Justin Sourdif made the most of the Vancouver Giants’ short WHL season.
The Surrey-raised forward topped the league’s B.C. Division in scoring with 34 points (11 goals, 23 assists) in 22 games, all of them played in the “hub centres” of Kamloops and Kelowna.
NHL-drafted by Florida Panthers last year, Sourdif led the Giants to third place in the five-team division, behind Kelowna Rockets and the RE/MAX Cup champs, Kamloops Blazers, whose roster includes Cloverdale’s Caedan Bankier.
The Giants finished their COVID-shortened season Tuesday (May 11) with a 6-1 win over Victoria Royals, a game that saw Sourdif net a goal and two helpers.
A night later (May 12), the WHL concluded its abbreviated 2020-21 campaign, which saw 264 divisional games played and nearly 10,000 tests for COVID-19 across Western Canada and the U.S. Pacific Northwest.
The league’s three other division champs are Brandon Wheat Kings (East), Edmonton Oil Kings (Central) and Everett Silvertips (U.S.), following staggered starts for all over the past few months.
A LOOK BACK: Surrey roomies Pentecost, Sourdif prep for WHL Giants’ delayed season start.
RECAP: The Vancouver Giants finished their #REMAXHub season with a 6-1 victory over the Victoria Royals. It also marked the final game in @TheWHL for Alex Kannok Leipert, Eric Florchuk and Tristen Nielsen.
— Vancouver Giants (@WHLGiants) May 12, 2021
More 📎: https://t.co/2VFPplF8x2 pic.twitter.com/NX2VMuJbTS
The WHL Awards will be presented beginning May 31 with division all-stars and awards, followed by overall league awards starting June 7.
“The Western Hockey League is extremely pleased to have safely delivered a very important development opportunity for our players during the 2020-21 season,” WHL commissioner Ron Robison said in a news release.
“Having completed the 2020-21 WHL Regular Season using protocols, built in consultation with regional health authorities, we believe our WHL Return to Play model was very effective in creating a safe and healthy environment for each of our teams.”
The lotteries for the 2021 WHL Draft and 2021 WHL U.S. Prospects Draft will take place on Tuesday, June 1, with both prospect drafts scheduled to be completed in December 2021. Details will be announced later.
Aged-out players Eric Florchuk, Tristen Nielsen and Alex Kannok Leipert played their final WHL games with the Giants on May 11.
tom.zillich@surreynowleader.com
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