2022-2023 Vancouver Giants Thread

[AngryElf]

I figured we should have a thread for our local WHL team. 

 

After a disappointing 2021-2022 season and selling captain and fan favourite Justin Sourdif, the team ended up making the playoffs as the 8th seed out of 10 western conference teams, with a record of 24-39-5. However, they look like an entirely different team and knock off Everett in the first round. Unfortunately, this run of form did not last and the boys didn't make it past Kamloops, but it was an incredible showing all the same. The team dealt with injuries but their next man up mentality was a treat to watch. Best of luck next season! 

 

Use this thread for anything Giants related! 

[AngryElf]

 End-of-Season Forwards: 

Spoiler

C: 7 - Ty Halaburda (2005)

C: 8 - Ty Thorpe (2002)

LW: 10 - Zach Ostapchuk (2003)

RW: 11 - Fabian Lysell (2003)

LW: 12 - Adam Hall (2001 OA)

C: 14 - Ethan Semeniuk (2005)

RW: 15 - Jaden Lipinski (2004)

C: 16 - Cole Shepard (2002)

LW: 17 - Kaden Kohle (2002)

C: 18 - Colton Langkow (2004)

RW: 19 - Payton Mount (2002)

LW: 20 - Jacob Boucher (2002)

LW: 23 - Kyle Bochek (2003)

RW: 26 - Justin Ivanusec (2006)

RW: 27 - Sammy May (2003)

LW: 28 - Julian Cull (2004)

RW: 36 - Justin Lies (2003)

 

End-of-Season Defenseman

Spoiler

RD: 4 - Tom Cadieux (2002)

LD: 4 - Cade McNally (2001)

LD: 6 - Marko Stacha (2002)

LD: 6 - Evan Toth (2002)

LD: 13 - Damian Palmieri (2004)

LD: 21 - Nicco Camazzola (2003)

RD: 22 - Connor Horning (2001 OA)

LD: 24 - Brenden Pentecost (2003)

RD: 25 - Colton Roberts (2006)

RD: 27 - Alex Cotton (2001 OA)

LD: 29 - Tanner Brown (2002)

RD: 47 - Mazden Leslie (2005)

 

End-of-Season Goalies 

Spoiler

G: 1 - Matthew Hutchison (2006)

G: 30 - Jesper Vikman (2002)

G: 31 - Will Gurski (2002)

G: 33 - Connor Martin (2002)

G: 33 - Drew Sim (2003)

 

Edited May 31, 2022 by AngryElf

[AngryElf]

2022 Prospect Draft: 

Spoiler

7th Overall: F Cameron Schmidt 

19th Overall: F Aaron Obobaifo 

22nd Overall: F Jakub Oreskovic

54th Overall: D Colton Alain 

119th Overall: G Burke Hood 

152nd Overall: D Liam Magnuson 

180th Overall: F Simon Ward 

202nd Overall: D Matson Waring 

224th Overall: D Cade Bolding

246th Overall: F Markus Lam

268th Overall: D Chloe Primerano

Edited May 31, 2022 by AngryElf

[AngryElf]

So, Chloe Primerano (recent giants draftee and first ever female drafted to the WHL) turned 15 a few months ago and played in a local tournament this past weekend. I was working there and once I realized she was playing, I saw just how much talent she actually had. She played in a U18W division and the overall level of play was a lot higher than I expected, considering I go to a lot of WHL games. Yes it is a step down, but aside from hitting there wasn't an insane gap between the girls and guys at that age.

 

I mainly watched Primerano in the gold medal game, and the first two periods I saw absolutely nothing flashy. Every play was the smart one, and she didn't make a single mistake. Short shifts, incredible defensive positioning for her age, most physical player on the ice, fantastic first pass and an assist on one of their teams goals in the first period. Naively, I started to get worried as she wasn't doing anything flashy to stand out. I started to worry about her confidence and her puckhandling, despite these being considered strengths of hers. Ended up going up 2-0 before the other team (a U16 academy with some insane players themselves) clawed their way back. As Chloe felt the tide of the game shift to the other team, she started doing more herself. She started going coast to coast more, using her edges and superior hockey sense to cut through seams like butter, getting chance after chance after chance. Whenever she didn't get the whistle in the attacking end, she'd book it to get back defensively before doing it all again. There were a couple times where the other team could've capitalized on her doing too much, but her skills were fascinating to watch and absolutely effortless.

