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VIDEO: Vancouver Giants sign four

Under-agers will be able to play
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Vancouver Giants have signed Cameron Schmidt (Prince George), Aaron Obobaifo (Calgary), and Jakob Oreskovic (Langley), along with defenceman Colton Alain (Victoria). (Rob Wilton/Special to Langley Advance Times)

Vancouver Giants have signed their first four picks from the 2022 WHL Prospects Draft.

Forwards Cameron Schmidt (Prince George), Aaron Obobaifo (Calgary), and Jakob Oreskovic (Langley) along with defenceman Colton Alain (Victoria) were introduced at a Saturday, May 28 media availability.

Schmidt was selected seventh overall by the Vancouver Giants in the 2022 WHL Prospects Draft. The 5’8” right-shot forward spent last season with the Rink Academy Kelowna U15 program. In 13 games, the Prince George, B.C. native recorded 25 goals and added 16 assists for 41 points, and added 38 penalty minutes.

“It’s an incredible honour to sign with the Vancouver Giants and to start this new chapter of my hockey career,” said Schmidt.

Giants General Manager Barclay Parneta called Schmidt “a dynamic, offensive player with a great shot.”

READ ALSO: Vancouver Giants select first-ever female skater in WHL prospects draft

Obobaifo, a 5’10” left-shot forward appeared in 52 games with Shattuck St. Mary’s 14U AAA team where he recorded 44 goals and 47 assists for 91 points and 36 penalty minutes.

In order to select Obobaifo with pick #19, the Giants traded their 21st and 70th overall picks to the Saskatoon Blades.

Obobaifo noted “a lot of great players have come through this organization and I can’t wait to get started.

Barclay called Obobaifo “an excellent two-way player with great offensive upside and skating ability. We were thrilled to be able to trade up in the draft to select him.”

Langley’s Oreskovic, a left-handed shot, checks in at 5’11” and spent last season with the Delta Hockey Academy’s U15 Prep Green program. In 28 games, he recorded 19 goals and 27 assists along with 8 penalty minutes. He also suited up in five playoff games and recorded one goal and two assists.

“I’m very excited to sign with my hometown WHL team,” said Oreskovic. “I’ve grown up watching the Vancouver Giants play, and I’m honoured to have the opportunity to put on a Giants jersey and begin the next step of my hockey career.”

“We scouted him closely this season, and we really like his character, work ethic and on ice leadership. We were thrilled that he was still available to us at #22,” said Parneta.

READ ALSO: VIDEO: Vancouver Giants Cinderella season ends with loss to Kamloops

Alain is a 6’2”, right-shot defenceman who scored 16 goals and added 16 assists for 32 points in 30 games for the Pacific Coast Academy’s U15 Prep Program last season, along with 40 penalty minutes. He was the first defenceman selected by the Giants in the 2022 Prospects Draft.

Alain said he was “looking forward to the opportunity to take the ice for Training Camp with my new teammates in the fall.”

Parneta described Alain as “a big-bodied, versatile, mobile defenceman ” with “a bomb of a shot from the point.”

As under-agers, all four are eligible to play in up to five games next season with the Vancouver Giants.


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Dan Ferguson

About the Author: Dan Ferguson

Best recognized for my resemblance to St. Nick, I’m the guy you’ll often see out at community events and happenings around town.
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