Hospice Hockey - Live Roster News

On Saturday 7 June, The Odyssey Trust will host 'Hospice Hockey', a special charity ice hockey game that aims to raise £100,000 for Northern Ireland Hospice, at The SSE Arena as part of its 25th-anniversary celebrations.

The roster for Hospice Hockey will be gradually announced over the coming weeks. Check-in here and on the Giants’ social media channels for updates as announcements are made. Player lineup is subject to change. Tickets can be purchased here.

Ciaran Bartlet

Ciaran Bartlett is a comedian from Belfast who blends his acerbic take on modern life with fine chord progressions and an angelic voice. The self-proclaimed Goblin King is the host of the popular No Blasters podcast and a regular guest on Shane Todd's Tea With Me.

Leah McCourt

Leah McCourt is a Northern Irish professional mixed martial artist and submission grappler who competes in the Featherweight division of Bellator MMA.

Kerri Quinn

Kerri Quinn is an actress and singer from Northern Ireland. On television, Kerri is best known for her roles in Coronation Street and Hope Street, but has also featured in Derry Girls, The Witcher, and Three Families.

Petr Cech

No stranger to Belfast, or in fact the men in teal, Cech iced in April 2023 as part of a purpose-built Belfast Giants All-Stars roster that took part in The Odyssey Trust’s Hockey Can’t Stop Tour game at The SSE Arena, Belfast.

Owen Nolan

Belfast-born Owen Nolan scored 42 goals and 73 points in his second NHL season after being drafted first overall in 1990. The big power forward went on to play five All-Star games and win gold at the Olympics and World Championship. He retired from the NHL in 2010 with 422 goals and 463 assists.

Jeremy Rebek

Jeremy Rebek captained the Belfast Giants during the 2011/12 season, contributing more than 40 total points and leading the team to the Elite League championship. A legend of Austrian ice hockey, Rebek plied his trade with teams across the ICE Hockey League, capturing the domestic league title with EC Red Bull Salzburg during the 2009/10 campaign.

Jonathan Boxill

Jonathan Boxill first arrived in the Elite League ahead of the 2013/14 season, spending two years with the Nottingham Panthers before landing in Belfast for the 2015/16 season. A Great Britain international, Boxill notched more than 200 appearances for the Giants across four seasons, capturing the Elite League and Challenge Cup titles in 2018/19.

Mark Cooper

First arriving in Belfast for the 2021/22 season, the 31-year-old forward has registered over 180 appearances across three seasons for the Giants, cementing himself as one of the cornerstones of the team. Having played an integral role as alternate captain during his first two seasons in Belfast, Cooper was appointed captain ahead of the 2023/24 season, during which he led the club to its most successful Champions Hockey League campaign in history and the Elite League Playoff Final.

David Goodwin

First arriving in Belfast for the 2019/20 season, 32-year-old Goodwin has notched over 200 appearances across four seasons for the Giants. Having departed for Spanish side CH Jaca at the conclusion of the 2022/23 season, the St. Louis-born forward re-joined the Giants midway through the 2023/24 season, recording 28 total points in 31 games.

Ben Lake

Calgary-born British dual-national Lake first arrived in Belfast for the 2019/20 season and has since tallied more than 250 appearances in all competitions across four seasons with the Giants. The experienced forward, who is best-known for his passion and work ethic on the ice, has spent the last three seasons as one of the club’s alternate captains, establishing himself as a well-respected figure by fans and teammates alike.

Josh Roach

From Saskatoon in Canada, Roach first joined the Giants ahead of the 2018/19 season, before going on to play with the Black Wings Linz in the Austrian ICE Hockey League and Kenaston Blizzards in the Saskatchewan Valley Hockey League. Roach then returned to Belfast midway through the 2022/23 season, contributing as a solid defenceman in the historic treble-winning campaign, registering two goals and 16 assists in 25 Elite Ice Hockey League appearances.

