Owners of Brantford Bandits sell team, purchase Cambridge Redhawks
There’s been an ownership change happening in the Greater Ontario Junior Hockey League (GOJHL).
Last years owners of the Brantford Bandits have decided to sell the team, and purchased the Cambridge Redhawks.
“It was unplanned and we didn't go chasing, it just happened,” Eric Boissonneault, Director of hockey operations and part owner of the Cambridge Redhawks said.
Boissonneault and six friends purchased the Brantford Bandits last year.
A few months after purchasing the Bandits, the friends tried to move the team to Kitchener but that was denied by the other teams in the GOJHL Midwestern Division.
Boissoneault said while they wanted to own a team closer to home, they made strides last season in growing the Bandits in Brantford.
“There was about 20 fans per game before we took over and we averaged 140. Our top game was a 270 fans and we were able to do that by motivating the community, by showing that we're a community team, by getting out there, by talking to people,” Boissonneault said.
This past season was the first time the Bandits organization won more than ten games. Finishing 21st out of 23 teams in the league, with an 11-37 record.
“At one point, teams took for granted coming In to play against the Bandits. But this past season it was a lot different. Right from the start of the season, we had some real good positive vibes,” Todd Hoffman, former Bandits general manager and current Cambridge Redhawks general manager said.
Boissonneault said they were committed to keeping the Bandits until this happened.
“We also went looking for the right group. We weren't just leaving the Bandits. We were prepared to go into next season, the season after, having ownership of both teams, we weren't just going to sell it,” Boissonneault said.
The Bandits have been purchased by the Titan Hockey Canada Corporation, which also owns the Paris Titans in the “C” level Provincial Junior Hockey League.
The new owners said they’re focused on enhancing young hockey careers and will take a similar approach to how they grew the team in Paris to the Jr. “B” level.
“That affiliation with Paris is only going to strengthen our ability to attract, as mike mentioned, local players to an organization that they’re going to want to play for,” Jon Clark, Board Chairman and co-owner of the Brantford Bandits said.
Boissonneault said the former Redhawks owners, Scott and Kelly Hunter, were looking for someone to purchase the team, and the friends jumped at the opportunity.
“We got treated so well there that we weren't moving. So this opportunity came up and, well, it's closer to home and we have the right group to sell the Bandits to, so we had to take it,” Boissonneault said.
Cambridge finished in 15th place last season, with a 21-25 record. The new Cambridge group said they’re fully locked in on improving the team.
“We look to bring a Cherrey cup and a Sutherland cup back to the city of Cambridge,” Hoffman said.
The new Redhawks ownership group is already getting set for the next season. They have a prospect's camp set for May 25-26, followed by an invite camp in June.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Serial sexual offender linked to unsolved 1970s homicides of four Calgary girls, women
An investigation into unsolved historical homicides from the 1970s has linked the deaths of two girls and two young women in and around Calgary to a now-deceased serial offender.
Woman with liver failure rejected for a transplant after medical review highlights alcohol use
For nearly three months, Amanda Huska has been in an Ontario hospital, part of it on life support, because of severe liver failure. Her history of alcohol use is getting in the way of her only potential treatment: a liver transplant.
Video appears to show Sean 'Diddy' Combs beating singer Cassie in hotel hallway in 2016
Security video aired by CNN appears to show Sean 'Diddy' Combs physically assaulting singer Cassie in a Los Angeles hotel hallway in 2016.
Scottie Scheffler isn't the first pro golfer to be arrested during a tournament
Scottie Scheffler's arrest hours before his second-round tee time at the PGA Championship in Louisville, Kentucky, will go down as one of the most shocking in professional golf history. It certainly wasn't the first, though.
B.C. man 'attacked suddenly' by adult grizzly near Alberta border: RCMP
A B.C. man is recovering from multiple injuries after he was "attacked suddenly" by an adult grizzly bear near Elkford Thursday afternoon.
Anglers reel in 3.5-metre-long tiger shark off coast of Florida: 'She found my bait'
A group of fishers said it took roughly 20 minutes to reel in this 3.5-metre-long tiger shark off the coast of Florida.
Australia's richest woman seeks removal of her portrait from exhibition
Art is subjective. And while many artists long to share their work with the world, there's no guarantee that the audience will understand it, or even like it.
Canadian convicted of attacking Nancy Pelosi's husband with a hammer sentenced to 30 years
The man convicted of attempting to kidnap then-U.S. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi and attacking her husband with a hammer was sentenced Friday to 30 years in prison.
Israeli military finds bodies of 3 Gaza hostages killed at music festival
Israeli military says its troops in Gaza found the bodies of three Israeli hostages taken by Hamas during its Oct. 7 attack, including German-Israeli Shani Louk.