Player Profile: Julian Feijo

Welcome back to our Player Profile segment! To kick of our 2013 Player Profile series, we start with one half of the ultimate grindline twosome, Julian Feijo. He recently sat down with us between selling stocks and mixing cocktails to let us in on how he feels about the upcoming season with the Delta Giants

Julian, great to see you after a long offseason. Lets get started here. A lot of people are talking about how you guys have dropped from A to B division. People are wondering if the team is falling apart or if there is conflict. What are your personal expectations for the Giants in the "B" division?
J: I feel that we have high expectations after coming down from A division. In B we have a lot to prove, last year we had lots of problems external and internally within the organization. I feel the move to B was a great decision by management. The offseason additions look great and looks like we have stepped our game up. Nothing but a provincial championship will do this year.

You are once again suiting up for Team Portugal at the World Championships this summer back east. Tell us what its like to play over there and how it helps your game with the Giants.
J: Well to start, you're playing with the best players in the world! You really have to step your game up at the tournament. I have learned a lot over there and I want to bring that experience back and share it with the boys. Playing with guys who play for Team Canada or the AHL have taught me a lot, and anything I can do to help the team get better, I will do.

Your linemate, Ryan Biehl, is an integral part of the 3rd line Grind Line. Tell me about you guys and why it just works with you two.
J: Ryan Biehl is one of the best hockey players I know. He is the smartest player I have ever played with. The best part about playing with him is that he always knows where I will be and where I am going to be. We have that chemistry where we can read each other and telepath whats going to happen. I could not imagine playing on a line without him. He battles every single shift, never gives up and never complains about anything. He is positive about every situation, and every team he has played for has been good. Again, I couldn't imagine playing without him.

The past couple of years, management has been trying to find the right piece to complement you two on the Grind Line. What does this missing third player need to be successful with you two?
J:Well we are a pretty unique line. We score occasionally, we love to grind, so we are kind of a versatile line. We like to do a little bit of everything to be honest. Its difficult to find somebody to work with us. Kody Botterill was a great addition on the ice, but on the floor, it did not translate. We need someone with a nice shot to finish our battles, and also someone who is willing to get dirty in the corners. Since we love to cycle, we also need someone who is quick and can get into the right position. Hopefully this year we will find that guy.

I know you're a busy guy so we will end with this. B Division. 8 teams. For you and the Giants, what are your expectations? Is provincials enough? Qualifying for Westerns? What are your thoughts on gauging the success of the team?
J: Without a doubt we will win the league. No questions asked. We are by far the strongest team in the league. In A, we were one of the best, so dropping to B should be a piece of cake from what we are used to. Provincial championship is where we want to be, it should be expected from the boys. Anything less would be a disappointment for us.

J: Id also like to thank management and the front office staff for all the work this offseason. The team looks strong with all of our free agents. Management did a great job of looking after the team and helping us get to where we want to be.

We would like to thank Julian for taking the time to be our first player profile of the year. We cant wait to see how his grind line plays tomorrow in the season opener. Stay tuned for another Player Profile coming in hot, featuring last years Rookie of the Year and part time guitarist, Mr. Colin Catchpole

Delta Giants 2013 Season

First post of the season! The boys are back! There is lots of optimism to start the 2013 campaign for the Giants. After a year of injuries and set backs, the Giants have decided to step down into the B and rebuild from the last couple years in A. To start, management would like to say a happy retirement to a couple of original Giants who will no longer be playing with us. First, the Delta Giants original bigman Mat Tzetzos has decided to call it a career. We hope he and his dad will still come to the fundraisers and buy all the silent auction items in the future! Next, our token brown guy Ranvir Khosla is retiring due to school and work conflicts. Never afraid to drop his blue gloves, we will miss his work ethic on the grind line! Mike Guertin, another original giant, was forced to retire after popping his knee last year. Our star Team Canada defenceman Dennis Prettejohn will also be missing the season due to overseas training in Linkoping, Sweden. We hope to have him back in time for provincials! And finally, nobody knows what Derryk Homma is doing.

As old members go, new teammates arrive. We would like to welcome a handful of new Delta Giants who will hopefully help us to regain our form atop the league standings. First welcome Chris Ceraldi (@ceraldi15) to the fold. He is a 2 time Junior Team Canada World Champion and former teammate of last years ROY Colin Catchpole (@catchflow). We hope his experience and offensive skills will help ignite the scoring this year. Next is Steven Spiel (@SteveySpiel) who was added with recommendation from Chris Roddy. He works out probably too much, but has a clapper that will rival our resident clap specialist, Josh MacKenzie. Brad Tobin (@4bobbyorr4) finally convinced Taylor Clarke to make his return to the Giants after a 4 year hiatus from the big show. He is no stranger to the Giants as he is an original member of the team. His vaunted shot from the point is a nice addition and will be looked upon to boost the powerplay which struggled at times last year. Luke Brown has also been added to the fold. It is his first year playing with the big club and we hope his speed and strength will help upfront. John Dorey makes his fulltime return to the club after being an AP for a couple of years. He will be looked upon to be the last piece of the grind line, which was cycled out members over the past few years. After a successful WHL career, Anthony Bardaro (@bards21) will be joining the Giants on a part time basis. He was called up last year and played well for the team, we hope he can continue that form this year. Former Alberni Valley Bulldogs captain and Junior Team Canada player Trent Dorais has also joined the Giants. He will add toughness and speed to a team which relies on quickness to out hustle the other teams. Finally, with starting goalie Carlos Rodriguez (@carlosroddy) out indefinitely  after ACL surgery, we have picked up goaltender Deep to start the season. He will fill the void while Carlos rehabs and hopes to be back by playoffs.

