The OHL’s Brantford Bulldogs named forward Patrick Thomas the eighth captain in their franchise history on Friday. Thomas, a 20-year-old center, is amid his second season with the Bulldogs after being selected in the fourth round of the 2023 NHL Draft by the Washington Capitals.
He joins a list of Bulldogs captains, including NHLers MacKenzie Entwistle and Logan Morrison and Hershey Bears Calder Cup hero Matt Strome.
A leader. A champion. THE CAPTAIN!
The Brantford Bulldogs are extremely proud to name Patrick Thomas the 8th captain in franchise history!#BFD | #OHL pic.twitter.com/IrMvOH9K28
— Brantford Bulldogs (@BulldogsOHL) October 18, 2024
Thomas leads this year’s Brantford team in scoring with 14 points (2g, 12a) in nine games. A lot of that damage came in just two games as he recorded five points against both the Oshawa Generals and Ottawa 67’s. He ranks eighth in the OHL in points, one point ahead of fellow Capitals prospect Ilya Protas.
However, unlike Protas, Thomas has yet to sign an entry-level contract with the Washington organization. The Capitals did extend him a “bona fide offer” in June, which, per the NHL’s CBA, is a “standard player contract that starts at the beginning of the next league season and offers at least league minimum salary.” The offer is open to the player for 30 days and is intended to extend the team’s claim to the player’s rights.
Per Puckpedia, Thomas appears to have accepted the offer. Their records show the Capitals still have until June of next year to ink Thomas to a deal.
Thomas did attend Washington’s most recent Development Camp, Rookie Camp, and was part of the first round of cuts at this fall’s main Training Camp. He also spent some time with the AHL’s Hershey Bears on an amateur tryout agreement last spring.
During his age-18 season, he led the Bulldogs in scoring with 56 points (17g, 39a) from 66 games. Last year, he increased his scoring output to 66 points (21g, 45a) in nine fewer games. He then chipped in seven more points (1g, 6a) in six playoff games.
