Belfast Giants

The Belfast Giants are an ice hockey team from Belfast, Northern Ireland that compete in the Elite Ice Hockey League. In the 2018–19 season, they were the Elite League champions and Challenge Cup winners. Their main sponsor is Stena Line and home games are played at the SSE Arena Belfast.

Belfast Giants
2019–20 EIHL season
CityBelfast, Northern Ireland
LeagueElite Ice Hockey League
Founded2000
Home arenaSSE Arena Belfast
ColoursWhite, red & teal      
Owner(s)Odyssey Trust
Head coachAdam Keefe
CaptainMatt Pelech
AffiliatesBelfast Giants (SNL)
Websitewww.belfastgiants.com
Home colours
Away colours
Third colours
Franchise history
2000–presentBelfast Giants
Championships
Regular season titles2001–02, 2005–06, 2011–12, 2013–14, 2018–19
Playoff championships2003, 2010
Knockout Cups2008–09
Challenge Cups2008–09, 2017–18, 2018–19

The Giants have currently won 11 major honours, including five league championship titles, as well as three Erhardt Conference titles.

History

The Giants had originated in 2000 and played their first match against Ayr on 1 December. 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, 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.

The Giants have also had many Belfast natives on their roster including fan favourite Mark Morrison, Graeme Walton, Gareth Martin, Gareth Roberts and Robbie Brown.

Recent History

Belfast Giants were added to EA Sports' NHL 20 game, enabling players to take control of the Giants in the Champions Hockey League.[2]

The 2019–20 EIHL season was cancelled on 13 March 2020 with the remaining league fixtures and subsequent play-offs scrapped due to the coronavirus pandemic. The Challenge Cup was the only competition to see a winner crowned.[3]

The 2020–21 Elite League season - originally pencilled in for a revised start date of 5 December - was suspended on 15 September 2020, because of ongoing uncertainty over coronavirus pandemic restrictions. The EIHL board determined that the season was non-viable without supporters being permitted to attend matches and unanimously agreed to a suspension.[4]

Arena

One corner of the SSE Arena is known as 'Boomerang Corner' and a large group of fans who generate noise, bang drums and start most of the chants sit there. It is named in memory of long time Giants fan Stewart Boone. Any fans are invited to watch the game from the ‘Boomerang Corner’ as this section of the stadium is not reserved seating.

There used to be a traditional 4 sided scoreboard suspended over centre ice, but this has been replaced by two large video screens, one behind "Boomerang Corner" and the opposite corner of the arena for scores, replays, info etc. Two traditional scoreboards are located near the other two corners.

Team culture

With an average attendance of around 4,561, the Giants are one of twelve Elite league ice hockey squads in the UK. They are the 3rd best supported team in the UK and 70th in Europe. The average attendance in the Elite Ice Hockey League is 2,678.[5]

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. Clothing or flags which might have displayed a person's political or religious affiliation were banned from 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.

Facts
Sponsors: Stena Line (Main Sponsor 2011–present) Boojum (2009–present)
Founded: 2000 into the British Ice Hockey Superleague
Primary Arena: SSE Arena Belfast, (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
Motto: "In the land of the Giants, everyone is equal".

Current squad

2020-21 Elite League season squad [6]

Netminders
No. Nat. Player Catches Acquired Place of Birth Joined from Press Release
Defencemen
No. Nat. Player Shoots Acquired Place of Birth Joined from Press Release
Forwards
No. Nat. Player Position Acquired Place of Birth Joined from Press Release
On Loan
No. Nat. Player Position Acquired Place of Birth Playing For Press Release
Team Staff
No. Nat. Name Position Place of Birth Joined from Press Release
N/A Adam Keefe Head coach Brampton, Ontario, Canada Grand Rapids Griffins, AHL
N/A Jeff Mason Assistant coach Easthampton, Massachusetts, USA Lillehammer IK, GET-ligaen
N/A Rob Stewart Assistant coach Selkirk, Manitoba, Canada Romford Raiders, EPIHL
N/A Steve Thornton GM/Director of Hockey Operations Edmonton, Alberta, Canada Basingstoke Bison, EIHL
N/A Jason 'Taff' Ellery Equipment Manager Cardiff, Wales London Knights, BISL
N/A Barbara Reynolds Massage Therapist Northern Ireland Appointed in 2016
20/21 Outgoing
No. Player Position Acquired Leaving For Press Release
8 Lewis Hook LW 2018 Milton Keynes Lightning, NIHL
9 Ben Lake LW/C 2019 Sheffield Steeldogs, NIHL
10 Curtis Leonard D 2018 Greenville Swamp Rabbits, ECHL
14 Jordan Smotherman LW/RW 2019 Esbjerg Energy, Metal Ligaen
15 Elgin Pearce C/RW 2019 Gothiques d'Amiens, Ligue Magnus
23 Paul Swindlehurst D 2018 TH Unia Oświęcim, Polska Hokej Liga
55 Ryan Lowney D 2019 Utah Grizzlies, ECHL
64 David Goodwin C 2019 Cracovia Krakow, Polska Hokej Liga

Former Giants

Retired jersey numbers

Notable former players

Captains
NameTenure
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 2012–17
Blair Riley 2017–19
Matt Pelech 2019– present

Head coaches
No.NameTenure
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 2014–15
9 Derrick Walser 2015–17
10 Adam Keefe 2017– present

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

PlayerPOSGPGAPts
Colin ShieldsC/RW370159297456
George AwadaRW376149187336
Craig PeacockRW341140159299
Evan CheverieLW23991183274
Jason RuffLW193100145245
Todd KelmanD41873141214
Shane JohnsonD49154145199
Rob SandrockD22449141190
Ed CourtenayRW12458129187
Curtis BowenLW21984103187

Honours
Further information: Belfast Giants seasons

2000–01

2001–02

2002–03

2003–04

2004–05

2005–06

2008–09

2009–10

2010–11

2011–12

2012–13

  • Erhardt Conference Winners
  • EIHL Second Team All-Star: Robbie Sandrock

2013–14

2015–16

2016–17

2017–18

  • EIHL Challenge Cup Champions
  • EIHL First Team All-Star: Sébastien Sylvestre

2018–19

References
  1. Giants on the rocks, BBC Sport, 22 June 2003. Retrieved 30 June 2012
  2. https://chasingthepuck.com/belfast-and-cardiffs-nhl-20-ratings/
  3. https://www.eliteleague.co.uk/article/731-eihl-cancels-all-matches-for-rest-of-season#:~:text=Bosses%20at%20the%20ten%20Elite,all%20matches%20with%20immediate%20effect.&text=League%20bosses%20staged%20an%20emergency,announcement%20on%20the%20coronavirus%20outbreak.
  4. https://www.eliteleague.co.uk/article/927-eihl-board-suspend-2020-21-season
  5. IIHF (20 March 2018). "Attendance 2017-2018". Iihf.com. Retrieved 20 March 2018.
  6. "Belfast Giants at". www.eliteprospects.com. Retrieved 15 June 2020.
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
Sheffield Steelers
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