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Vancouver Giants
Vancouver Giants Logo.svg
City Langley, British Columbia
League Western Hockey League
Conference Western
Division B.C.
Founded 2001
Home arena Langley Events Centre
Colours Black, red, silver and white
              
General manager Barclay Parneta
Head coach Manny Viveiros
Championships Memorial Cup
1 (2007)
Ed Chynoweth Cup
1 (2006)
Conference Championships
3 (2005–06, 2006–07, 2018–19)
Website
chl.ca/whl-giants

The Vancouver Giants are a Canadian major junior ice hockey team playing based in Langley, British Columbia, and playing in the Western Hockey League (WHL). Founded in 2001, the Giants won the Ed Chynoweth Cup as league champions in 2006 and the Memorial Cup as Canadian junior champions in 2007. The team was based in the Pacific Coliseum in Vancouver, the former arena of the National Hockey League's Vancouver Canucks, until moving to the Langley Events Centre in 2016.

History

British Columbia-based businessman Ron Toigo was granted a WHL expansion franchise for the city of Vancouver ahead of the 2001–02 season. In the following years, the club's ownership group would grow to include Sultan Thiara, former Vancouver Canucks head coach Pat Quinn, the estate of Hockey Hall of Fame member Gordie Howe, and singer Michael Bublé. The team was first based out of Pacific Coliseum, the former Canucks arena in downtown Vancouver; in 2016, after 15 seasons, the team moved to the Langley Events Centre.

After a dismal inaugural season, typical for an expansion team, that saw the Giants win only 13 games, the team rapidly improved. In 2002, the Giants selected Gilbert Brule first overall in the WHL Bantam Draft—Brule would go on to become the team's first major star player, beginning with winning the Jim Piggott Memorial Trophy as the WHL's rookie of the year in 2004. That season, the team won its first playoff round, defeating the Kamloops Blazers before losing to the Everett Silvertips in the second round. Along with the Giants' improving play, the 2004–05 NHL lockout led to a boost in attendance for the club—nearly 9,000 fans attended the team's season-opener, and the team averaged 8,400 spectators that season; Toigo later stated that the lockout was a definite factor in "putting us on the map". The Giants capitalized by putting together a string of successful seasons that saw the team capture five consecutive B.C. Division titles between 2005 and 2010.

The run of success began with the hiring of former NHL coach Don Hay as head coach, replacing Dean Evason. Then, in 2005, general manager Scott Bonner acquired a number of key players including Kenndal McArdle, Wacey Rabbit, and goaltender Dustin Slade, who, along with Brule, would lead the team to its first championship. In 2006, the Giants captured their first league championship, defeating the Moose Jaw Warriors in the league final in four games, with Brule earning most valuable player honours. The win advanced the Giants to their first Memorial Cup tournament, in which they were eliminated in the semifinal by the host Moncton Wildcats. Despite the loss, Brule recorded 12 points in the tournament, the highest total in the tournament since 1997 and enough to secure the Ed Chynoweth Trophy as the leading scorer.

With the breakthrough of second-year forward Milan Lucic helping to make up for the off-season loss of Brule, the Giants returned to the WHL championship series in 2007 in a playoff run that also featured the debut of future star Evander Kane. In the final, they faced the Medicine Hat Tigers, narrowly losing the series in the second overtime period of game seven. However, the Giants were selected to host the 2007 Memorial Cup, which secured them a berth in the tournament despite their championship series defeat. The Giants secured a spot in the tournament final with an 8–1 semifinal win over the Plymouth Whalers, setting up a rematch with the Tigers. In the final, the Giants avenged their WHL title defeat with a 3–1 victory over the Tigers to secure the team's first Memorial Cup championship. Lucic was named tournament MVP. In 2023, the 2007 Giants team was inducted into the B.C. Hockey Hall of Fame.

The Giants would set franchise records with 57 wins 119 points in 2008–09 and make consecutive runs to the Conference finals in 2009 and 2010. However, after the 2010, the team failed to win another playoff series until they returned to the championship final in 2019. During that stretch, Bonner stepped down as manager after 15 seasons, replaced first by Glen Hanlon and then, in 2018, by Barclay Parneta, who hired Michael Dyck as head coach. In the 2019 final, the Giants faced the regular season champion Prince Albert Raiders; the Giants fell behind in the series three games to one before forcing a decisive game seven in Prince Albert. In game seven, the Raiders won 3–2 in overtime, marking the second game seven overtime defeat in the finals in Giants history.

In 2022, the Giants made history by selecting Chloe Primerano in the thirteenth round of the WHL prospects draft, making Primerano the first-ever female skater selected in a Canadian Hockey League draft.

In 2023, when Michael Dyck left the organization to join the professional ranks, the Giants hired Manny Viveiros as their new head coach.

SeattleThunderbirds vs VancouverGiants
The Giants hosting the Seattle Thunderbirds in 2008.

Season-by-season record

Sexsmith and Řepík
Tyson Sexsmith and Michal Řepík playing for the Giants in 2007.
Royals vs Giants Jan 31 2014
Game action between the Giants and the rival Victoria Royals in 2014.

