In their second season in 1980–81, the Bulls won the Tier II title, defeating the Guelph Platers in the league finals.

The Bulls then competed in the national championship for the Manitoba Centennial Trophy hosted in Halifax, Nova Scotia losing in the finals to the Prince Albert Raiders.

On February 2, 1981, the OHL granted an expansion franchise to the city of Belleville and the ownership group of Dr. Robert L. Vaughan & Bob Dolan.

The Bulls reached the OHL finals in 1986 versus a familiar foe from their Tier II days, the Guelph Platers.

The Bulls defeated the London Knights 9–2 in game seven of the OHL championship series at the Yardmen Arena to win their first J. Ross Robertson Cup.

In 2007–08, the Bulls made a trip to the Memorial Cup by virtue of Kitchener winning the Western Conference, and being the host, Belleville would get in as the OHL representative.

The Hamilton Bulldogs, an American Hockey League franchise, was concurrently sold to the Montreal Canadiens and moved to St. John's, Newfoundland and Labrador, for the 2015–16 season as the St. John's IceCaps (the True North Sports and Entertainment-owned IceCaps, which was affiliated with the Winnipeg Jets, moved back to Winnipeg to become the Manitoba Moose).

[1] Leyden Trophy East Division Regular Season Champions Bobby Orr Trophy Eastern Conference Champions J. Ross Robertson Cup Championships: 1999 Memorial Cup Appearances: 2 Larry Mavety coached the Belleville Bulls for 14 seasons.