October 22, 2026
Trenton Golden Hawks
When Ethan Brassard announced on Instagram that he was joining the Trenton Golden Hawks, a former teammate was among the first to respond with an enthusiastic reply.
“Welcome to Paradise.”
The message came from Ethan Quick, a Quinte West native who knows firsthand what makes the organization special after helping the Golden Hawks win the Buckland Cup in 2024-25.
Quick and Brassard spent a season together with the Caledonia Pro-Fit Corvairs, where they developed a friendship that has continued.
The reply made Brassard laugh, but it also helped him know he had made the right choice.
Brassard had good reason to be optimistic about the move. Through his first 14 games, the skilled forward has 19 points, including six goals and 13 assists.
Leaving the Burlington Cougars for Trenton meant joining a program with a winning reputation Brassard already understood. The Golden Hawks had reached the OJHL finals in three consecutive seasons before being eliminated in the second round last spring.
“When I got the opportunity to come to Trenton, I knew I was going to take it right away,” Brassard said. “You’re playing in front of a thousand fans every night, it’s an awesome place to play.”
Junior hockey often means moving between communities, leaving family to join an organization where players must build new relationships and find their place.
Brassard knows that transition. He grew up in Brampton and spent his minor hockey years with the Mississauga Senators, playing alongside NHL-drafted prospects, including Jack Ivankovic and Adam Valentini.
Having played in other historic OJHL buildings, including Central Arena, Brassard appreciates the character of the Duncan McDonald Memorial Gardens and the way the crowd responds to hard work and good plays.
For a natural goal scorer, that response can come in an instant.
“It’s like no other feeling in the world when you score here,” he said.
Brassard’s arrival in Trenton has also introduced him to a community unlike the one in which he grew up. Coming from the Greater Toronto Area, he was not accustomed to the military presence that is part of daily life in Trenton.
That combination of tradition, expectations and a passionate fan base has helped make the experience memorable.
“It’s a special place to play. The fans are great, the atmosphere is awesome, and you can tell how much it means to the community,” Brassard said. “It’s really cool to be part of a community like that.”
In his first 14 games, Brassard has shown what he can contribute offensively, though he is reluctant to take too much credit for his production.
He knows the season is longer than its opening stretch, and success in Trenton is measured against a history of teams that have made deep playoff runs.
For now, the transition has gone well. Brassard has found a coach whose approach fits his own and a fan base that makes scoring feel even more special.
Has Brassard found paradise, as promised? It might be too early to tell, but for now, he seems to have found a place where he belongs.
“It’s a first-class organization,” he said. “I’m really happy to be here.”