Giants Acquire 6-foot-5 Defenceman Pederson from Oil Kings for Late Draft Pick
Langley, B.C. – The Vancouver Giants are pleased to announce the acquisition of 2006-born defenceman Rhys Pederson (Stettler, Alta.) from the Edmonton Oil Kings in exchange for a sixth-round pick in the 2027 WHL Draft.
A 6-foot-5 left-shot defenceman, Pederson has nearly 200 games of WHL experience and was an alternate captain last season for Edmonton.
“We are excited to welcome Rhys to the Giants organization,” Giants Head Coach and General Manager Michael Dyck said. “He brings a combination of size, experience and reliability to our blueline core.”
During the 2025-26 season, Pederson averaged more than three minutes of shorthanded ice-time per game for the Oil Kings, who had the WHL’s fifth-best penalty kill at 80.1%. He recorded four assists in 39 games over the course of the year.
Pederson also won the Oil Kings Humanitarian of the Year Award last season, thanks to a commitment to supporting non-profits, such as Edmonton’s Food Bank, Operation Friendship Seniors Society, and serving as a player ambassador for Hockey Gives Blood.
In 183 career regular season games, Pederson has four goals and 22 assists for 26 points, along with 133 penalty minutes. The Alberta product was originally selected by the Oil Kings in the fifth round (90th overall) of the 2021 WHL Prospects Draft. He has recorded a pair of assists in eight career playoff games.
The Vancouver Giants extend a warm welcome to Rhys.
