Peterborough’s Cohen Bidgood takes step toward OHL goal
Cohen Bidgood wasn’t satisfied just to be drafted by the London Knights; he was determined to play for the OHL club.
The Peterborough native took another step toward realizing his goal when he signed a standard Ontario Hockey League player agreement with London, the Knights announced on Friday. The 17-year-old forward was the Knights’ seventh round (138th overall) pick in the 2023 OHL draft from the OMHA champion Peterborough Elite Court Sports U16 AAA Petes.
The Knights approached Bidgood a week ago expressing interest in signing him.
“It’s my dream and what I’ve been working toward my whole life and all of minor hockey,” said Bidgood. “It’s an amazing feeling, especially for all the people who have helped me to get to this point and who have supported me.”
Bidgood left home to play junior-B hockey this season hoping it would help him reach his goal.
“I knew being a seventh-rounder, it wasn’t going to be easy,” he said. “I knew what my goals were and what my dreams were and I knew I had to have a really good season and I had to work really hard. I’ve worked really hard to get recognized and have kept my head down and kept going.”
He joined his minor Petes teammate Graydon Jones with the Greater Ontario Junior Hockey League’s Chatham Maroons to start this season and in November was traded to the St. Marys Lincolns, who lost in the Sutherland Cup final for the GOJHL championship to the Listowel Cyclones. Listowel finished off the best-ofseven championship with a 4-3 overtime win in Game 5 Sunday.
Bidgood recorded 45 points on 18 goals and 27 assists in 52 regular season games split between the two teams this season. He added seven goals and eight assists in 24 playoff games. Bidgood was named to the GOJHL’s Western Conference allrookie team and was selected for the GOJHL Top Prospects Game.
He was set to play for the U18 Petes this season when Chatham approached him almost last-minute.
“I ended up signing with them thinking it was a good opportunity to play some better hockey with some older guys,” he said. “It really helped me playing with the older guys adapting to this league and I feel like I really improved this year.”
The Maroons are affiliated with the Saginaw Spirit and when the OHL team wanted to assign another 2007-born player to Chatham, the GOJHL club — limited to playing a maximum of two 2007-born players — dealt Bidgood to the Lincolns.
“It’s been the best thing that has happened to me this season for sure,” said Bidgood. “It’s been a great team to come to and a great environment and it really helped my path. The way the coaches coach here is a lot like the coaching style I had last year and I fit right into the systems. It’s a really good group of guys and they welcomed me and my family. The town has some of the best hockey fans I have ever seen.”
Bidgood said he’s had a lot of help along the way, particularly from his parents Rob and Shelby, the rest of his family, all of his past and present teammates and coaches. He singled out minor hockey coach Mike Farrugia, now an assistant coach with the Oshawa Generals, who are playing London in the OHL final.
“He coached me all through minor hockey and I have a lot to thank for him. He accounts for most of my development,” said Bidgood. “I can’t thank my family enough for all they’ve done for me. it’s an incredible feeling that I can finally do this for them. Even the people in St. Marys in the short period I’ve been here have made a big difference with their support.”