Belfast Giants
| Belfast Giants | |
|---|---|
 | |
| City | Belfast, Northern Ireland |
| League | Elite Ice Hockey League |
| Founded | 2000 |
| Home arena | Odyssey Arena |
| Colours |
White, red & teal |
| Owner(s) | The Odyssey Trust |
| Head coach |
 Steve Thornton |
| Captain |
Adam Keefe |
| Website |
www |
| Franchise history | |
| 2000–present | Belfast Giants |
| Championships | |
| Regular season titles | 2001–02, 2005–06, 2011–12, 2013-14 |
| Playoff championships | 2003, 2010 |
| Knockout Cups | 2008–09 |
| Challenge Cups | 2008–09 |
The Belfast Giants are an ice hockey team from Belfast, Northern Ireland that compete in the Elite Ice Hockey League. Home games are played at the 12,000-capacity Odyssey Arena in Belfast.
Currently the Belfast Giants are sponsored by Stena Line and are known as 'The Stena Line Belfast Giants'. The previous major sponsors were Aer Lingus, LBM, Coors Fine Light Beer and Harp Lager who sponsored the Belfast Giants in sequence since their inception.
Sectarianism had long been seen as a significant problem in some sports in Northern Ireland. When the club was established, the Belfast Giants were keen that the club not attach itself to a particular faith or community, instead wanting to represent Belfast as a whole. A number of policies were subsequently introduced to try to ensure this. Particular clothing (such as association football replica shirts), which might have displayed a person's political or religious affiliation, were banned and flags were not permitted to be brought into the arena. The national anthem of the United Kingdom, traditionally played before games at other arenas in the Elite League, is not played before Giants games. These policies have been successful and the Giants have quickly built a large and enthusiastic fanbase who did not have to fear the sectarianism that marred other sports in Northern Ireland.
Initially members of the now defunct Superleague, the Giants won the championship in 2001–02 and were play-off champions in 2002–03. With the Superleague's demise, there were concerns that the Giants would not survive because of major financial problems which had developed. Running up debts of £600,000 and facing the threat of liquidation creditors voted to accept 20p in the pound allowing the club to continue. One company was believed to be owed nearly £65,000.[1]
However, with the creation of the new Elite Ice Hockey League (EIHL) for the 2003–04 season, the Giants survived. The Giants finished 4th in the league's first season, but failed to reach the post-season play-offs..
The Giants finished runners up in the 2004–05 season behind the Coventry Blaze but were winners of the Cross-over League Cup, which was played with teams from the BNL.
In 2005, The Giants unveiled NHL All-Star and Olympic Gold Medal winner, Theo Fleury who made his debut against the Edinburgh Capitals. The Giants won 11–2, with Fleury scoring a hat-trick. With 4 additional assists and a fight under his belt, he was named man of the match.
Besides Fleury, several other players who previously played in the NHL have played for the Giants; Paul Kruse, Jason Ruff, Paxton Schulte, and Jason Bowen, Bowen and Kruse having played almost 600 games between them. Kevin Westgarth is the latest incumbent from the NHL to don the Giants jersey, arriving from the Calgary Flames after several seasons in North America's top league.
With an average attendance of around 4,023, the Giants are one of two Elite league ice hockey squads among the most popular teams of the continent, along with the Nottingham Panthers.[2]
Facts
- Sponsors: Stena Line (Main Sponsor 2011–present)
- Founded: 2000 into the British Ice Hockey Superleague
- Primary Arena: Odyssey Arena, (capacity 8,000)
- Training Arena: Dundonald International Ice Bowl
- Uniform Colours: White, Red, Teal, Black
- Logo Design: shows Finn McCool with a hockey stick.
- Mascot: Finn McCool and Subman (Sponsorship Deal with Subway)
- Motto: "In the land of the Giants, everyone is equal".
