The agile and fast group of Vancouver Giants forwards lead the team into the WHL regular season

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This could be as flashy and stylish a forward group as the Vancouver Giants have had in some time. However, Giants coach Michael Dyck is unwilling to alter his basic beliefs about the team because of that.

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“We want to play the same way and a lot of that is based on being very, very aggressive,” said Dyck, who is known for leading teams with an oversized work ethic, said Tuesday before practice at his base. Ladner Leisure Center operations.“We want to focus on scoring because we believe that the harder we go through the faster we can get the puck back and that’s where we can be dangerous in transition and on quick shots.

“We want to be a possession team but nobody is going to give us the puck. We will have to work like five to get it back. “

These Giants seem to be loaded with players who can make things happen when they are in control of that little black disc. Vancouver could have two top-10 scorers in the league: winger Fabian Lysell, a Swede who was picked 21st overall by the Boston Bruins in last summer’s NHL Draft, and center Justin Sourdif, a Florida Panthers third-round pick in 2020. who just signed his entry-level contract with that team.

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In the truncated 2020-21 season, Sourdif finished fifth in WHL scoring and forward Tristen Nielsen, who graduated at the end of the season, was eighth. Leaving that out and focusing on full seasons, Vancouver hasn’t had a top 10 scorer in the WHL since 2010-11, when winger Brendan Gallagher finished eighth.

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The 2018-19 Giants went to the WHL Championship Series. They were led by their defenders, most notably Bowen Byram. The 2008-09 Giants set a club record with 319 goals in the regular season, and three of their top six scorers were Blueliners. The 2006-07 team won the Memorial Cup at home and five of their six regular rearguards went on to play in the NHL and the sixth, AJ Thelen, was an NHL first-round pick.

Simply put, good Giants teams have had defenses front and center. This Giants’ team seems to be guided by their forwards. Along with Sourdif and Lysell is Zack Ostapchuk, who was selected in the second round this summer by the Ottawa Senators. There’s Cole Shepard, who showed speed of separation two seasons ago but missed the axis game due to hip surgery, and there’s Ty Thorpe and Payton Mount, who have looked good in the preseason after coming to Vancouver on away trades. season of Brandon and Seattle. , respectively.

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There are young people like Ty Halaburda and Jaden Lipinski. There are also others.

It remains to be seen how Dyck plans to bring them all together, largely because both Ostapchuk and Lysell were still in their professional camps as of Tuesday. The 18-year-old Lysell could play with the AHL Providence affiliate of the Bruins this season since he was drafted out of Europe, but Boston general manager Don Sweeney was quoted earlier this month as saying the plan was to send Lysell to the Giants.

Dyck said he received a message from Jamie Langenbrunner, the Bruins’ director of player development and personnel adviser, on Monday explaining that Boston was satisfied with Lysell’s performance. Lysell was scheduled to play for the Bruins against the New York Rangers in exhibition action Tuesday.

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“We are going to get more updates this week on the status of his comeback,” Dyck said.

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Dyck believes Vancouver could freeze four scoring lines. On the other hand, it must be tempting for him to put Sourdif and Lysell together and see what they can accomplish as a couple.

“There is an idea of ​​what it will look like,” Dyck said. “I think we have enough depth there to be able to extend it. There’s veteran talent, skill, and speed, and we also really like our young guys.

“You bring them back into the lineup on how you want to play as a team, but it’s also about finding that chemistry in every line.”

Dyck is also happy with the team’s schedule. Vancouver has just six games in October, allowing for more practice early in the season. They have 12 games in November, 13 in December.

“We value the time we have in practice. Their practices are the opportunity to set the tone, ”said Dyck, whose team opens the proceedings with a visit to the Victoria Royals on Saturday.

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Twitter: @SteveEwen