The Delta Giants kick off the season tomorrow at 7:30 PM at Kensington Arena in Burnaby against the hometown Bombers. F Rob Rhyorchuk (@robry28) and F Josh MacKenzie (@djgiant99)  will not be available for the season opener.

Stay posted for the first player profile of the year, Julian Feijo, coming later this afternoon.

Video Player Profile: Rob Ryhorchuk featuring Steve Erickson

 Coming straight from Delta Cables Sports Wave, is an exclusive one on one interview with Delta Giants own Robert Rhyorchuk. Enjoy!

Player Profile: Rob Munro

After a short hiatus due to our first AGM, we are back with a new player profile. Next up is the Delta Giants Captain, Rob Munro. Rob is another member of the team with Team Canada experience, suiting up for the U-20 Gold medal winning team. We recently caught up with him to discuss this year and beyond.

You have been the team captain since the inauguration of the team in 2006. What responsibilities do you enjoy with carrying the captaincy?

R: I like being someone the younger players can look up to. I also like being an energy player and bringing that spark to the team every night. 

Your goal scoring has dropped off the past couple of years. What are you going to try to do this year to get some more goals and take some of the heat off of Rob Rhyorchuk?

R:Well I have always considered myself more of a playmaker. But I have been active this offseason, playing ice hockey and Arenex, trying to improve my goal scoring.

Rob and yourself have been line mates in ice and ball hockey for a long time now. Talk about your chemistry with him on the floor, and how it attributes to your guys' success.

R: I would compare us to the Sedins. We always seems to know where each other are without even looking. It also helps being good friends off the floor.

How do you feel about the team this year? With the official signing of forward Brendan Ham (2 year/terms undisclosed press release shortly) does that shore up any concerns of secondary scoring problems?

R: Oh I am super confident in the team this year. I believe this will be our highest scoring season. Our team is only going to get better and I think the future looks very bright for us.

Finally, this is a big year for the Giants. The WBHL Players Poll and the BCBHL Pre-Season Rankings have you guys ranked first. With such high expectations in only your second year in "A", is this the year the Delta Giants win it all?

R: I am absolutely positive this will be our year. I think everyone is taking this year very serious and everyone is working hard to be in top shape. Also with new additions and Roy getting professional experience, I can guarantee this will be the Delta Giants season.

Great to hear from Captain Serious. Next player profile on deck is the one and only big man on the back end, Derryk Homma. Also stay tuned to the site for a roster announcement and fundraiser info.

Player Profile: Chris Rodriguez

Today we interview current Delta Giant and U-20 Team Canada defenceman Chris Rodriguez. It is already his second year with the Giants, even though he was still eligible last year to play minor ball hockey. After a blazing start to his rookie year, Chris cooled off last season offensively to focus more on defence. We caught up with Chris at the local Taco Del Mar to talk Delta Giants.

After a subpar year last year for you personally, what are you going to do differently to get back into the player that won you the 2010 Rookie Of The Year Award?
C: I think I am going to take more offensive chances, pinch more. I feel that I focused too much on defence last year, and this year I am going to try to be more of a two way defender.

Last year your PIMs went down dramatically. What attributed to this more mature behaviour on the back end?
C: I decided that I wasn't a rookie anymore, so I didn't have an excuse to put my team down a player. I felt like it was time to mature last year and make the other team on the power play rather than fight back. I feel that our team gained more respect after our B Provincials, so we went from a hated team to a legitimate team.

You played last year for Team West Coast in Saskatoon, and played well enough to earn an invite to the U-19 Team Canada national team. How does playing for these provincial and national teams help to improve your game?
C: I've learned a lot of different strategies from different Provinces. I have taken some of those ideas and worked them into my own game. It was nice to compete with players my own age for a change, I felt more dominate after playing mens for a couple years.

So Team Canada wants you to be the anchor on their D-core, but you had to turn it down. Any regrets to that considering it would be your last year eligible for U-20 team?
C: Obviously I have some regrets, its always a privilege to put on the Team Canada uniform. But unfortunately my commitment is with the Delta Giants, and maybe one day I will get an invite for the Mens Team Canada.

You recently suffered your third concussion in under 2 years in ice hockey. When do you think you will hang them up and focus on Giants, and will this affect your game this season?
C: I don't see it ever affecting my game. I have a mind from the future so it would take a few more conkys to sink down from Birds level.

