The Vancouver Giants seem to be doing all the right things in terms of marketing strategy to try to recapture those fleeting moments several years ago when the Western Hockey League junior franchise made inroads into a big-city pro sports market.
Today鈥檚 work-day noon start against the Victoria Royals at the Pacific Coliseum will attract more than 5,000 school-age kids to an Acceptance Day anti-bullying themed promotion. The Giants last month hosted the 2016 BMO CHL/NHL Top Prospects game, and there are indications the race to host the 2019 Memorial Cup could come down to the Giants and Royals.
But on the ice, the Giants franchise has fallen a long way from the days when they were winning the WHL championship in 2005-06, Memorial Cup in 2006-07 and five consecutive sa国际传媒 Division titles from 2005-06 to 2009-10.
This season is pretty much over for Western Conference last-place Vancouver (21-29-7) as it is likely to miss the playoffs for the third time in four seasons. The Giants sit 11 points adrift of the eighth-and-final playoff berth currently held by the Kamloops Blazers.
Add in the fact injured Giants forward Tyler Benson, projected for the first round of the 2016 NHL draft, hasn鈥檛 played since Dec. 30, and Vancouver鈥檚 prospects look increasingly dim.
鈥淪ome things are in your control, others are not,鈥� noted Royals GM Cam Hope.
鈥淵ou can control your scouting and making sure your players develop correctly. What is out of your control is when impact players have injuries.鈥�
It doesn鈥檛 help the Benson-less Vancouver鈥檚 cause that today鈥檚 matinee opponents are the 37-16-6 Royals, currently second in the Western Conference, third in the WHL and ranked No. 6 in the CHL. Even with Victoria coming off a 4-2 loss in Seattle and 2-1 overtime defeat in Portland, today looks to be a mismatch. But there are always extenuating factors.
鈥淚t鈥檚 going to be a very loud building,鈥� said Royals head coach Dave Lowry, of the noon start, in front of thousands of jacked-up, screaming school kids.
鈥淎nd we know we are playing a desperate team.鈥�
The Royals are playing their fourth road game in five days and Lowry attributed fatigue as having a hand in the losses to Seattle and Portland.
鈥淲e did absolutely nothing today [except rest],鈥� he said, of his club鈥檚 Tuesday plans.
鈥淲e competed hard and I thought we were in control [despite the losses in Seattle and Portland].鈥�
It鈥檚 interesting the Royals don鈥檛 have a player as highly regarded for the pro game as Benson or Seattle鈥檚 Mathew Barzal, the New York Islanders鈥� 2015 first-round NHL draft pick. The Royals rely less on star power and more on balance and depth and everybody contributing.
鈥淲e have a consummate team,鈥� said Lowry.
鈥淓veryone has a valuable role to play and everyone鈥檚 role is valued.鈥�
The Royals return to Save-on-Foods Memorial Centre for a two-game set Friday and Saturday against the Blazers.
