Yesterday we posted an article on David Rutherford who returned to play for the Belfast Giants and we were asked if there were other Canadian players on the team – so we did our homework.
Seems that he has some elite company with some familiar names who not only come from BC, but also have played in the BCHL at a time.
Here’s the rest of Canadians on the Belfast Giants hockey team.
It’s interesting to note that teammates include 22 year-old Kelowna Goaltender Jackson Whistle who is listed as a non-import as his Father was the Giants first ever head coach.
Other players include Cole Jarrett from Sault Ste. Marie who played four years in the OHL with the Plymouth Whalers then moving on to get signed by the New York Islanders in 2003.
Spiro Goulakos is in his third season with the Giants that saw him previously play in the Quebec Junior (AAAJL) advancing to play for Hartford (AHL) and Greenville of the East Coast Hockey League.
Jim Vandermeer (6’1”) has nine seasons of NHL experience, returns for a third season in Belfast after joining the Giants in February 2016.
Head Coach Adam Keefe has appointed Vandermeer as a Player/Assistant Coach for the 2017/18 season, joining Brandon Benedict on the coaching team.
The Canadian played 482 NHL games in total for the Philadelphia Flyers, Chicago Blackhawks, Calgary Flames, Phoenix Coyotes, Edmonton Oilers and San Jose Sharks.
The 24 year old defenceman is added to the Giants blueline alongside Mark Garside, Ryan Martinelli and Cole Jarrett.
Raine, a Canadian with a right shot, joins the Giants from the ECHL’s Florida Everblades.
Also he had four OHL seasons notching 6 goals, 38 assists in 171 games.
He won an OHL championship in 2011/12 with the London Knights and was also the Captain of the Sudbury Wolves in 2013/14.
Ryan Martinelli (30) stands 6’5” originally joined the Giants in 2016 from Székesfehérvár of the Austrian Hockey Leagur and during the 2016/17 season he posted four goals and 17 assists, good for 21 points in 61 games played for the Giants.
Prior to his arrival in Belfast, Martinelli played for the St. Thomas Stars, the OHL London Knights and the University of Western Ontario before moving to Europe to sign with Valpellice of Italy.
Sebastien Sylvestre turned pro in 2014/15, joining the Bakersfield Condors and led the team in both goals and points with 23 goals and 24 assists, good for 47 points in 69 games.
Darcy Murphy for the 2017/18 Elite League season. The 24 year old forward from Ontario, Canada joins the Giants after a season split with the the ECHL Tulsa Oilers and the Manitoba Moose of the AHL.
He has also played for the Trenton Golden Hawks, Tulsa Oilers and the Manitoba Moose to name a few.
John Kurtz arrives in Belfast following a season split between the AHL & ECHL with the Syracuse Crunch and Norfolk Admirals respectively.
He had impressive numbers in the OHL with the Sudbury Wolves 71 goals and 72 assists in 251 games and prior to that played minor hockey in Oakville.
Jonathan Ferland (34) previously played for the Vienna Capitals and was the Captain for the Austrian Hockey League side in the 2016-17 National Championship.
He is from Quebec and was drafted in 2002 by Montréal 212th overall in the 7th round.
Blair Riley (30) calls Kamloops home and adds size to the Giants for the 2016/17 Elite League season.
He spent time in the AHL in each of the past seven seasons, playing over 330 games and was an Assistant Captain with Stockton, St.John’s as well as Bridgeport.
He previously played for the Merritt Centennials and the Nanaimo Clippers moving on to the Vegas Wranglers.
Brandon Benedict (35) is in his third season with the Giants and calls Halifax home and first joined the Giants back in 2009 and helped the organisation to the 2010 Playoff title.
Brendan Connolly joins the Giants coming over from Rungstead in Denmark where he helped them win the Danish Championship.
In 2016/17 Connolly was the league’s most penalised player with 187 penalty minutes as well as finishing fifth in the league’s points standings with 20 goals and 28 assists, good for 48 points in 42 games.
Dustin Johner (34) calls Estevan Saskatchewan home and was selected by the Florida Panthers in the 2001 NHL Draft.
He played 57 AHL and 198 ECHL games before moving to Europe for the 2007/08 season signing with the Zurich Lions.
He won the Swiss A League championship with the Lions and then joined Innsbruck and Heilbronner in consecutive seasons.
He also played minor hockey in Red Deer then moving up to play in the WHL for the Seattle Thunderbirds.
Adam Keefe was appointed Head Coach in May 2017 becoming the ninth Head Coach after carrying out the job of Player/Assistant Coach with excellence in the 2015/16 and 2016/17 seasons.
He also played for the Victoria Salmon Kings, Manitoba Moose, Kitchener Rangers and the Sudbury Wolves in the OHL.
Nice to see such an addition to the roster for the Giants from Canada
