Belleville Bulls Moving To Hamilton

The Ontario Hockey League (OHL) has approved the sale and move of the Belleville Bulls to Hamilton, Ontario for next season.

The team, which will be renamed the Hamilton Bulldogs, and begin play next season out of the FirstOntario Centre, include Thamesville’s Trent Fox.

The Bulls, who have been in Belleville for more than 30 years, the current management group stated that “With increasing costs, and a sub-par facility we see no viability in this context.”

As was the case with Chatham, Ontario’s failed bid to attract an OHL franchise this year, sub-par facilities was the deciding factor in this decision.

“We recognize that our decision will be a tremendous disappointment for the community, our season ticket holders, and for hockey fans and community groups who have truly recognized what OHL hockey means,” continued the Belleville Bulls’ statement.

Hamilton last hosted an OHL franchise in 1991, when the then Dukes relocated to Guelph, becoming the current Storm franchise. This week’s move coincided with the current Hamilton Bulldogs, who are an American Hockey League franchise, and the top affiliate of the Montreal Canadiens, announcing they’d be relocating to St. John’s, Newfoundland.

With the relocation of the Plymouth Whalers to Flint, Michigan, this is the second OHL franchise to relocate this year.