Backup plan in Brantford
Rated as a potential first round pick come the 2027 National Hockey League Draft, 6 foot 6 goalie Vilmer Salen Forsberg has been a rookie standout for the Brantford Bulldogs of the Ontario Hockey League. But Salen Forsberg is not the only Brantford goalie who has stood out thus far this season.
Fellow rookie puck stopper Chase Petrova (in photo at left) has come through as a second option in the Brantford net. In fact, the slightly built Petrova actually has numbers that are a tad better than Salen Forsberg’s.
While Salen Forsberg has a record of 6-3-1 with a 2.37 goals against average and .925 save percentage, Petrova has a record of 5-1-0 with a 2.35 goals against average and .937 save percentage.
Petrova, who was originally a seventh round pick by the Ottawa 67’s at the 2024 OHL priority selections draft, was acquired by Brantford during this past summer for a future sixth round pick.
Notably, Petrova’s most recent outing for Brantford was against Ottawa and the young goalie was spectacular with 44 saves as the Bulldogs stole a 3-1 road win over the 67’s.
Petrova, who has a November 2028 birth date, is a bit older than Salen Forsberg, who was born in August of 2029.
As Brantford general manager Spencer Hyman is obviously — like most others in the game — high on Salen Forsberg, he is also big on Petrova.
“Chase is an exceptional young goaltender with elite footwork, outstanding crease movement, and the athleticism to make an impact.” said Hyman, who in just his second season in Brantford, is already one of the best GM’s in the OHL. “His work ethic and compete level give him a tremendous foundation.”
To be sure, their two goalies are major reasons why the Bulldogs are in first place in the OHL’s Eastern Conference with a record of 11-4-1.
