The Langley-based Vancouver Giants hockey team has added another new face to their roster.
General manager Barclay Parneta announced the team has acquired 2001-born defenceman Nicholas Draffin from the Red Deer Rebels in exchange for a seventh-round pick in the 2021 WHL bantam draft.
Originally selected by the Rebels in the third round (46th overall) in the 2016 WHL bantam draft, the 6’3”, 205-pound right-shot defenceman has suited up in 35 games this season with the Calgary Mustangs (AJHL) where he has registered one goal and four assists along with 44 penalty minutes.
Draffin was a teammate of Bowen Byram’s in both Bantam and Midget in Lethbridge and was coached by Michael Dyck in both Bantam and Midget as well.
Draffin was to join the Giants in time for the game against Kamloops tonight and Victoria tomorrow at the Langley Events Centre.
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Draffin’s acquisition comes after three other additions announced last week.
The team acquired defenceman Seth Bafaro from the Saskatoon Blades in exchange for a fifth-round pick in the 2021 WHL Bantam Draft.
Bafaro joins the Giants after appearing in 116 career WHL games with the Tri-City Americans and the Blades. In that span, he’s recorded seven goals and 11 assists for 18 points and 70 penalty minutes.
In the summer of 2016, Bafaro was invited to attend Hockey Canada’s U-17 Summer Development Camp, but could not attend due to injury.
Defenceman Dallas Hines was acquired from the Kootenay Ice in exchange for forward Cyle McNabb.
Hines checks in at 6’3” and 196 pounds and has played all 221 of his career WHL games with the Kootenay Ice.
This season Hines has scored four goals along with 12 assists for 16 points through 36 games.
In 221 career games with the Ice, Hines has registered 16 goals and 52 assists along with 115 penalty minutes. He served as an alternate captain with the Ice this season.
McNabb signed with the Giants in March, 2017.
He posted a goal and two assists in 34 games with the Giants this season.
Jadon Joseph from the Regina Pats was acquired in exchange for a second-round pick in 2019 and a sixth-round pick in 2020.
Joseph comes to the Giants having suited up in 157 career regular season games with Lethbridge and Regina.
Through 36 games this season, he’s registered a career high 12 goals along with 13 assists for 25 points.
He’s won 55.1 per cent of his faceoffs.
For his career he’s scored 24 goals while adding 48 assists for 72 points.
Joseph has also appeared in 36 playoff games over the course of the past two seasons, managing five goals and 10 assists.