Daily Dose of the DUB: Giants name leadership group, WHL first goals, injury announcements, and more

Vancouver Giants name leadership group

On Friday afternoon the Vancouver Giants named their leadership group for the 2020-21 REMAX Hub. Returning as captain is 2000-born defenseman Alex Kannok-Leipert (198GP, 14G, 51A). Joining him are alternate captains 2000-born forwards Tristen Neilsen (220GP, 68G, 77A with Calgary and Vancouver) and Eric Florchuk (249GP, 62, 104A with Victoria, Saskatoon, and Vancouver).

Shepard out for the season

Vancouver Giants forward Cole Shepard had an off-season procedure and will miss the entire 2020-21 WHL season. Shepard was not listed as being injured in the most recent WHL weekly report but had not appeared with the team for the week leading up to the season opener. Shepard had 11 goals and 18 assists in 50 games with the Giants last season. He was a second-round pick of the Giants at the 2017 WHL Draft.

Health issue keeps Lambos out for season

Winnipeg ICE defenseman Carson Lambos is out for the season as reported by the Winnipeg Free Press. The 2003-born Winnipeg, MB native had appeared in the first two games of the season for the ICE but was recently listed as out indefinitely on the WHL weekly report. A procedure to correct the issue is scheduled for April 28, also deeming Lambos out for the U18 Championships in Dallas, TX from April 26 to May 6.

Milic earns first career WHL shutout

Goaltender Thomas Milic earned his first WHL shutout as he turned away 35 Spokane Chiefs shots as the Seattle Thunderbirds won 5-0. Milic was playing in just his fifth WHL game. His record now improves to 3-1-0-0. He has a career 2.46 goals-against average and a .921 save percentage. Milic is a former third-round 2018 WHL Draft pick of the Thunderbirds.

Hagan scores first WHL goal

Swift Current Broncos forward Bode Hagan scored his first WHL goal at 2:48 of the first period in a 7-4 win over the Winnipeg ICE. The goal opened the scoring for both teams. Hagan was playing in his 50th WHL game and had been drafted in the eighth round of the 2018 WHL Draft by the Brandon Wheat Kings. Hagan was traded to the Broncos on January 10, 2020.

Lewis scores first WHL goal

Swift Current Broncos forward Braden Lewis scored his first WHL goal at 12:08 of the first period in a 7-4 Broncos win over the Winnipeg ICE. Lewis’ goal gave the Broncos a 2-0 lead. Lewis was selected in the sixth-round of the 2018 WHL Draft by the Broncos. He was playing in his seventh WHL game.

Levis scores first WHL goal

Kamloops Blazers forward Connor Levis scored his first WHL goal last night in the Blazers 7-3 win over the Vancouver Giants. Levis’ goal came at 13:43 of the first period and gave the Blazers a 3-0 lead. Levis also scored his second goal of the season at 4:13 of the third period. It was Levis’ first WHL game. Levis was a first-round draft pick of the Blazers at the 2019 WHL Draft.

Quiring scores first WHL goal

Forward Steel Quiring scored his first WHL goal in the Kelowna Rockets 5-0 win over the Victoria Royals. Quiring’s goal was the eventual game-winner, he scored at 2:48 of the first period. Quiring is a former fifth-round 2018 WHL Draft pick of the Rockets. It was Quiring’s 16th WHL contest.

WHL releases COVID-19 testing results

Another successful week for the WHL in its return to play, as the league announced zero positive test results among the 1,002 tests administered for the week of March 20 through March 26. The league has now just one positive test result, from the Kelowna Rockets cohort, among its 4,094 tests since the start of the return to play.

Wolf sets new Silvertips shutout record

Following an incredible start to the Everett Silvertips season, Calgary Flames goaltending prospect Dustin Wolf stopped every shot his way to open the season. When he was finally scored on in the team’s fourth game of the season, Wolf had surpassed Carter Hart’s franchise shutout streak mark. Wolf’s new mark is 216 minutes and 27 seconds.

Krebs hits 200 points

Winnipeg ICE Captain Peyton Krebs hit career point 200 on the team’s first goal of the night. Krebs scored at :39 of the second period during a man advantage. He then went on to finish the night with two more assists to cap a three-point night. In 183 WHL games, Krebs has 54 goals and 148 assists. Krebs is a former first-round pick of the Vegas Golden Knights at the 2019 NHL Draft. In five games with the Golden Knight’s AHL-affiliate, Henderson Silver Knights, Krebs contributed a goal and four assists.

Blazers produce their own webcast

Last night during the Kamloops Blazers home opener, Jon Keen, radio play-by-play voice of the Blazers, revealed that the WHL club was producing its own webcast for the 24-game season. Doing things this way allows the team to have its own production and sponsors. What this means for fans is that Jon Keen will only be available on Radio NL 610 AM in Kamloops. Kirk Baethke will have the radio call on the Blazers webcast on CHL Live TV.

De Leo hits 200 point milestone in the AHL

Forward Chase De Leo (279GP, 110G, 141A with Portland ’11-’15) has hit 200 AHL points. De Leo is playing with the San Diego Gulls and hit the scoresheet when he scored in last night’s 4-1 win over the Bakersfield Condors. In 17 games this season with the Gulls, De Leo has seven goals and six assists. He has 82 career goals and 118 assists. De Leo is a former fourth-round pick of the Winnipeg Jets at the 2014 NHL Draft.

Papirny signs with Everblades

Goaltender Jordan Papirny (205GP, 119-60-22, 2.93GAA, .907sv% with Brandon and Swift Current ’12-’17) has signed with the Florida Everblades. Most recently Papirny had been playing with the NAIT Ooks of the ACAC, posting a 14-3-0-0 record in 2019-20. He also had a 1.82 goals-against average and a .933 save percentage. Papirny won the Ed Chynoweth Cup with the Wheat Kings in 2015-16.

Tvrdon signs extension with HK Nitra

Forward Marek Trvdon (119GP, 56G, 78A with Vancouver ’10-’13) has signed a contract extension with HK Nitra of Slovakia. 2020-21 was Trvdon’s second stint with HK Nitra, having played for the team in 2016-17. This season in 50 games, Trvdon scored 23 goals and added 31 assists. Trvdon is a former fourth-round pick of the Detriot Red Wings at the 2011 NHL Draft.