Belfast Giants
| Belfast Giants | |
|---|---|
| Greatest successes | |
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| Club information | |
| history |
Belfast Giants since 2000 |
| Location | Belfast , Northern Ireland |
| Club colors | white, red, turquoise, |
| league | Elite Ice Hockey League |
| Venue | The SSE Arena Belfast |
| capacity | 9,500 seats |
| executive Director | Odyssey Trust |
| Head coach | Adam Keefe |
| captain | - |
| 2017/18 | 5th place main round; Playoff quarterfinals |
The Belfast Giants are an ice hockey club founded in 2000 in the city of Belfast in Northern Ireland . The team has been British champion three times so far. You play in the British Elite Ice Hockey League . The games will be played in The SSE Arena Belfast , which has a capacity of over 9,500 spectators.
history
When the club was founded, the Belfast Giants were keen that the club should not attach itself to any particular belief or community, but wanted to represent Belfast as a whole. A number of measures were then initiated. Special clothing that could indicate a person's political or religious affiliation was forbidden, and flags were not allowed to be brought into the arena. The United Kingdom's national anthem, traditionally played before games in other Elite League arenas, is not played before Giants games. These guidelines were successful and the Giants quickly gained a large and enthusiastic following who did not fear about the sectarianism that overshadowed other sports in Northern Ireland.
The Giants were runner-up in the 2004/05 season, behind the Coventry Blaze, but were winners of the Crossover League Cup, which was played with teams from the BNL.
In 2005 the Giants signed the NHL All-Star and Olympic Champion, Theo Fleury , who made his debut against the Edinburgh Capitals. The Giants won 11-2 and Fleury scored a hat trick. With 4 additional assists and one fight under his belt, he became the man of the game.
Besides Fleury, several other players who previously played in the NHL have played for the Giants; Paul Kruse, Jason Ruff, Paxton Schulte, and Jason Bowen.
In the 2013/14 season they were sovereign with 23 points ahead of second-placed Sheffield Steelers champions.
Audience favorites are Captain Adam Keefe - who will be the Giants' head coach from the 2017/18 season - and Darryl Lloyd, also affectionately known as the Bash Brothers. Darryl Lloyd is feared by his opponents for his very tough but fair checks. Keefe and Lloyd come together to a total of 950 penalty minutes in 4 seasons for the Giants.
successes
- 2001/02: Superleague champion
- 2002/03: Superleague Playoff Champion
- 2004/05: 1st place in the British Cross League
- 2005/06: League champion of the Elite Ice Hockey League and thus British champion
- 2009/10: Playoff champion of the Elite Ice Hockey League
- 2011/12: League champion of the Elite Ice Hockey League and thus British champion
- 2013/14: League champion of the Elite Ice Hockey League and thus British champion
- 2019: 2nd place at the IIHF Continental Cup
Web links
- official website (English)