Note: GP = Games played, W = Wins, L = Losses, T = Ties OTL = Overtime losses Pts, SOL = Shootout losses Pts, GF = Goals for, GA = Goals against

Season GP W L T OTL GF GA Points Finish Playoffs
2001–02 72 13 49 6 4 198 365 36 5th B.C. Did not qualify
2002–03 72 26 37 5 4 217 292 61 4th B.C. Lost Western Conference quarterfinal
2003–04 72 33 24 9 6 215 196 81 2nd B.C. Lost Western Conference semifinal
2004–05 72 34 30 4 4 212 205 76 3rd B.C. Lost Western Conference quarterfinal
2005–06 72 47 19 0 6 252 156 100 1st B.C. Won Championship
2006–07 72 45 17 3 7 245 143 100 1st B.C. Lost final; Won Memorial Cup
2007–08 72 49 15 2 6 250 155 106 1st B.C. Lost Western Conference semifinal
2008–09 72 57 10 2 3 319 151 119 1st B.C. Lost Western Conference final
2009–10 72 41 25 3 3 267 211 88 1st B.C. Lost Western Conference final
2010–11 72 35 32 1 4 236 251 75 2nd B.C. Lost Western Conference quarterfinal
2011–12 72 40 26 2 4 255 234 86 2nd B.C. Lost Western Conference quarterfinal
2012–13 72 21 49 2 0 197 299 44 5th B.C. Did not qualify
2013–14 72 32 29 7 4 234 248 75 3rd B.C. Lost Western Conference quarterfinal
2014–15 72 27 41 2 2 189 251 58 5th B.C. Did not qualify
2015–16 72 23 40 5 4 199 273 55 5th B.C. Did not qualify
2016–17 72 20 46 3 3 183 296 46 5th B.C. Did not qualify
2017–18 72 36 27 6 3 233 257 81 3rd B.C. Lost Western Conference quarterfinal
2018–19 68 48 15 3 2 228 162 101 1st B.C. Lost final
2019–20 62 32 24 4 2 189 166 70 3rd B.C. Cancelled due to the COVID-19 pandemic
2020–21 22 12 10 0 0 71 59 24 2nd B.C. No playoffs held due to COVID-19 pandemic
2021–22 68 24 39 5 0 185 254 53 4th B.C. Lost Western Conference semifinal
2022–23 68 28 32 5 3 188 238 64 3rd B.C. Lost Western Conference quarterfinal
2023–24 68 32 32 4 0 222 249 68 3rd B.C. Lost Western Conference quarterfinal

Championship history

2007 Memorial Cup celebration
The Giants celebrating their Memorial Cup win on May 27, 2007.

WHL Championship series

Memorial Cup finals

  • 2007: Win, 3–1 vs Medicine Hat Tigers

Players

NHL alumni

List of National Hockey League (NHL) alumni:

  • Tyler Benson
  • Mario Bliznak
  • Jonathon Blum
  • Lance Bouma
  • Gilbert Brule
  • Bowen Byram
  • Craig Cunningham
  • Brendan Gallagher
  • Mason Geertsen
  • Triston Grant
  • Brett Festerling
  • Mark Fistric
  • Cody Franson
  • Evander Kane
  • Matt Kassian
  • Brett Kulak
  • Andrew Ladd
  • Milan Lucic
  • Spencer Machacek
  • Kenndal McArdle
  • Jordan Martinook
  • Andrej Meszaros
  • Brendan Mikkelson
  • David Musil
  • Brent Regner
  • Michal Repik
  • Marek Schwarz
  • Justin Sourdif
  • Nick Tarnasky
  • Tomas Vincour
  • James Wright

Ring of Honour

List of players on the team's Ring of Honour:

  • Brett Festerling (inducted on December 7, 2010)
  • Andrej Meszaros (inducted on December 27, 2010)
  • Mark Fistric (inducted on January 23, 2011)
  • Gilbert Brule (inducted on January 28, 2011)
  • Milan Lucic (inducted on February 25, 2011)
  • Cody Franson (inducted on February 17, 2012)
  • Evander Kane (inducted on March 7, 2012)
  • Brendan Gallagher (inducted on February 15, 2014)
  • Lance Bouma (inducted on November 20, 2015)
  • Craig Cunningham (inducted on December 2, 2018)

Team records

Team Records for a single season
Statistic Total Season
Most points 119 2008–09
Fewest points 36 2001–02
Most wins 57 2008–09
Fewest wins 13 2001–02
Most goals for 319 2008–09
Fewest goals for 183 2016–17
Fewest goals against 143 2006–07
Most goals against 365 2001–02
Individual player records for a single season
Statistic Player Total Season
Most goals Ty Ronning 61 2017–18
Most assists Casey Pierro-Zabotel 79 2008–09
Most points Casey Pierro-Zabotel 115 2008–09
Most points, rookie Kevin Connauton 72 2009–10
Most points, defenceman Kevin Connauton 72 2009–10
Best GAA, goalie Tyson Sexsmith 1.79 2006–07
Goalies = minimum 1500 minutes played

Note: Pos = Position; GP = Games played; G = Goals; A = Assists; Pts = Points; P/G = Points per game; * = current Giants player

Franchise scoring leaders
Player Pos GP G A Pts P/G
Brendan Gallagher RW 244 136 144 280 1.15
Adam Courchaine C 241 126 147 273 1.13
Craig Cunningham LW 295 86 136 222 0.75
Ty Ronning RW 285 127 91 218 0.76
Mitch Bartley LW 280 107 107 214 0.76
Jonathon Blum D 248 49 155 204 0.82
Darren Lynch RW 213 81 121 202 0.95
Jackson Houck RW 268 91 107 198 0.74
Gilbert Brule C 165 87 98 185 1.12
James Henry LW 281 62 122 184 0.66
Tyler Benson LW 190 61 123 184 0.97

Awards

WHL

Dunc McCallum Memorial Trophy

Coach of the Year

  • Don Hay – 2008–09

CHL

See also

  • List of ice hockey teams in British Columbia
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