Scott Radley: Are the Bulldogs waiting on some first-round irony?
The Bulldogs did many terrific things through their seven years in Hamilton. They won two titles, had players win individual awards and moved a bunch of graduates into higher levels of hockey.
The one thing that never happened? They never produced a first-round NHL draft pick. They're the only OHL team that hasn't done that.
Prepare for the ultimate irony.
Now that the team has left town to set up shop in Brantford, guess who's sitting at No. 27 among North American skaters on NHL Central Scouting's final list? In a position to possibly land in that first round on June 28?
Hamilton Bulldog Nick Lardis.
Yup, as soon as they leave ...
He's an elite player," says general manager Matt Turek who traded for the 17-year-old this season. I think he's a first-round talent."
Lots do. Lardis blossomed once he arrived in Hamilton and got a chance to play more. In 33 regular-season and six playoff games with the Bulldogs - that's about half a season - he scored 30 goals. People in the game rave about his shot and his touch and a bunch of other things.
Suddenly he went from a guy who might get drafted to a guy who might get drafted really early. As in, dare we say it, in that elusive first round?
While Turek says he'd love that for his player, it really makes no difference to him or the OHL franchise. All he cares about is that guys are getting a chance.
We've never been concerned with the round," he says.
Mostly, he says, because the draft isn't everything. And it isn't always right. Some guys get taken early and flame out. Others get missed and turn into players.
MacKenzie Entwistle went in the third round five years ago. He probably should've gone higher. Logan Morrison won the playoff MVP award and hit 100 points. He was never drafted and just signed as a free agent with the Seattle Kraken.
Arthur Kaliyev fell out of the first round a few years ago after long being pegged for a position there. He's gone on to be a regular with the Los Angeles Kings.
Obviously he's shown he probably should've been," Turek says.
It is weird, though, that a player from this highly successful franchise has never found his way into Day 1 of the draft.
Since the Bulldogs won their first OHL championship in 2018, 15 OHL teams have placed a player in the first round. London and Barrie have had four do it. Seven teams have had multiple players make that list. Only North Bay, Oshawa, Owen Sound and Kitchener have been shut out.
And Hamilton.
Considering Owen Sound and Oshawa have players who are locks to go in the first this year (Colby Barlow and Calum Ritchie), that would leave the Bulldogs in a very small club if Lardis doesn't join them.
Turek insists he isn't worried. If the team wins and the guys on the team develop so they can move on to higher levels of the game after they're done in black and gold, that's all that matters. Like Steve Staios before him, he says this isn't something to which he gives a scintilla of attention.
Would he like to have first rounders? Of course. Does it affect anything? No.
But what about as a lure to future players? Being able to point to guys who heard their name called on the first evening of the draft when all the attention is on the process is sexy. Surely that would make the franchise more desirable as a destination.
Two championships since 2018 does that all by itself, he says.
OK, but wouldn't it be amazing to be able to sell a first rounder as a reason for folks in Brantford to come out to watch? In the event there are any available seats since the team already has 2,700 season-ticket deposits for the 3,500-seat arena.
Turek chuckles at the idea.
There's a difference between managing and marketing."
Scott Radley is a Hamilton-based columnist at The Spectator. Reach him via email: sradley@thespec.com