Rob Wilton
2021-22 WHL Season, B.C. Division

2021-22 Vancouver Giants Season Preview

Written by Adam Kierszenblat on

Welcome to the 2021-22 Vancouver Giants season preview. The Giants come into this campaign hungry and ready to compete in what can be considered the toughest division in the WHL. Here are six storylines to watch this season.

O Captain! My Captain!

After being named the 18th captain in franchise history, big things are expected from Justin Sourdif. Not only will he need to lead this team on the ice, but off it as well. If last season is any indication, the Giants superstar may be set for a historic campaign with the organization.

Last season, Sourdif was fifth in the WHL in points and assists. He was named to the BC Divisions all-star team and took home the BC Divisions player of the year award last season. With players like Fabian Lysell, Justin Lies and Zack Ostapchuck surrounding him, he may come close to breaking Casey Pierro-Zabotel’s franchise single-season assists record of 79 this season.

How Swede it is

The two most significant offseason acquisitions come from Sweden. The Giants brought in Boston prospect Fabian Lysell and Vegas prospect Jesper Vikman. (from First round NHL pick Fabian Lysell will bring ‘unbelievable skill and unbelievable speed’ to Vancouver Giants lineup, The Province, 09/30/21) Lysell was drafted by the Bruins in the first round of last year and is expected to light up the WHL with his deadly shot and killer speed. Currently, the single-season franchise record for points by a rookie is 60. If Lysell has the season he is projected to have, we could see a new name at the top of the list by the end of the campaign.

The other addition is Vikman. The 19-year old was a fifth-round draft pick of the Golden Knights back in 2020. Vikman showed well in Vegas training camp and should be Sweden’s goaltender at the World Juniors this season. He has great size, mobility and should be a big part of the Giant’s goaltending this season.

Solid in the Crease

The Giants are set in the net with Jesper Vikman, Drew Sim and Will Gurski. It looks as though Vikman will get the majority of starts, but don’t underestimate Sim and Gurski. Both can get hot and could go on a run if Vikman struggles during the season.

Sim and Gurski are great options to have as Vikman is making the transition to the WHL. Both have experience and know some of the player tendencies around the league. The big question is who will step up when Vikman leaves for the World Juniors. If Sweden goes far in the tournament, he could miss up to seven games. The inner competition will be great to see as all three should push each other to have great seasons.

Special Teams

If the Giants want to be successful, they need their special teams to work. Last season, they finished fifth in penalty kill but only 13th on the power play. That is going to be a major focus this season. Players will need to step up, especially with the losses of Alex Kannok Leipert, Tristen Nielsen and Eric Florchuk, who were key pieces with the man advantage.

The good news is the Giants can ice two balanced power plays this season. The addition of players like Payton Mount and Ty Thorpe should give that second unit some jump this season. There is also the anticipated return of Cole Shepard, which adds even more offence to the group. They have the personnel to be a top-ten power play in the league; they need to put it all together and execute.

The Young Guns Stepping Up

A big part of the team’s success this year will be the integration of the team’s rookies. Jaden Lipinski, Damian Palmieri, Ethan Semeniuk and Ty Halaburda. All four players impressed this season and will be relied upon to step up during their first season in the WHL.

Although their ice-time may be limited at first, all four of these players have to leave their mark on every game. Whether it is a hit, a shot on the net or being solid in the face-off circle, they need to do something every game. The Giants have a strong rookie class this season, and they can make a difference this season.

Offence From the Blueline

The Giants come into this season with some playmakers on defence. They need to find a way to generate offence from the blueline this season if they want to win. We know this group can perform in their own zone; now the question is, can they make a difference at the other end of the ice.

All eyes will be on second-year player Mazden Leslie when it comes to offence. He has looked good through camp and showed last year he can put the puck in the net. The other is Tanner Brown. He put up 10 points last year and should be part of one of the power-play units this season. If both can contribute with the extra man, and the rest of the group can step up with some five-on-five offence, the team should be one of the toughest to play against this season.

BC Division Prediction:

The BC Division is hard to predict. It looks like Kamloops will finish first, and Victoria will finish at the bottom, but spots two through four are thought to determine. Kelowna, Prince George and Kelowna are all strong teams. Based on the rosters, Vancouver should finish second, Kelowna third, and Prince George fourth. All three teams should make playoffs this season.

Giants celebrate a goal versus Prince George. 09/24/2021. Photo Credit: Rob Wilton/ Vancouver Giants

It will be a tough road for the Vancouver Giants this season but the squad led by head coach
Michael Dyck and associate coach Keith McCambridge look ready to do some damage this season.