By Ian Gustafson

Major junior

Former Red Deer Optimist Chief named Vancouver Giants head coach

Jun 27, 2025 | 4:55 PM

The Vancouver Giants have hired Parker Burgess as their new head coach.

The 40-year-old from Calgary is making the step up to major junior hockey in Canada after years of coaching college hockey in the NCAA and other development leagues in the U.S. such as the North American Hockey League and the United States Hockey League.

However, most outside of central Alberta probably don’t know Burgess spent some time in the region during his playing days.

The forward suited up for the U18 AAA Red Deer Optimist Chiefs during the 2001-02 season where he scored 14 goals and 18 assists for 32 points in 36 games.

He also played two seasons from 2005 to 2006 with the Olds Grizzlys of the Alberta Junior Hockey League and appeared in 81 games. In that time he notched 22 goals and 39 assists for 61 points.

full budget in the spring

Blackfalds town council passes interim operating and capital budgets

28m ago

Missing: Nisa Pakyurek, 15, of Parkland County

44m ago

$39.4 million

Town of Ponoka approves 2026 interim budget

53m ago

After his time in central Alberta he went on to play NCAA Div. III for the St. Thomas University Tommies for three seasons before taking on a role as assistant coach for four seasons.

He went on to become the head coach at Nichols College for five seasons followed by two seasons in the NAHL as head coach of the Janesville Jets.

Most recently, he’s spent the last three seasons as head coach of the USHL’s Muskegon Lumberjacks, where he helped the franchise win their first-ever league title.

“I want to thank Ron and Pete and the rest of the ownership group for entrusting me with this incredible opportunity and this huge responsibility as well,” Burgess said in media release on the Giants website. “I want to thank Hnat for believing in me. I’m excited to work with him and his extensive experience, not only in the Western League, but the NHL, and then managing one of the top pro leagues in Europe. I’m just excited to work with him and grow with him and learn and kind of do this thing together.

“Not only are we going to try to continue the long history of success here, but we’re going to try to elevate it, and we’re going to try to do some things that help these guys get ready for the next level. Really, for me as a coach, I love working with the guys day in, day out. Being at the rink is my favourite part of the day. I hope to bring enthusiasm and passion and some structure to what is already a great thing. We want to develop these guys on and off the ice so that they can accomplish their goals, not only while they’re in Vancouver, but when they take that next step.”

The Giants also announced the hiring of Hnat Domenichelli as the club’s new general manager.