Giants Announce Opening Night Roster for 2026-27 Season
Langley, B.C. – The Vancouver Giants have released their season-opening roster ahead of the White Spot Home Opener on Saturday, Sept. 19 against the Kelowna Rockets at Langley Events Centre.
The club’s opening night roster features 17 forwards, eight defencemen and three goaltenders.
Twelve of the 28 players finished the 2025-26 season with the Giants, plus three additional skaters were full-time WHL players last season: Cash Koch, Rhys Pederson and Derek Thurston. Each of those three were acquired by the Giants via trade this offseason.
Nineteen-year-old goaltender Burke Hood (New York Islanders) and 18-year-old forward Mathis Preston (Anaheim Ducks) are on the roster, but are currently away at NHL training camps.
The roster also includes 2025 6th overall pick Louis Oscar Holowaychuk and 13th overall pick Crosby Mateychuk, who are entering their rookie WHL seasons, as well as 15-year-old Brayden Jugnauth, taken fourth overall in the 2026 WHL Draft. Jugnauth will make his WHL regular season debut against his hometown Kelowna Rockets this evening.
To view the roster please click here or scroll below.
| FORWARDS (17) | Ht. | Wt. | S | YOB | Hometown | 2025-26 Team |
| Sam Charko | 6-0 | 197 | L | 2007 | Whitecourt, Alta. | Vancouver Giants |
| Tafari Chingwaru* | 6-0 | 195 | R | 2008 | Edmonton, Alta. | Lloydminster Bobcats |
| Blake Chorney | 6-0 | 204 | L | 2009 | Nipawin, Sask. | Vancouver Giants |
| Dennis Emesibe* | 5-11 | 175 | L | 2008 | Calgary, Alta. | Springfield Jr. Blues |
| Colton Gerrior | 6-3 | 210 | R | 2008 | Williams Lake, B.C. | Seattle Thunderbirds/Vancouver Giants |
| Dominic Grieco | 5-11 | 185 | L | 2007 | Sundre, Alta. | Chilliwack Chiefs |
| Kaden Hayes* | 5-10 | 190 | R | 2008 | Chestermere, Alta. | Okotoks Oilers U18 AAA |
| Louis Oscar Holowaychuk* | 5-8 | 150 | R | 2010 | Vancouver, B.C. | St. George’s School U18 Prep |
| Joe Iginla | 5-11 | 188 | R | 2008 | Lake Country, B.C. | Edmonton Oil Kings/Vancouver Giants |
| Brayden Jugnauth* | 5-10 | 165 | R | 2011 | Kelowna, B.C. | Okanagan Rockets U18 AAA |
| Cash Koch | 5-11 | 192 | L | 2007 | Calgary, Alta. | Tri-City Americans |
| Nick Kovich* | 6-2 | 189 | R | 2008 | Richmond, B.C. | Richmond Sockeyes |
| Brogan McNeil | 6-3 | 196 | R | 2006 | Delta, B.C. | Shawinigan Cataractes/Sherbrooke Phoenix |
| Brett Olson | 6-2 | 192 | R | 2008 | Spruce Grove, Alta. | Vancouver Giants |
| Jakob Oreskovic | 6-1 | 190 | L | 2007 | Langley, B.C. | Vancouver Giants |
| Mathis Preston | 5-11 | 180 | R | 2008 | Penticton, B.C. | Spokane Chiefs/Vancouver Giants |
| Tobias Tomik^ | 6-2 | 198 | L | 2007 | Ilava, SVK | Vancouver Giants |
| DEFENCEMEN (8) | Ht. | Wt. | S | YOB | Hometown | 2025-26 Team |
| Kaleb Hartmann | 6-0 | 189 | L | 2007 | Langley, B.C. | Seattle Thunderbirds/Vancouver Giants |
| Sullivan Humeniuk | 6-3 | 170 | R | 2007 | Victoria, B.C. | Drumheller Dragons |
| Dylan Hurren* | 6-1 | 190 | R | 2009 | Maple Ridge, B.C. | Delta Hockey Academy U18 Prep |
| Lance McCloskey | 6-0 | 190 | R | 2007 | Newport Beach, CA | Vancouver Giants |
| Crosby Mateychuk* | 6-0 | 210 | L | 2010 | Dominion City, Man. | Eastman Selects U18 AAA |
| Jaxson Pawlenchuk | 6-2 | 200 | L | 2007 | Ardrossan, Alta. | Seattle Thunderbirds/Vancouver Giants |
| Rhys Pederson | 6-5 | 202 | L | 2006 | Stettler, Alta. | Edmonton Oil Kings |
| Derek Thurston | 6-1 | 195 | L | 2006 | Delta, B.C. | Red Deer Rebels/Saskatoon Blades |
| GOALTENDERS (3) | Ht. | Wt. | C | YOB | Hometown | 2025-26 Team |
| Maverick Bell* | 6-2 | 179 | L | 2008 | Maple Ridge, B.C. | Vancouver Northeast Chiefs U18 AAA |
| Oliver Bryks* | 6-3 | 182 | L | 2009 | Edmonton, Alta. | Delta Hockey Academy U18 Prep |
| Burke Hood | 6-4 | 198 | L | 2007 | Brandon, Man. | Vancouver Giants |