Gabe Bast

Alberta-born Bast first joined the Belfast Giants ahead of the 2022/23 season, during which he recorded 74 total points in 72 games in all competitions, playing an integral role in the Giants’ treble-winning campaign. Prior to his first stint in Belfast, Bast spent four-years at the University of North Dakota, where he made over 100 appearances for the Fighting Hawks. Bast then went on to join Kuopio-based side KalPa in the Finnish Liiga for the 2021/22 season, before making the move to Northern Ireland the following season.

Jon Pelle

Jon Pelle joined the Giants ahead of the 2011/12 season, making an immediate impact with his offensive skill and playmaking ability. That season, he played a key role in helping the Giants secure the EIHL League title, contributing 29 goals and 41 assists. Before his time in Belfast, Pelle had success in both North America and Europe, including standout performances in the ECHL and Swedish leagues.

Darryl Lloyd

From Ontario, Canada, 40-year-old Lloyd, who, alongside Adam Keefe, made up the infamous ‘Bash Brothers’ duo, spent five seasons in Belfast between 2011 and 2016, netting 75 times in 289 games for the Giants. Having hung up his skates during the 2019/20 season, Lloyd returned to Belfast in April 2023 to participate in the Belfast Giants All Stars game that raised over £65,000 for the Ukrainian Hockey Dream Foundation.

Kevin Saurette

Having initially joined the Giants as short-term injury cover during the 2012/13 season, Winnipeg-born Saurette quickly became a key part of the team’s offence. After a number of stellar performances throughout the season, the Giants re-signed Saurette the following season, during which he recorded more than 85 total points and helped the team claim the Elite League title. Having been named in the EIHL’s 2013/24 All-Star Team, Saurette was named as one of the Giants’ alternate captains for the 2014/15 campaign, playing alongside fellow members of the testimonial roster, Darryl Lloyd and Robby Sandrock.

Robby Sandrock

First arriving in Belfast in 2002, Robby Sandrock had a remarkable career with the Giants, recording 45 points in 50 games in all competitions throughout his first season. After spending a decade playing in Germany, Sandrock returned to the Giants for the 2012/13 season, where he continued to be an instrumental player from the blue line. At the conclusion of the 2013/14 season, Sandrock was named on the EIHL All-Star Team.

Brandon Benedict

First arriving in Belfast ahead of the 2009/10 campaign, Benedict contributed more than 55 total points during his debut season. After a successful period with the Nottingham Panthers, Benedict returned to Belfast for the 2015/16 campaign and over the next three seasons, played a pivotal role in the team’s success, both as a player and as an assistant coach.

Pete Snodden

From Bangor, Pete Snodden is a broadcaster, DJ, speaker, host, stadium announcer, and TV show, best known for being the voice behind Cool FM's hugely successful breakfast show for the best part of 20 years.

Jackson Whistle

First arriving in Belfast from Canadian side Kelowna Rockets in the 2016/17 season, Whistle has since played over 150 games in all competitions across five spells with the Giants. The 28-year-old has also previously iced for fellow Elite Ice Hockey League (EIHL) sides, Sheffield Steelers and Nottingham Panthers, accruing an additional 78 games to his tally.

Andrew Dickson

An unequivocal fan favourite, Dickson is among the longest tenured Giants in club history, with five Elite League championships, four Challenge Cups, and an Elite League Playoffs title to his name. Initially making his debut for the Giants during the 2009/10 campaign, the 2024/25 season marked the Ballymoney native’s 14th season in teal.

Tyler Beskorowany

Tyler ‘Besko’ Beskorowany was a talismanic player for the Giants. Standing at six feet four inches, Beskorowany first joined the Giants for the 2018/19 season, backstopping the team to an Elite League title and earning the EIHL Netminder of the Year accolade. After a brief hiatus from hockey, Beskorowany returned in 2021, contributing to multiple championship victories, including the club’s first-ever treble, over the following two seasons.

Stephen Murphy

Fan favourite Murphy originally joined the Giants in 2009 from the Manchester Phoenix. The Scot played a vital role in helping the organisation reach the Playoff Championship at the end of his first season in Belfast. Murphy famously starred in the decisive shootout in the 2010 grand final against the Cardiff Devils. His enviable all-time record includes 10,584 saves in 440 games, achieving a save percentage of 0.913 and 26 shutouts during a mammoth 25,741 minutes of on-ice time.