2014–15 roster
| Number | Player | Place/Date of Birth | Catches | Acquired | Joined from |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 31 | Stephen Murphy [4] |  Dundee, Scotland11 December 1981 |
L | 2009 | Manchester Phoenix (EIHL) |
| 35 | Andrew Dickson [5] |  Ballymoney, Northern Ireland2 November 1987 |
L | 2011 | Invicta Dynamos (ENL) |
| Number | Player | Place/Date of Birth | Shoots | Acquired | Joined from |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3 | Jeff Mason [6] |  Easthampton, MA, United States11 August 1981 |
R | 2012 | Lillehammer IK (GET-ligaen) |
| 6 | Robby Sandrock [7] | Williams Lake, BC, Canada 10 March 1978 |
R | 2012 | SERC Wild Wings (2.Bundesliga) |
| 13 | David Phillips [8] |  Beverley, England14 August 1987 |
R | 2012 | SønderjyskE (AL-Bank Ligaen) |
| 24 | Calvin Elfring [9] | Lethbridge, AB, Canada 23 April 1976 |
L | 2013 | Straubing Tigers (DEL) |
| 25 | Cody Brookwell [10] | Calgary, Canada 14 September 1986 |
R | 2013 | Gwinnett Gladiators (ECHL) |
| 62 | Kevin Phillips [11] | Beverley, England 1 May 1986 |
R | 2013 | Braehead Clan (EIHL) |
| Number | Player | Place/Date of Birth | Shoots | Position | Acquired | Joined from |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 7 | Mark Garside [12] | East Kilbride, Scotland 21 March 1989 |
L | C | 2010 | Edinburgh Capitals (EIHL) |
| 9 | Evan Cheverie [13] | Charlottetown, PE, Canada 6 May 1980 |
L | F | 2013 | HC Morzine-Avoriaz (France) |
| 12 | Ray Sawada [14] | Richmond, BC, Canada 19 February 1985 |
R | F | 2014 | Tappara (Finland) |
| 15 | Kevin Westgarth [15] | Windsor, ON, Canada 7 February 1984 |
R | F | 2014 | Calgary Flames NHL |
| 17 | Mike Kompon [16] | Thunder Bay, ON, Canada 21 February 1982 |
L | F | 2014 | Oji Eagles (Asia) |
| 19 | Colin Shields [17] | Glasgow, Scotland 27 January 1980 |
R | C | 2013 | Sheffield Steelers (EIHL) |
| 21 | Mark McCutcheon [18] | Ithaca, NY, USA 21 May 1984 |
R | F | 2014 | Aalborg (Denmark) |
| 22 | Kevin Saurette [19] | Winnipeg, MB, Canada 27 June 1980 |
R | RW | 2013 | ESV Kaufbeuren (2nd Bundesliga) |
| 47 | Adam Keefe [20] | Brampton, ON, Canada 26 April 1984 |
R | RW | 2011 | Grand Rapids Griffins (AHL) |
| 71 | Craig Peacock [21] | Peterborough, England 8 August 1988 |
L | LW | 2009 | Peterborough Phantoms (EPIHL) |
| 72 | Darryl Lloyd [22] | Pickering, ON, Canada 10 February 1984 |
L | LW | 2011 | Kalamazoo Wings (ECHL) |
Retired jersey numbers
- 4 Shane Johnson
- 11 Colin Ward
- 16 Rob Stewart
- 18 Graeme Walton
- 27 Paxton Schulte
- 44 Todd Kelman
Former players
- 2 Brock Matheson
- 5 Will Colbert
- 9 Andrew Fournier
- 6 Sam Roberts
- 14 Kevin Riehl
- 14 Theoren Fleury, former Stanley Cup-winning NHL player
- 14 Daymen Rycroft
- 15 Scott Champagne
- 17 Gregory Stewart
- 17 Jason Ruff
- 24 Noah Clarke
- 74 Matt Towe
- 12 Gareth Martin
Captains
| Nat | Name | Tenure |
|---|---|---|
 |
Jeff Hoad | 2000-02 |
| |
Paul Kruse | 2002-03 |
| |
Jason Ruff | 2003-04 |
| |
Shane Johnson | 2004-05 |
| |
George Awada | 2005-09 |
| |
Colin Shields | 2009-11 |
 |
Jeremy Rebek | 2011-12 |
|
Adam Keefe | 2012- |
Head coaches
| No. | Nat | Name | Tenure |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | |
David Whistle | 2000-03 |
| 2 | |
Rob Stewart | 2003-04 |
| 3 | |
Tony Hand | 2004-05 |
| 4 | |
Ed Courtenay | 2005-08 |
| 5 | |
Steve Thornton | 2008-10 |
| 6 | |
Doug Christiansen | 2010-13 |
| 7 | |
Paul Adey | 2013-14 |
| 8 | |
Steve Thornton | 2014- |
Franchise scoring leaders
These are the Top 10 Points Scoring Leaders for the Belfast Giants:
Note: GP = Games Played, G = Goals, A = Assists, Pts = Points
| Player | POS | GP | G | A | Pts |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Colin Shields | C/RW | 370 | 159 | 297 | 456 |
| George Awada | RW | 376 | 149 | 187 | 336 |
| Craig Peacock | RW | 341 | 140 | 159 | 299 |
| Evan Cheverie | LW | 239 | 91 | 183 | 274 |
| Jason Ruff | LW | 193 | 100 | 145 | 245 |
| Todd Kelman | D | 418 | 73 | 141 | 214 |
| Shane Johnson | D | 491 | 54 | 145 | 199 |
| Rob Sandrock | D | 224 | 49 | 141 | 190 |
| Ed Courtenay | RW | 124 | 58 | 129 | 187 |
| Curtis Bowen | LW | 219 | 84 | 103 | 187 |
Last Updated: 5th February 2015
Honours
2000–01
2001–02
- Superleague Champions
- ISL First Team All-Star: Mike Bales, Rob Stewart, Kevin Riehl, Sean Berens, Jason Ruff
2002–03
- Superleague Playoff Champions
- ISL First Team All-Star: Robby Sandrock, Paxton Schulte
- ISL Second Team All-Star: Ryan Bach, Kevin Riehl
2003–04
2004–05
- British Cross-League: 1st Place
- EIHL First Team All-Star: Tony Hand
- EIHL Second Team All-Star: Martin Klempa and George Awada
2005–06
- Elite League Champions
- EIHL First Team All-Star: Theo Fleury and Ed Courtenay
- EIHL Second Team All-Star: Mike Minard, Todd Kelman and George Awada
- Vic Batchelder Memorial Trophy: Nathan Craze
2008–09
- EIHL Challenge Cup Champions
- EIHL Knock Out Cup Champions
- EIHL First Team All-Star: Paul Deniset
2009-2010
- EIHL Play-off Champions
- EIHL First Team All-Star: Stephen Murphy and Colin Shields
- EIHL Second Team All-Star: Michael Jacobsen and Jeff Szwez
2010-2011
2011–12
- Elite League Champions
- EIHL First Team All-Star: Stephen Murphy and Jeff Mason
- EIHL Second Team All-Star: Jeremy Rebek and Robert Dowd
2012–13
- Erhardt Conference Winners
- EIHL Second Team All-Star: Robbie Sandrock
2013–14
- Elite League Champions
- Erhardt Conference Winners
- EIHL First Team All-Star: Rob Sandrock, Calvin Elfring and Kevin Saurette
- EIHL Second Team All-Star: Stephen Murphy, Jeff Szwez and Evan Cheverie
References
- ↑ Giants on the rocks, BBC Sport, 22 June 2003. Retrieved 30 June 2012
- ↑ "Swiss fans flock to arenas". IIHF. 19 March 2014. Retrieved 19 March 2014.
