Vancouver Giants facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Vancouver Giants |
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| 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) |
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Website chl.ca/whl-giants |
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The Vancouver Giants are a major junior ice hockey team from Langley, British Columbia. They play in the Western Hockey League (WHL). The team started in 2001. The Giants won the Ed Chynoweth Cup in 2006, which means they were the champions of their league. In 2007, they won the Memorial Cup, becoming the best junior hockey team in Canada! The team used to play in Vancouver at the Pacific Coliseum. This was the old home of the National Hockey League's Vancouver Canucks. But in 2016, the Giants moved to the Langley Events Centre.
Contents
Giants History: From New Team to Champions
A businessman named Ron Toigo started the Vancouver Giants in 2001. This was an "expansion team," meaning it was a brand new team joining the WHL. Over time, other people joined the team's ownership group. This included famous people like former Canucks coach Pat Quinn, hockey legend Gordie Howe (his family after he passed away), and singer Michael Bublé. For 15 seasons, the team played at the Pacific Coliseum in Vancouver. Then, in 2016, they moved to their current home, the Langley Events Centre.
The Giants had a tough first year, which is common for new teams. They only won 13 games. But they quickly got much better! In 2002, they picked Gilbert Brule as their first pick in the draft. He became their first big star. Brule won an award in 2004 for being the best rookie in the WHL. That same year, the Giants won their first playoff series.
Something big happened in 2004–05: the 2004–05 NHL lockout. This meant that professional NHL players weren't playing. Because of this, more fans came to watch the junior hockey games, including the Giants! Nearly 9,000 fans came to their first game that season. The team averaged 8,400 fans per game. This helped the Giants become very popular. They then had many successful seasons, winning their division five times in a row between 2005 and 2010.
Their winning streak started when Don Hay became their new head coach. In 2005, the team's general manager, Scott Bonner, brought in important players like Kenndal McArdle, Wacey Rabbit, and goalie Dustin Slade. These players, along with Brule, helped the team win their first championship. In 2006, the Giants won their first league championship, beating the Moose Jaw Warriors. Gilbert Brule was named the most valuable player. This win sent them to their first Memorial Cup tournament. They lost in the semifinal, but Brule scored 12 points, which was a lot!
In 2007, a new star player, Milan Lucic, helped the Giants get back to the WHL championship. Future star Evander Kane also played his first games that year. They played against the Medicine Hat Tigers in the final and lost in a very close game seven. However, the Giants were chosen to host the 2007 Memorial Cup. This meant they got to play in the tournament even though they lost the WHL final. The Giants won their semifinal game 8–1 against the Plymouth Whalers. This set up a rematch with the Medicine Hat Tigers in the final. This time, the Giants won 3–1, taking home their first Memorial Cup! Milan Lucic was named the tournament's MVP. In 2023, that amazing 2007 Giants team was added to the B.C. Hockey Hall of Fame.
The Giants had their best season ever in 2008–09, with 57 wins and 119 points. They made it to the Conference finals in 2009 and 2010. After 2010, they didn't win another playoff series until 2019. In 2018, Barclay Parneta became the new general manager and hired Michael Dyck as head coach. In the 2019 final, the Giants played against the Prince Albert Raiders. The Giants were down 3–1 in the series but fought back to force a game seven. In that final game, the Raiders won 3–2 in overtime.
In 2022, the Giants made history! They picked Chloe Primerano in the WHL prospects draft. She became the first female skater ever chosen in a Canadian Hockey League draft. In 2023, Manny Viveiros became the Giants' new head coach.
Season-by-Season Results
This table shows how the Vancouver Giants have done each season. Note: GP = Games played, W = Wins, L = Losses, T = Ties, OTL = Overtime losses, GF = Goals for, GA = Goals against, Pts = Points
| 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 Wins
The Vancouver Giants have won several important championships and titles.
This is for the best junior hockey team in all of Canada!
- 2007 – Champions
- 2006 – 3rd place
- Ed Chynoweth Cup
This is for winning the Western Hockey League playoffs.
- 2019 — Finalists (they made it to the final game)
- 2007 – Finalists
- 2006 – Champions
- Western Conference Champions
- 2005–06, 2006–07, 2018–19
- B.C. Division Champions
This means they finished first in their division during the regular season.
- 2005–06, 2006–07, 2007–08, 2008–09, 2009–10, 2018–19
WHL Championship Series Games
- 2005–06: Won, 4–0 against Moose Jaw Warriors
- 2006–07: Lost, 3–4 against Medicine Hat Tigers
- 2018–19: Lost, 3–4 against Prince Albert Raiders
Memorial Cup Finals Games
- 2007: Won, 3–1 against Medicine Hat Tigers
Giants Players
Many talented players have played for the Vancouver Giants.
NHL Alumni
These are players who played for the Giants and later played in the National Hockey League (NHL), which is the top professional hockey league.
- 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
The Ring of Honour celebrates special players who made a big impact on the team. Their names are displayed at the arena.
- Brett Festerling (honored on December 7, 2010)
- Andrej Meszaros (honored on December 27, 2010)
- Mark Fistric (honored on January 23, 2011)
- Gilbert Brule (honored on January 28, 2011)
- Milan Lucic (honored on February 25, 2011)
- Cody Franson (honored on February 17, 2012)
- Evander Kane (honored on March 7, 2012)
- Brendan Gallagher (honored on February 15, 2014)
- Lance Bouma (honored on November 20, 2015)
- Craig Cunningham (honored on December 2, 2018)
Team Records
These tables show some of the best and worst records the Giants have had as a team and by individual players.
Team Records for a Single Season
| 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
| 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 |
| GAA (Goals Against Average) for goalies = minimum 1500 minutes played | |||
Franchise Scoring Leaders
This table shows the players who have scored the most points for the Giants over their entire time with the team. Note: Pos = Position; GP = Games played; G = Goals; A = Assists; Pts = Points; P/G = Points per game
| 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 and Honours
Many Giants players and coaches have won awards for their great performance.
WHL Awards
These awards are given by the Western Hockey League.
- Jim Piggott Memorial Trophy
This award is for the best rookie (first-year player) in the league.
- Gilbert Brule – 2003–04
- Bill Hunter Memorial Trophy
This award is for the best defenceman (defense player) in the league.
- Jonathon Blum – 2008–09
- WHL Plus-Minus Award
This award goes to the player with the best plus-minus rating in the regular season.
- Paul Albers – 2005–06
- Jonathon Blum – 2006–07
- Doug Wickenheiser Memorial Trophy
This award is for the player who shows great sportsmanship and helps their community.
- Ty Ronning – 2017–18
- Bob Clarke Trophy
This award is for the player who scores the most points in the regular season.
- Casey Pierro-Zabotel – 2008–09
- Dunc McCallum Memorial Trophy
This award is for the best coach of the year.
- Don Hay – 2008–09
CHL Awards
These awards are given by the Canadian Hockey League, which includes all major junior leagues in Canada.
- Ed Chynoweth Trophy
This award is for the player who scores the most points at the Memorial Cup tournament.
- Gilbert Brule – 2006
- Michal Repik – 2007
- Stafford Smythe Memorial Trophy
This award is for the Most Valuable Player (MVP) of the Memorial Cup tournament.
- Milan Lucic – 2007
- CHL Defenceman of the Year
- Jonathon Blum – 2009
Images for kids
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Tyson Sexsmith and Michal Řepík playing for the Giants in 2007.
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Game action between the Giants and the rival Victoria Royals in 2014.
See also
- List of ice hockey teams in British Columbia
