2025 WHL Graduates: Vancouver Giants

Over the summer, the Western Hockey League will be celebrating the WHL Graduates from the 2024-25 season in a 22-part, team-by-team series. 

Today, we continue with the graduating players from the Vancouver Giants.

Connor Levis (F)
Hometown: Vancouver, B.C.
WHL Career Stats: 287 GP – 99 G-135 A – 234 PTS
WHL Draft: 2019 – 1st Round, 20th Overall (Kamloops)
NHL Draft: 2023 – 7th Round, 210th Overall (Winnipeg)

Connor Levis is a British Columbia icon – and there’s no debating it.

Calling Vancouver, B.C. home as an up-and-coming, junior hockey talent, Levis didn’t stray far his stomping grounds following his introduction to the Western Hockey League. Originally selected in the first round of the 2019 WHL Prospects Draft by the Kamloops Blazers, Levis traveled to British Columbia’s interior for a tenure that lasted just over three seasons. He made his WHL debut with the Blazers on March 26, 2021, scoring two goals against his future club, the Vancouver Giants. With Kamloops, Levis suited up for 195 regular season skates and collected 62 goals, 89 assists, and 151 points. Levis also starred in a total of 31 post-season appearances with the Blazers, reaching the Western Conference Championship Series on two occasions. The high-scoring winger was also featured in the 2023 Memorial Cup, collecting four points (1 G-3 A) in four games with the tournament hosts. Levis’ offensive flair with Kamloops also caught the eyes of NHL brass, as the 6-foot-1 talent was nabbed in the seventh round of the 2023 NHL Draft by the Winnipeg Jets. And, in January 2024, Levis found himself on the move as he headlined a 2024 WHL Trade Deadline deal with the Blazers. However, his new location was one he was incredibly familiar with, as the forward was acquired by his hometown club, the Giants. Embracing his return home, Levis made an immediate impact in the Giants’ lineup by recording 27 points (14 G-13 A) in his first 28 starts. The Jets prospect spent parts of two seasons in Langley, B.C., collecting 83 points (37 G-46 A) in 92 games. Levis also graduates from the WHL with some hardware in hand, as the 20-year-old was named the WHL’s Scholastic Player of the Year following the 2021-22 WHL Season.

Peep the mitts on Connor Levis 🥵

The @WHLGiants are gaining momentum in the third period!@NHLJets | #GoJetsGo | #WHLPlayoffs | #FeedingTheFuture pic.twitter.com/FpC6lI2roT

— Western Hockey League (@TheWHL) March 31, 2025

Jaden Lipinski (F)
Hometown: Scottsdale, Ariz.
WHL Career Stats: 260 GP – 68 G-124 A – 192 PTS
WHL Draft: Listed (Vancouver)
NHL Draft: 2023 – 4th Round, 112th Overall (Calgary)

The Vancouver Giants’ list of NHL prospects turned WHL graduates is growing from one to two, as Jaden Lipinski is ready to depart from the Western League following a four-season stint. While impressive, Lipinski’s journey to the Giants organization was more unconventional than most. After being passed on during the 2019 WHL U.S. Priority Draft and WHL Prospects Draft, the Scottsdale, Ariz. product was listed by the Giants organization. On April 9, 2021, Lipinski was signed to a WHL Scholarship and Development Agreement. He then made his WHL debut on October 2, 2021, recording an assist in a 5-0 win over the Victoria Royals. At just 16 years old, Lipinski skated in all 68 of Vancouver’s regular season games, recording 17 points (8 G-9 A) and 344 face-off wins. In his second season in Langley, B.C., Lipinski found his grove as the forward erupted for 51 points (19 G-32 A) in 66 starts. This trend continued for the duration of his WHL career, with the American recording 50 or more points in three of his four regular season campaigns with the Giants. In June 2023, Lipinski’s talents reached the NHL level, as the 18-year-old was selected by the Calgary Flames in the fourth round of the NHL Draft. And, while offensively gifted, the Flames prospect’s true talent lied in the art of face-offs. In 2023-24 and 2024-25, the quick-draw specialist ranked second- and third-best in face-off wins, with 888 and 770, respectively. In total, the League veteran tallied up 192 points and 2,462 face-off wins in 260 career games. Having completed his WHL eligibility, Lipinski has also announced his commitment to the University of Maine for the 2025-26 season.

The heat is here!@NHLFlames prospect Jaden Lipinski opens the scoring in Game 1 for the @WHLGiants.#WHLPlayoffs | #FeedingtheFuture pic.twitter.com/fMonSf6QfJ

— Western Hockey League (@TheWHL) March 29, 2025

Maxim Muranov (F)
Hometown: Moscow, Russia
WHL Career Stats: 237 GP – 46 G-82 A – 128 PTS
CHL Import Draft: 2021 – 1st Round, 35th Overall (Calgary)

For most import players, 237 games in the Western League is quite the achievement. For longtime WHLer and import selection Maxim Muranov, it’s light work.

Muranov, a product of Moscow, Russia, was originally selected in the first round of the 2021 CHL Import Draft by the Calgary Hitmen. He made his League debut on October 31, 2021, and recorded his first career point – a two-goal outing – on November 27, 2021. Having acquainted himself with the major junior community, Muranov spent the next five seasons solidifying himself as an import player to remember. The looming, 6-foot-2 forward called Calgary home for parts of four seasons, making 210 appearances and recording 116 points with the club (41 G-75 A). But, Muranov’s best year to date came during the 2023-24 campaign. In a season that saw the Hitmen miss the WHL Playoffs by two points, Muranov was a radiating highlight for the Central Division representative. In 65 regular season twirls, the Russian-born forward racked up 22 goals, 28 assists, and 50 points. This marked the first and only season Muranov hit the 50-point plateau. In January 2025, Muranov was the focal point in not one, but two WHL Trade Deadline deals. He was originally acquired by the Wenatchee Wild on January 4 before being flipped to the Vancouver Giants on January 7. Never making a start for the Wild, Muranov made his Giants debut on January 8, 2025. The winger collected 12 points (5 G – 7 A) in 27 regular season games and two goals in five post-season appearances with Vancouver before completing his WHL eligibility in April. Now, the WHL graduate is set to join the NCAA’s Niagara University having committed to the program in January 2025.

KOBELKA SAYS 🙅‍♂️ MURANOV SAYS 🚨@WHLHitmen pic.twitter.com/OVnwAybLQY

— Western Hockey League (@TheWHL) November 17, 2024