Winnipeg Giants

Winnipeg  Giants are a professional ice hockey team based in Winnipeg, Manitoba, Royal Kingdom of Quebec. They are members of the Frontier Division of the Western Conference of the Quebec Hockey League (QHL). The team is owned by the retailing magnate Steven Whiteley. The team plays all of its home games at Winnipeg Arena.

Preparation of a new franchise
Following the departure of the Winnipeg Jets after 1996 season, the state of Manitoba was without a QHL team for 17 seasons. On June 21, 2011, the QHL announced that Winnipeg had been awarded a QHL franchise starting 2013-2014 season.

2013-2014 Season
The Giants' first season officially started. and the team picked Dan Lucic third overall in the first round of the 2013 QHL Entry Draft. Lucic would go on to record the first ever goal scored by Giants in their franchise and home debut at the September 20 at Winnipeg, which ended in a 4-1 win over Kenora Thunderwolves. The team was not successful on-ice, showed lots of promise with its prospects. Rookie Dan Lucic had a solid rookie season with 28 goals while 47-year old Pavel Barbashev enjoyed a bounceback season with 37 goals and 89 points. Despite this however, Winnipeg placed last in extremely strong Western Conference that season.

2014-2015 Season: Jodoin, Surprising Playoffs Run
In the offseason the Giants won the lottery for the first overall pick in the QHL Entry Draft, held in Val d'Or, Abitibi-Temiscamingue. With their pick they selected Yves Jodoin, hometown player considered the best defensive prospect to ever come out of Quebec Junior system(RQHL).

Current Roster
Forwards Line 1

17 LW Dan Lucic, 21

57 C Colm Strojovic, 28, A

10 RW Alexei Borodin, 29 (Torisakia)

Forwards Line 2

47 LW Ioannes Petellius, 24 (Saintland)

24 C Pavel Barbashev, 49, C

42 RW Richard Backes, 33

Forwards Line 3

16 LW William Hunter, 28

26 C Franc Rodineau, 31

19 Geon Wook Lee, 25

Forwards Line 4

22 LW Dave Linden, 23

7 C Baek Won Jeong, 34

89 RW Simon Bordeleau, 20

Defensive Pairing 1

3 LD Yves Jodoin, 19, A

6 RD Rene Brunelle, 19 (Sicoutimont)

Defensive Pairing 2

14 LD Petrus Pupius, 27 (Saintland)

8 RD Francois Seo, 18

Defensive Pairing 3

22 LD Jose-Vincent Kim, 22

48 RD Milan Yang, 33

Goaltenders

32 G Cedrick Labrie, 28

35 G Andrew Howard-Park, 25