 

Overall, she has fantastic edges but isn't necessarily a fast skater. The way she uses the momentum of the defenders in transition is very clever though, as she goes from east-west with ease to create space for her and her teammates. As she gets older, I expect her to get faster and stronger. She also has really good gap control, and isn't afraid to ride others into the boards. A few shortcomings I found however, is I she takes it upon herself to do it all for her team and there are times where she could've been caught out of position. She also needs to work on her shot selection, as there were times she'd shoot from low-danger areas without troubling the goalie too much, but telling a kid she shoots too much is far from uncommon, and far from a huge problem. Her hockey IQ is incredible, and being able to adapt based on how the game was flowing is highly indicative that she can elevate her game.

 

TL;DR: Chloe Primerano being drafted wasn't a "feel-good story" and she didn't take little Timmy's rightful draft spot. She is an incredible hockey player for her age and has all the tools to make it to the WHL.

 

(My story, but I also posted it to HFboards)

[King Heffy]

3 minutes ago, AngryElf said:

So, Chloe Primerano (recent giants draftee and first ever female drafted to the WHL) turned 15 a few months ago and played in a local tournament this past weekend. I was working there and once I realized she was playing, I saw just how much talent she actually had. She played in a U18W division and the overall level of play was a lot higher than I expected, considering I go to a lot of WHL games. Yes it is a step down, but aside from hitting there wasn't an insane gap between the girls and guys at that age.

 

I mainly watched Primerano in the gold medal game, and the first two periods I saw absolutely nothing flashy. Every play was the smart one, and she didn't make a single mistake. Short shifts, incredible defensive positioning for her age, most physical player on the ice, fantastic first pass and an assist on one of their teams goals in the first period. Naively, I started to get worried as she wasn't doing anything flashy to stand out. I started to worry about her confidence and her puckhandling, despite these being considered strengths of hers. Ended up going up 2-0 before the other team (a U16 academy with some insane players themselves) clawed their way back. As Chloe felt the tide of the game shift to the other team, she started doing more herself. She started going coast to coast more, using her edges and superior hockey sense to cut through seams like butter, getting chance after chance after chance. Whenever she didn't get the whistle in the attacking end, she'd book it to get back defensively before doing it all again. There were a couple times where the other team could've capitalized on her doing too much, but her skills were fascinating to watch and absolutely effortless.

 

Overall, she has fantastic edges but isn't necessarily a fast skater. The way she uses the momentum of the defenders in transition is very clever though, as she goes from east-west with ease to create space for her and her teammates. As she gets older, I expect her to get faster and stronger. She also has really good gap control, and isn't afraid to ride others into the boards. A few shortcomings I found however, is I she takes it upon herself to do it all for her team and there are times where she could've been caught out of position. She also needs to work on her shot selection, as there were times she'd shoot from low-danger areas without troubling the goalie too much, but telling a kid she shoots too much is far from uncommon, and far from a huge problem. Her hockey IQ is incredible, and being able to adapt based on how the game was flowing is highly indicative that she can elevate her game.

 

TL;DR: Chloe Primerano being drafted wasn't a "feel-good story" and she didn't take little Timmy's rightful draft spot. She is an incredible hockey player for her age and has all the tools to make it to the WHL.

 

(My story, but I also posted it to HFboards)

My main concern isn't on the ice, but off it due to some of the stories that have come out regarding the CHL over the past few years.

[AngryElf]

7 minutes ago, King Heffy said:

My main concern isn't on the ice, but off it due to some of the stories that have come out regarding the CHL over the past few years.

I find it unnecessary for her to be excluded because of the potential actions of others. Also, to be fair, she's closer to the Quinn Hughes build than Johnny Gaudreau. She's tenacious as hell, and by what some of her teammates and parents were saying, you don't want to piss her off, on or off the ice. 

[King Heffy]

30 minutes ago, AngryElf said:

I find it unnecessary for her to be excluded because of the potential actions of others. Also, to be fair, she's closer to the Quinn Hughes build than Johnny Gaudreau. She's tenacious as hell, and by what some of her teammates and parents were saying, you don't want to piss her off, on or off the ice. 

I agree, but I sure as hell hope every last one of her teammates is a perfect gentleman around her.

[Bounce000]

Love me some Giants games. Certainly a disappointing regular season considering how the roster looked after that Alex Cotton trade. I think we had 5 NHL draftees on the team. But made up for it by knocking out 1st seed Everett and taking Kamloops to 6 games.

[NucknAsia]

19 hours ago, AngryElf said:

I find it unnecessary for her to be excluded because of the potential actions of others. Also, to be fair, she's closer to the Quinn Hughes build than Johnny Gaudreau. She's tenacious as hell, and by what some of her teammates and parents were saying, you don't want to piss her off, on or off the ice. 

hell hath no fury like a woman's scorn!