The sale has been approved by the OHL's board of governors, and the Hyman family will assume control of the organisation's operations, effective as of Jan. 16. As per CHL.ca, Hyman said:
Zach Hyman humbled and appreciative
"Hockey is more than just a game for my family. It teaches our youth about the importance of teamwork and it brings together communities. I am humbled and greatly appreciate the faith Michael has placed in me to continue his incredible legacy with such a storied franchise. Thank you to the Ontario Hockey League for giving me this opportunity to give back to the game I love. It is a privilege to work with such an incredible group of people and I can’t wait to get started. Go Dogs!"
Having Hyman as an owner will of course make the Bulldogs a more high-profile franchise, given how much success he has enjoyed during his playing career. (Which he worked extremely hard for Mr. Berkshire.) He scored a career-high 54 goals last season, followed by 16 more during the playoffs, which were the most by a player in a single postseason of the salary cap era.
The Bulldogs have experienced strong success in recent seasons, highlighted by winning the Ross Robertson Cup in both 2018 and 2022 with Michael Andlauer as their owner. Andlauer said:
"It’s been an honour to be the owner of the Bulldogs, who have won two championship trophies and launched the careers of many successful players into the NHL. Although it is time for me to focus on my new hockey world, I know that the new ownership of the Hyman family will continue to bring success for the Brantford Bulldogs organisation on the ice and in this great community that has embraced us these past two years. To the coaches, players and staff of the team, I know you will continue to deliver a best-in-class product. To the Brantford fans – thank you for showing the OHL that you are the best place to play in junior hockey!"
What does the future hold for the Bulldogs?
Andlauer's last comment praising Brantford hockey fans is of particular interest, given that now there are questions about the future of the Bulldogs franchise. More specifically, where will they be playing in the long-term?
The franchise was purchased by Andlauer back in 2015, with him moving them from Belleville to Hamilton for the 2015-16 OHL season. However, the team had to be relocated to Brantford in 2023, due to extensive renovations taking place at FirstOntario Centre.
As per Conrad Collaco of CBC.ca, the Bulldogs were meant to be returning to Hamilton sometime this year. Now though, there is some speculation the team will potentially remain in Branford, even after renovations have been completed at FirstOntario Centre.
This speculation gains credence, when you consider the comments made by OHL commissioner Bryan Crawford, who will have spoken to Hyman and his family at length before the sale was finalised. Also as per CHL.ca, Crawford said:
"The strength of the OHL is its communities, and Brantford has proven to be an outstanding destination for OHL hockey. On behalf of the League’s Board of Governors, I’d firstly like to thank Michael Andlauer for his tremendous leadership and contributions to the game. I’m excited to welcome the Hyman family to the OHL community and am looking forward to seeing the OHL continue to thrive in Brantford for years to come."
It will be interesting to see how this all plays out, not that it will be of significant interest to Oilers fans as such. As long as Hyman continues to score goals and help the team make another push for the Stanley Cup Final, that is what is most important to the people of Edmonton.