Last question, what can we expect from ole' C-Rod this year? Third year in the league, only 20 years old. Can we assume that throwing sticks over the boards and kicking helmets is out of your game?
C: Ha, yes, but if theres a chance to stand up for my teammates I won't hesitate to do so. You can expect me to pinch down low more often and burying whenever I get the chance to from the point. I'm looking for 5 G and 15 A this year. Anything but a provincial or playoff championship will be a disappointment of a season for me. I think we have the team to win it all, we have no excuse saying it is our first year in "A" anymore.

Gracias Chris! Gran entrevista del Rookie del Año!  You can translate that yourself. Chris Roddy is looking to shake off his recent concussion and have a strong start to the season. Next player profile coming up, the Captain, Rob Munro

Player Profile: Josh MacKenzie

Next up in our long running series is the clap-happy Josh MacKenzie. He broke onto the Giants 2 years along with fellow line mate Dylan Bird, and have never looked back since. The pair have been a great addition to the team and are putting up more points each year. I recently caught up with him at the gym to discuss the upcoming season for the Giants.

You are entering your third season with the Delta Giants. How have you handled the transition from ice hockey, and what about ball hockey and the Giants appeal to you?
J: The transition was rough at first with all the god damn running and trying to stick handle the ball, but the boys have been good helping out and showing patience. Ball hockey appeals to me as a place to go relax with the boys, let loose black out sometimes and have a good time. The Giants are a great bunch of classy ass guys who play hard on and off the floor.


You seem to have found a home on the second line in both an offensive and defensive role. What do you need to do this year to help take some of the scoring load off of the top line and make your line successful?
J: Building Sedin like chemistry with Dylan has been successful so sticking with that, maybe try to work on hitting the net with my clapper. But most of all learn to fucking bury on breakaways! Defensively I plan on back checking more, keeping closer to my d-man and getting  a lot more aggressive towards the other team.

I've been told by your teammates that you're one of the character guys on the team when it comes to locker room. . What makes Josh MacKenzie that guy hang in the locker room?
J: I think I bring a relaxed attitude to the room. Ball hockey is a place to have fun. I like to lighten the mood and make it a fun place for everyone to come and relax for 2 hours a night. Plus the pre game supps help that out a lot yeaaaaah buddy


You are the co-creator of #NevaKnowNation. It is also the motto of the Delta Giants 2012 season. How does this motto coincide with this upcoming season?
J: Neva know is more than a statement, its a lifestyle. Its been blowing up since last year and this upcoming year will be in full force. It is a mantra that everyone on the team can relate to and I guarantee it will win games and frustrate teams cause YA NEVA KNOW.


Final question here Josh. We all know you love to light the lamp. It will be your second year in "A". Goal and assist wise, what will be a successful season for Josh MacKenzie individually and as a team?
J: A successful season individually would be contributing offensively as much as I can. I would like to get more points every year. As a team, a successful season would be winning league and provincials thank who knows, well... YA NEVA KNOW

Co-Creator and proud Delta Giant Josh MacKenzie now in the books! Hopefully we can catch up with the other half of the Bash Brothers shortly. Also, news about Josh/Dylan Giants Fundraiser will be coming shortly, keep ya heads up! Tomorrow we feature Team Canada defence man, Chris Roddy.

Player Profile: Rob Rhyorchuk

Today we sat down with the first Delta Giant to go pro, Rob Rhyorchuk. He recently signed a contract with SHC Bettlach of the Swiss Mens A League. Not only is he there to light the Euros up, he will also be over there to mentor the Junior teams and show them how we roll. While not watching over bad guys, Rob sat down with us for this interview.

You had a very pleasant surprise this off season. You were offered a contract to go play Pro in the Swiss A League. Tell us about that and your feelings towards now being an official "pro"
R: Well it's going to be an awesome experience and I couldn't have done it without my team-mates. It's an honour to have been selected to represent the Delta Giants over in Europe

There are many things to be excited about. Food, culture, ladies...What is the thing you are looking forward to the most while playing in Switzerland?
R: I'm looking forward to living in one of the most beautiful places in the world and hopefully leading the team to a championship. Then I will be coming back to the mother land and ripping it up

Amen. You will be coming back as the Delta Giants season is a week or 2 in. Do you think playing overseas will help you ease right into the season with no rust?
R: For sure. Coming back in mid season form will definitely give me an upside to start the season. This year is going to be our time.

League MVP. Top Scorer. An outstanding last couple years you've had for the Giants individually. Last year though the team failed to win a major championship. What do you need to do to help the team win the Premier A this year?
R: Well I need to consistently light the lamp and I will think about back checking every now and then. We gotta come together as a team and enjoy the long ride to the championship because it's coming.

Backchecking!? That's on record. Final thought here. As another Delta Giant original, where do you see the club going in the upcoming years? The team is still young and most guys won't peak for another 3-5 years. Where would you like to see the team at that time?
R: I would like to see the team making it to Nationals and winning it all. 2-3 times. With the team we have and the prospects in the system, we have the skill and determination to do it.

We wish Rob all the best and we will continually update the site as his season progresses. Our lone pro Giant is going to represent us to the fullest! Below is a copy of the International release. First item in the Delta Giants Gallery at Sungod?