The 6 Best Belfast Giants Players of All Time

The Belfast Giants have represented Northern Ireland’s capital in the UK’s EIHL (Elite Ice Hockey League) since 2000. Founded just three years before by Albert Maasland and Bob Zeller, the Canadians moved to make Dave Whistle the head coach for their inaugural season.

A sixth-place finish in their first season was followed up with a regular season title win in the 2001/02 season. Playoff championships followed in the 2002/03, 2009/10, and 2022/23 seasons.

During this time, Giants fans have seen some great players take to the ice at the Belfast SSE Arena. We take a look at some of the most influential below.

The 6 Best Belfast Giants Players

The Belfast Giants have provided locals with a successful team over the last two decades and 

Adam Keefe’s current treble-winning squad is set to take their place in the history books, but here are some of the other top players who have made their mark in the Giants’ past.

Mike Bales

Mike Bales’s impressive career saw him star for the Boston Bruins and Ottawa Senators before a move to Europe in 2001. Despite only playing for the Giants for one season, he made such an impression that he was selected for the ISL all-star team. 

The Canadian was instrumental in helping the Belfast Giants to their first title before moving on to play throughout Europe and coaching the Pittsburgh Penguins during their Stanley Cup-winning season.

Jason Ruff

Jason Ruff played for the Giants for four seasons during three different stints. He went on to captain the team in the 2003/04 season and was the assistant coach in 2006/07.

The talented forward made 186 appearances for the team and helped with ISL and EIHL league titles in that time.

Sean Berens

When it comes to skillful forwards, not many can rival Sean Berens. In just 65 games, he became a fan favourite and his most impressive season came in 2001/02 where he made 42 appearances with 21 goals and 34 assists. 

A second spell in the 2003/04 season saw him make just 16 appearances before moving to SC Langenthal. However, he still managed 10 goals and 16 assists in those games.

Paxton Schulte

Paxton Schulte was a no-nonsense winger who played for the Giants for their first four league seasons. During this time he racked up 79 goals and 90 assists in his 208 appearances.

The powerful Canadian was instrumental in establishing the franchise in the league during its early years.

Theoren Fleury

Theoren Fleury is yet another Canadian to make the list despite only featuring for the Giants for one season. He played 41 games scoring 23 and assisting 64 during the 2005/06 season, shortly before retiring.

The diminutive winger came with a lot of experience having played for the Calgary Flames and New York Rangers before making the trip across the Atlantic. 

A Gold Medal at the 2002 Olympic Games is probably the crowing achievement in his career, but the citizens of Belfast will always remember his year on the ice here.

Colin Shields

Despite starting his career at the Cleveland Jr. Barons, Colin Shields is a Glasgow-born hockey star who spent a lot of his career in America. He first came to Belfast during the 2005/06 season before returning in 2008 and 2012 respectively.

During his 3 spells across 11 years at the Giants, Shields made 529 appearances. His 208 goals and 348 assists make him an easy pick for the greatest Giants of all time and he still holds the record as the leading point scorer for the Belfast team and the Elite Ice Hockey League.

Conclusion 

It goes without saying that there are countless other players who have made considerable contributions to the success of the Belfast Giants. The current squad’s recent success has captured the imagination of the city and there are undoubtedly some players that will be remembered for a long time.

This season has been a mixed bag so far and the Giants’ next fixture is in Manchester on November 19th. The Belfast Giants are odds-on favourites to win the match and offshore gambling sites available also provide a wide range of markets to explore for those hoping to find the best prices. 

If the Giants can get their season back on track in Manchester, some of the current roster could become Hall of Famers in time. As things stand, the top Giants players have all contributed to solidifying the Belfast team as one of the best franchises in UK Ice hockey.