NEWS

Ontario Junior Hockey League resident reporter Ron Valentine is profiling the 2021-22 team captains of The OJ.

Brannon Butler (left) and Dalton Bancroft have been named co-captains of the Trenton Golden Hawks for the 2021-22 OJHL season. (OJHL Images photos)

BY RON VALENTINE

The Trenton Golden Hawks have named two veteran players as co-captains for the 2021-22 season. Defenceman BRANNON BUTLER and forward DALTON BANCROFT will do the honours.

Brannon started out his Junior campaign with a handful of appearances as an AP for the Toronto Junior Canadiens before playing in the GOJHL with the Fort Erie Meteors and the St. Catharines Falcons. He was selected by the Niagara Ice Dogs in Round 1, 12th overall, during the OHL’s 2018 U18 draft.

In 2019-20, as the Cobourg Cougars’ assistant captain, he recorded 138 penalty minutes, third highest in the OJHL.

He moved to the 'Hawks last season but played with the Grande Prairie Storm of the Alberta junior league when COVID-19 cancelled all OJHL contests.

Dalton spent last season with the Maritime Hockey League's Amherst Ramblers collecting 31 points in 27 regular season and playoff matches. It will be his third season as a Golden Hawk where he averaged a point per game in the 2019-20 campaign. In 2017-18 he was a member of the GOJHL's St. Mary's Lincolns Jr. B team and played the beginning of the '18-19 season as a Wellington Duke. 

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Dalton comes by his hockey pedigree naturally, his father, Steve, had a long professional career including games in the NHL.

The big forward is excited to be back in Trenton.

"I was lucky to be able to play hockey last season with the Amherst Ramblers of the Maritime Hockey League along with Golden Hawk teammates Griffen Fox and Marko Jakovljevic," said the new co-captain. "I really enjoyed my experience there, the guys were very welcoming and we had a ton of fun in a good hockey league."

"I'm really looking forward to my role and very happy to be sharing it with 'Buttles'. I played in the Quinte Red Devils system, which has over the years produced  a ton of OHL draft picks. (Dalton was drafted by the Saginaw Spirit in 2017).  One of my teammates in the Devils' organization was Jake Campbell who will be back with the 'Hawks for his last season, too.

“I got the chance to play as a 16-year old in the GOJHL with the Lincolns and I managed to get almost a point a game. It was my first time away from home and an adjustment, but a great experience and important in my development as a player. I went to school in Stratford nearby. Next season, I signed up with the Dukes and played almost half a season before coming to Trenton. Both of those OJHL clubs are 'world class' organizations but it's easy to get up for games against Wellington!"

"I'm very excited to get this leadership role and I'm eager to get started. I love to have fun before and after games but on game days it's serious stuff. You have to be sure to practise what you preach. Everyone has to have accountability and it's our job to get the best out of our teammates. I've worked hard in the off-season and now we are getting a little break before we start again in early September. Coach (Peter) Goulet and the staff are very knowledgeable, hard but fair and they always give us positive reinforcement."

"I see myself as a power forward. I've got the height and size (6'2' and 198 lbs.) and I love to play the physical game. I use my body whenever I can and it's great to score too! I have been taking courses online with Athabasca College in Alberta to keep up my education and hopefully I will get opportunity to play hockey at the NCAA Division 1 or U SPORTS level. Nothing definite yet though so this season is very important to me." 

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John McDonald, Director of Operations for the Golden Hawks, is very happy with the selection of both players who love the physical game. "If an opposing forward parks himself in front of our net and Brannon Butler is on the ice, he won't be there for long." he said. "That's in a nutshell what Brannon is like as a player." 

"It's always been my style,” the Toronto native noted, "I got my share of suspensions through minor hockey and I've always loved playing the physical game but I am trying to tone it down a little now with the extra responsibility. Last season in the exhibition series with the Dukes, I got a lot of powerplay time and look forward to more this year so I can improve on the 25 points I got with the (Cobourg) Cougars two seasons ago."  

"Playing in the GOJHL was a good learning experience for me, so that in my rookie season in the OJHL I felt really comfortable. I enjoyed my time in the AJHL and I was happy I got to play games when most of the players in the League were not able to do so. I remember playing as a call-up for the Toronto Junior Canadiens, it was a big deal for the young kids like me to be playing with the likes of (NHL draft pick) Jack McBain (entering his fourth year at Boston College), now I can be a mentor to the young guys coming into the League."

"We have a mature group of returnees and some new acquisitions of players with lots of tier two and OHL experience so this is going to be a special opportunity for us this season in Trenton. We are starting off on the right foot by learning, or relearning, how to do all the little things right and if we peak at the right time we will be tough to play against and we look to advance into the league playoffs and well beyond." 

"Right now, it looks like I will be the captain on the road and Dalton will wear the 'C' at home but it doesn't really matter much to me as we are already a very close group. Obviously, it's a big season for Dalton and me, in our final junior year and we are both looking forward to the Governors’ Showcase in Cobourg. We have lots of friends in the area and there will be a lot of knowledgeable scouts looking at the players."

"Like Dalton I have been taking online courses at Athabasca College as we both want to combine an education and hockey." 

Head Coach Peter Goulet on the two C's: "They are guys who will talk to teammates, be accountable to everyone on the team, on the bench and in the community. This is my first time in my coaching career with co-captains and I know it will work out fine."

“Though neither player has worn the 'C' before they are two character players who bring lots of experience to the table. Both are leaders on and off the ice.”

The Golden Hawks open the 2021-22 OJHL regular season on Friday, Oct. 1, when they host the Cobourg Cougars and the following night they journey to Port Credit to take on the South Division's Mississauga Chargers.

Follow Ron Valentine on Twitter @ronandlynda