Story by Ken Pagan
HAMILTON, ON – Given a chance to make a good first impression at the OHL level, Ben Garagan has done it before.
In September 2015, a few months after being drafted in the fifth round by the Sudbury Wolves, the OHL club had no choice but to keep him over a few higher-drafted players, after the speedy centre impressed at training camp and scored four goals in four pre-season games.
Fast forward 17 months and Garagan is with a new club in a new city, with another chance to make a first impression.
So far, so good.
After being acquired by the Hamilton Bulldogs from the Wolves at last week’s trade deadline, the North Bay native put up two points in his first three games in his new gig. Playing at centre on the fourth line between Zachary Jackson and Luke Kutkevicius, Garagan set up Jackson for the opening goal in a 5-1 win over the Oshawa Generals on Saturday, finishing plus-2. He then picked up an apple on a Kutkevicius goal in a 5-2 loss to the Ottawa 67’s on Sunday.
“I like his pace,” said Bulldogs head coach John Gruden. “Anytime a kid gets traded and is brought into a new situation … whatever it is, just new scenery and a new voice can change things. He’s made a really good impression on the staff so far. He’s contributed and been in on a few chances.
“We play the fourth line quite a bit and we expect when they get out there, that they are pushing the pace and creating havoc. One of the bright spots with our two losses last week and in the one win, he did a nice job.”
The five-foot-11, 175-pound Garagan has established himself as a strong skater, but had a difficult time flourishing in Sudbury, where he was battling for playing time. Wolves GM Barclay Branch told media the trade – the Bulldogs surrendered a fifth-round pick in 2019 and a conditional pick in 2022 – was “just a case where there was a chance to provide Ben with a new opportunity and a fresh start.”
Which is what Garagan is thankful for, although it has taken him a few days to get acclimatized to his new city.
“It’s been a different week for sure, I haven’t experienced something like this before,” Garagan said after Wednesday’s practice. “Coming to a new team, it’s a tough thing, but I think I handled it pretty well and I think I’m getting close to the guys and even the coaches. I had butterflies coming to the rink for the first two or three days, but I’m just getting more comfortable every time I get here.”
Garagan was a prolific scorer in minor hockey in North Bay, putting up 46 goals in 33 regular-season games with the minor bantam ‘AAA’ Trappers before heading south to play in the North York Rangers system. He again led his GTHL minor midget team with 26 goals in 45 games before being drafted by the Wolves.
In his rookie OHL season, he was held to two goals and seven points in 60 games and through the first half this season, had one goal and three points before a shoulder injury in December further hindered his playing time. But Bulldogs president Steve Staios noted Garagan’s “offensive upside” in making the deal.
“Talking to his agent, Dave Gagner, he speaks very highly of him and says he was a really good player coming out of midget,” Gruden said after Wednesday’s practice. “He might have lost some of that confidence, but he thinks maybe he can get some of that back and be somewhat of a contributor for us moving forward.”
Garagan is starting on the fourth line and the Bulldogs (20-17-5) are fairly deep at forward with veterans like Matthew Strome, Will Bitten, Matt Luff, Mike Cramarossa, MacKenzie Entwistle, Niki Petti and Brandon Saigeon filling out the top three lines. But if Garagan gets a chance to chip in offensively, he wants to be ready.
“I want to come in with a clean start and show my speed, because that’s my best asset,” he said. “ I’m just going to work as hard as I can while playing a role and try to move up in the lineup and obviously, contribute on the scoreboard and do what I can to contribute to some wins. The confidence is starting to build because I’m getting a new opportunity here and I can feel myself developing already. I want the puck more now and I want to make plays, so I’m excited to see where it takes me.
“Playing on the fourth line, I think our line can play with anyone out there. We’ve been contributing the last couple games and I think we’re definitely capable of keeping that rolling.”
Being four lines deep is an advantage the Bulldogs could have come playoff time in the tight Eastern Conference, where they have the third-best record overall. If Garagan continues to make the most of his fresh start, it can only help the club.
“We do have a pretty deep team as far as forwards are concerned – we have some pretty good players,” Gruden said. “So he has to continue to show he wants to be one of those guys. When you get your opportunity, you have to take advantage of it.
“He’s still young and he seems excited to be here. Right now, we’re happy with what we see. He’s a good skater and he’s going to help in that regard. So we’ve been happy with him.”
Ken Pagan is a former sports editor, reporter and avid supporter of local sports who lived in North Bay from 2002 to 2012. He now lives and remains active in Hamilton.
