On September 3rd, 2021, the Vancouver Giants started their on-ice sessions as part of their 2021 training camp. The group featured a good mix of veterans and rookies, including a few NHL drafted players. Here are some news and notes from the day:
Europeans yet to arrive:
Marko Stacha, Jesper Vikman and Fabian Lysell have not joined camp yet. While Stacha and Vikman are expected to, the team is still waiting to hear about Lysell.
New faces everywhere
This training camp features 20 players that have yet to play a game for the Giants in the WHL. Those players include WHL veterans like Ty Thrope, Cade McNelly and Payton Mount, brought in via trade.
Young guys looking to impress
This year’s training camp features 10 players listed with 2005 birthdays. Mazden Leslie leads the group, with players like Ty Hallaburda, Hunter McInnes and Colin Reay pushing for spots.
Players that impressed:
Seven new players impressed on day one. Here is who stood out:
Colin Reay- Goaltender
Reay is battling for the third goaltender spot on the team. He showed great athleticism, fought through screens well and battled to the whistle in every drill. Don’t be surprised if he makes the team out of camp this season.
Ty Halaburda- Forward
Halaburda has a good shot at making the team this season. He has great hand-eye coordination and has a strong skating stride. He is not afraid to get to the dirty areas and fight for the puck against guys bigger than him—a strong start to camp for the 32nd pick in the 2020 Bantam Draft.
Ty Thorpe- Forward
The WHL veteran was very impressive on his first day of camp with the Giants. He showed off his wheels and ability to make moves with the puck while moving at full speed. Thorpe also showed he could shield the puck well from defenders. He should be a lock to make this team and could get some top-six minutes this season.
Hunter McInnes- Defence
The ninth-round pick from 2020 had a day to remember. He showed off his speed, ability to separate players from the puck and strong puck placement on shots. One other area that was impressive is his ability to walk the blue line with the puck. You can tell this kid has confidence and is ready to show off what he can do to the Giants brass.
Jaden Lipinski- Forward
Lipinski is a big kid who has great hands and the ability to turn on the jets. He has long strides which allow him to cover more ground. He also understands that he is big and knows how to use his size to bring that level of physicality. This Giant’s team is going to play physically, which should allow him to fit in well.
Mark Thurston- Forward
Just like Lipinski, Thurston is a big kid who has some wheels. He played last season in the BCHL with Merritt, so he does have some experience playing junior hockey. This is a player fans will love if he makes the team. He plays physically and has good hand-eye coordination around the net. Could be very useful in the bottom-six this season.
Samuel Brown- Forward
Brown was all over the ice making his presence felt. Every time there was a loose puck, he was the first one to it as he was impossible not to notice. He is a high-skilled player with the ability to make moves in close on the goaltender. One of the hardest-working kids out there today; look for Brown to really make a push to make the team this year.
Strong first day
The Giants coaching staff is going to have some tough decisions to make once Training Camp is concluded. The rookies are really making a push this year as there will be quite a few open spots this year. The competition is starting to heat up as scrimmages start on day two.