- ↑ 3.0 3.1 3.2 "2013/14 Roster". Belfast Giants. Retrieved 14 November 2013.
- ↑ "Stena Line Belfast Giants » Stephen Murphy". Belfastgiants.com. 2013-11-21. Retrieved 2014-04-28.
- ↑ "Stena Line Belfast Giants » Andrew Dickson". Belfastgiants.com. 2013-11-21. Retrieved 2014-04-28.
- ↑ "Stena Line Belfast Giants » Jeff Mason". Belfastgiants.com. 2013-11-21. Retrieved 2014-04-28.
- ↑ "Stena Line Belfast Giants » Robby Sandrock". Belfastgiants.com. 2013-11-21. Retrieved 2014-04-28.
- ↑ "Stena Line Belfast Giants » David Phillips". Belfastgiants.com. 2013-11-21. Retrieved 2014-04-28.
- ↑ "Stena Line Belfast Giants » Calvin Elfring". Belfastgiants.com. 2013-11-21. Retrieved 2014-04-28.
- ↑ "Stena Line Belfast Giants » Cody Brookwell". Belfastgiants.com. 2013-11-21. Retrieved 2015-02-05.
- ↑ "Stena Line Belfast Giants » Kevin Phillips". Belfastgiants.com. 2013-11-21. Retrieved 2014-04-28.
- ↑ "Stena Line Belfast Giants » Mark Garside". Belfastgiants.com. 2013-11-21. Retrieved 2014-04-28.
- ↑ "Stena Line Belfast Giants » Evan Cheverie". Belfastgiants.com. 2013-11-21. Retrieved 2014-04-28.
- ↑ "Stena Line Belfast Giants » Ray Sawada". Belfastgiants.com. 2013-11-21. Retrieved 2015-02-05.
- ↑ "Stena Line Belfast Giants » Kevin Westgarth". Belfastgiants.com. 2013-11-21. Retrieved 2015-02-05.
- ↑ "Stena Line Belfast Giants » Mike Kompon". Belfastgiants.com. 2013-11-21. Retrieved 2015-02-05.
- ↑ "Stena Line Belfast Giants » Colin Shields". Belfastgiants.com. 2013-11-21. Retrieved 2014-04-28.
- ↑ "Stena Line Belfast Giants » Mark McCutcheon". Belfastgiants.com. 2013-11-21. Retrieved 2015-02-05.
- ↑ "Stena Line Belfast Giants » Kevin Saurette". Belfastgiants.com. 2013-11-21. Retrieved 2014-04-28.
- ↑ "Stena Line Belfast Giants » Adam Keefe". Belfastgiants.com. 2013-11-21. Retrieved 2014-04-28.
- ↑ "Stena Line Belfast Giants » Craig Peacock". Belfastgiants.com. 2013-11-21. Retrieved 2014-04-28.
- ↑ "Stena Line Belfast Giants » Darryl Lloyd". Belfastgiants.com. 2013-11-21. Retrieved 2014-04-28.
External links
- Official website
- GiantsLive (Official webcasts of home Games)
- Kingdom of the Giants (News and forum site run by fans)
- Official Elite League Website
- British Ice Hockey All Star Teams
| Preceded by Sheffield Steelers |
Superleague Champions 2001–02 |
Succeeded by Sheffield Steelers |
| Preceded by Sheffield Steelers |
Playoff Champions 2002–03 |
Succeeded by Sheffield Steelers |
| Preceded by Coventry Blaze |
Elite League Champions 2005–06 |
Succeeded by Coventry Blaze |
| Preceded by Sheffield Steelers |
Playoff Champions 2009–10 |
Succeeded by Nottingham Panthers |
| Preceded by Nottingham Panthers |
Elite League Champions 2013–14 |
Succeeded by |
| ||||||