GIANTS RETURN FROM NHL TRAINING CAMP

Photo Credit Rob Wilton

Locally the Vancouver Giants are hitting the ice again this coming weekend with players returning from NHL training camps which can only benefit the Giants in their quest for the WHL Championship.

The following is the most recent press release from the G-men. Enjoy the read:

The Vancouver Giants are pleased to announce that Ty Halaburda, Colton Roberts, and Mazden Leslie have been returned to the club for the 2024-25 season after attending NHL main camps this past weekend.

On Sunday evening, the Vancouver Canucks announced that Halaburda had been released from his amateur tryout agreement, giving the Giants their top point producer from 2023-24. 

The 19-year-old was a free agent invite to the Young Stars Classic in Penticton and was then invited to Canucks Main Camp over the weekend.

Halaburda was tied for the Giants lead in both points (66) and power play points (17) last season with Jaden Lipinski. 

He finished the year with 22 points in his final 18 games (6G-16A) and was the only Giant to appear in all 68 games. 

Additionally, the Victoria native recorded five shorthanded points  – which was just outside the top-10 in the WHL – and three game-winning-goals, as well as two shootout goals, one of which was a game-winner.

His 27 points were fifth among all WHL defencemen age 17 or younger.

On Monday afternoon, the Vegas Golden Knights announced they had assigned six players to their junior teams, which included Leslie. 

The 19-year-old defenceman was a free agent invite by the Golden Knights for the Rookie Faceoff and to Training Camp.

In the 2023-24 season, Leslie led all Giants defencemen in scoring for the second consecutive time, scoring 14 goals and adding 30 assists for 44 points. 

His 14 goals were tied for 10th amongst all WHL defencemen, while his five game-winning-goals were tied for the most amongst all D-men. 

Twenty-seven of his 44 points came at even-strength. The Lloydminster, Alta. product led all Giants in ice-time with close to 26 minutes per game last season, playing in all situations.

It’s expected that all three players will be in the lineup on Friday when the Giants welcome the Prince George Cougars to the Langley Events Centre.

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