Belfast Giants: Guess who’s back? Jackson Whistle returns for his sixth season

Whistle’s signing come quickly after it was announced that head coach Adam Keefe had secured the signatures of JJ Piccinich and then Scott Conway on May Day, followed by last week with the news that defenceman Gabe Bast had also re-signed for the Giants.

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.

Son of inaugural Belfast Giants' head coach, Dave Whistle, the dual-national – originally from British Columbia in Canada – is no stranger to Belfast or The SSE Arena, Belfast, having spent a portion of his childhood in Northern Ireland while his father led the Giants between 2000 and 2003.

Adam Keefe, head coach of the Belfast Giants, said: “For a number of seasons, Jackson has been a key member of the roster, and we’re pleased that he’s chosen to remain in Belfast.

“Jackson’s experience, knowledge, and confidence has continued to grow, and towards the end of last season, he put in some big performances and was the difference-maker for us in a lot of important games.

“The experience he’s continuing to gain with Team GB has also added more to his game, and I look forward to working with him again throughout the 2024/25 season.”

During the 2023/24 season, the Great Britain international recorded an impressive .926 goals against average across 21 EIHL regular season games, playing an integral role in helping the Giants reach the Playoff Finals Weekend at the Motorpoint Arena in Nottingham.

Commenting on returning to the Belfast Giants for the 2024/25 season, Jackson Whistle said: “I’m really looking forward to being back in teal next season and getting the opportunity to play in front of the best fans in the Elite League.

“I can’t wait to go out and compete every night and put the work in to bring silverware back to The SSE Arena, Belfast.”