Big Bulldog Abe Barnett
Brantford Bulldogs general manager Spencer Hyman has added to his off season signing spree by inking yet another young American born plum prospect to the roster of the Ontario Hockey League team.
Abe Barnett, a 6 foot 3, 200 pound hulk of a defenseman with a late 2008 birth date, has signed with Brantford ahead of the ’26-27 season.
Barnett, who has a future National Collegiate Athletic Association commitment to the University of Michigan, has spent the past two seasons with the United States National Team Development Program.
A product of the Chicago Mission AAA program, Barnett was originally taken by the Ottawa 67’s at the 2024 OHL priority selections draft. Brantford acquired his OHL rights from Ottawa for an excess third round pick at this past January’s OHL trade deadline.
The aforementioned Spencer Hyman, as Brantford’s hustle bustle GM, gushed descriptive words of praise on what Barnett is poised to bring to the Bulldogs.
“Abe Barnett is a big, heavy, hard nosed defenseman who defends with purpose and competes at an extremely high level,” relayed Hyman. “He is the type of player who makes opponents uncomfortable every time they are on the ice against him. Abe brings a physical edge, strong defensive instincts and a shutdown presence that is incredibly difficult to play against. Beyond the player, he is an incredible young man.”
With his late 2008 birth date, Barnett is not eligible for the National Hockey League draft until 2027.
Barnett’s signing by Brantford follows four other recent inkings by the Bulldogs of American born players with NCAA commitments.
They are highly regarded forwards Nathan Hauad, Owen DeGraff, Xavier Lieb and Jason Musa. Hauad, DeGraff and Lieb have 2008 birth dates while Musa was born in 2007.
Hauad, who is from Chicago, has a future commitment to UConn and DeGraff and Lieb are both Penn State recruits, Meanwhile, the year older Musa, who was originally slated to play in the NCAA at UMass in ’26-27, instead signed an OHL card with Brantford. DeGraff and Musa are both Florida products while Lieb hails from Pennsylvania.
