The Vancouver Giants have had six players picked in the first round of the NHL Draft in their entire history. They could have two this year alone.

Defenceman Ryan Lin is being projected as a top-10 selection, and winger Tobias Tomik is starting to get some buzz as a mid-round choice. 

The Giants open their 25th season on Saturday, playing host to the expansion Penticton Vees at the Langley Events Centre. There is an array of festivities planned to celebrate the milestone campaign, including having fans pick an all-time Giants squad on the team website.

Bowen Byram is bound to be chosen to that squad. The rearguard was picked fourth overall by the Colorado Avalanche in the 2019 NHL Draft, which tied him for earliest selection in Giants history with Evander Kane, the winger who went fourth to the Atlanta Thrashers in 2009.

Other Giants first rounders? Winger Samuel Honzek (No. 16, Calgary, 2023), defenceman Jon Blum (No. 23, Nashville, 2007), centre Gilbert Brule (No. 6, Columbus, 2005), and defenceman Mark Fistric (No. 28, Dallas, 2004). 

Byram had six goals and 27 points in 60 regular season games as a 16-year-old with the Giants in 2017-18. That offers up a little further perspective to the five goals and 53 points that the 6-foot, 170-pound right shot Lin amassed in 60 regular season games last season at that same age.

Lin and Landon DuPont of the Everett Silvertips last season became the first two defenceman age 16 or younger to put up 50-point seasons in the WHL since Scott Niedermayer did with the Kamloops Blazers in 1989-90.

Tomik, meanwhile, is a Slovak that the Giants picked in the CHL Import Draft ahead of last season. Tomik opted to play last year in Europe, and then-Giants general manager Barclay Parneta said then that the team was going to keep him on the roster with the idea that he would come for his draft season.

The 6-foot-2, 198-pound left shot Tomik comes in at No. 18 on Daily Faceoff’s early draft rankings, and No. 21 with Draft Prospects Hockey.

Pundits offering pre-season praise for Lin include TSN, who had him at No. 7 in poll published on Wednesday.

Lin tops four WHLers in the TSN 16-player list, followed by Prince Albert Raiders defenceman Daxon Rudolph (No. 9). Prince George Cougars defenceman Carson Carels (No. 11) and Spokane Chiefs centre Mathis Preston (No. 13). That group would be all the more impressive if winger Gavin McKenna (No. 1) hadn’t left the Medicine Hat Tigers for Penn State and defenceman Keaton Verhoeff (No. 2) hadn’t jumped from the Victoria Royals to North Dakota.

With all that in mind, here are five other storylines to watch for this WHL season.

FEUDING WITH THE NCAA

It’s difficult to come up with a firm number on how many players left the WHL for the NCAA this summer. There has been at least 20 depart with two or more years of junior eligibility remaining.

That’s clearly led to hard feelings. We are hearing now about some WHL teams barring NCAA coaches out of their scouts/media room, which is where you pick up a stats packages — and the odd snack before games.

For what it’s worth, there were apparently 20 NCAA teams represented at a pre-season tournament hosted by the Tri-City Americans. 

What’s next? Don’t be surprised if we start hearing about WHL teams reaching out to players who left for the NCAA after the first couple of games if those players don’t get a ton of ice time.

There is a school of thought that there could be players come back the WHL midseason. That premise could cut down on early season trades as clubs look to see who might return.

FEUDING WITH THE NCAA PART II

One of the factors with players leaving for American school is the facilities they can provide. That’s especially prevalent with schools with successful football programs.

The OHL’s Kitchener Rangers have teamed with the city of Kitchener to make $2.5 million in upgrades to their rink. Could WHL teams mirror that? We’ll see.

MAKING MOST OUT OF BEING HOST

The Kelowna Rockets are hosting this spring’s Memorial Cup. They are coming off one of the worst seasons in franchise history, finishing 2024-25 with a 18-44-4-2 record.

Longtime general manager Bruce Hamilton is bound to have a few tricks up his sleeve that he can use to rebuild on fast forward. He’s already coaxed former Giants captain Mazden Leslie, who was the No. 2 scoring rearguard in the league last season, back to the WHL from his NCAA commitment to Bowling Green State.

NEW KIDS ON THE BLOCK 

The Vees are the WHL’s 23rd team and create a 12-team Western Conference. They were a dominant program in the BCHL for years. That Junior A loop was a feeder for the NCAA, which gives longtime Penticton GM/coach Fred Harbinson extra connections in navigating what’s going on right now in the WHL.

The last WHL expansion team was the Edmonton Oil Kings in 2007-08, and they finished their first year at 22-39-4-7, which left them 11th in a 12-team Eastern Conference.

NEW KIDS ON THE BLOCK PART II

Last March, the WHL announced the addition of Penticton, and that Chilliwack was coming on board in the league for the 2026-27 season. That was the something the existing teams wanted, in large part because Chilliwack is centrally located for travel. 

The league has gone about the unusual route and has taken applications for owners. They’ve shortlisted to finalists. Commissioner Dan Near hasn’t said how many groups remain in the running. People around the league has suggested two or three.

Near has yet to offer a decision date.