Vancouver Giants
2021-22 WHL Season, B.C. Division, WHL, WHL Playoffs

Colton Roberts hopes to add playoff success to an already impressive campaign

Written by Giancarlo Nadeau on

 

Late last year the Giants announced that they drafted Colton Roberts a 2006-born defenceman from Maple Ridge, B.C. Roberts was drafted 11th overall by his hometown team, the Vancouver Giants, and the selection of Colton Roberts marked the second consecutive year that Vancouver selected a defenceman in the first round. Mazden Leslie (2020), Bowen Byram (2016), and Matt Barberis (2013) top the list. 

Roberts produced five goals and 21 assists for 26 points in 17 games at the time he was drafted with the Delta Hockey Academy’s U-17 Prep program. The 6’1”, 161-pound right-handed shot defenceman would go on to play 31 games with Delta’s U-17 Prep program and would finish the season with 9 goals and 36 assists for 45 points. He also played in two games with the U-18 Prep team where he picked up an assist. Roberts was eventually named the CSSHL U-17 Prep Division “Defenceman of the Year.”

His name was officially added to the Giants’ roster on December 13, 2021, when the team officially announced that they had signed him to a Standard WHL Player Agreement. At the time, Roberts became the first of the team’s eight 2021 draftees to sign with the Vancouver Giants. He was eligible to play in five games with the G-men this season and did not disappoint in the five games that he went on to play. 

Roberts made his WHL debut on December 27 against the Victoria Royals and recorded his first WHL point, an assist, on February 11 against Prince George.

“He’s made tremendous strides this year. He’s a big, strong leader on the ice. He’s got a ton of assists, and can activate a power play,” said Vancouver Giants General Manager Barclay Parneta when asked about Roberts during a team interview. Parneta went on to claim that Roberts fits “the team’s identity really well” and that he being a local kid is a plus.

Roberts added to his impressive stint with the G-men when he suited up in his first WHL playoff game on April 23 for Game 2 against the Everett Silvertips. 

With Game 5 set for tonight in Everett and the series currently tied at two, Roberts and his team will look to take a 3-2 lead in the series. 

Vancouver took the first game in a 5-4 overtime victory that saw Adam Hall record a hat trick and was the first game back from a long-lasting injury for Vancouver’s star goaltender, Jesper Vikman. Vikman’s appearance was the first since March 4 and the highly praised Goaltender did not disappoint making 34 stops on the night. 

Game 2 was won 7-3 by Everett and the Silvertips were victorious in Game 3 too, with another high-scoring affair that they won 6-2.

The high-scoring affairs continued in Game 4 with the Giants scoring 11 goals to tackle Everett by an 11-6 final score. The eleven goals are the most in team history for Vancouver in the playoffs and taking down a top team will certainly be up in the history books, as well. Both teams need two wins to advance to the second round.

Tonight’s game is set for 6:00 p.m., at the Angel of the Winds Arena.