The Langley Events Centre’s newest tenant is already making headlines.
Two days after the official announcement of the Vancouver Giants’ move to the LEC after 15 years at the Pacific Coliseum, the Giants were busy at the Western Hockey League draft.
The Vancouver Giants selected defenceman Bowen Byram with the third overall pick in the 2016 WHL Bantam Draft, held Thursday morning in Calgary, Alta.
“We’re very excited to add Bowen to our club as he was the number one player on our list,” Giants director of player personnel Jason Ripplinger said. “He’s a dynamic player with great offensive instincts. He also plays a good defensive game and is a very smart player overall.”
Byram, who hails from Cranbrook, spent the 2015/16 season with the Lethbridge Golden Hawks of the Alberta Major Bantam Hockey League. The 5’11” 168-pound blueliner tallied 22 goals and 37 assists in 34 games to lead the league in scoring by a defenceman.
The Golden Hawks won the AMBHL title before going on to capture a bronze medal at the Western Canadian Bantam AAA Championships.
Later in the draft, the Giants used their 20th overall pick to select goaltender Trent Miner.
A native of Brandon, Man., Miner posted a 1.52 goals against average in 27 games with the Brandon Wheat Kings Bantam AAA team during the 2015/16 season.
The Giants acquired the 20th overall pick from the Red Deer Rebels in exchange for a 2016 second round pick (24th overall) and a 2016 third round pick (46th overall).
In the second round of Thursday’s draft, the Giants selected forwards Harrison Blaisdell and Lukas Svejkovsky.
Blaisdell went to the G-Men at 31st overall. The Regina native played for the Yale Hockey Academy Bantam Prep team during the 2015/16 season, scoring 20 goals and 34 assists in 25 games.
Svejkovsky went to Vancouver at 36th overall and played for the Delta Hockey Academy Bantam Prep team during the 2015/16 season. The Point Roberts, Wash., native scored seven goals and 21 assists in 25 games.
Svejkovsky’s father, Jaroslav (Yogi), is a former WHLer, NHLer and the Giants’ current skills coach.
Giants season tickets are on sale now with limited seating available. Call 604-444-2687 to reserve priority seating or visit VancouverGiants.com/SeasonTickets.