Our second season brought us another #7 -- Rob Giffin. He was quite the character, wearing his signature hat that looked like a backwards beret! He was from Peterborough,Ontario, Canada, so we were lucky that we didn't have to teach him the English language!
Rob came to Wheeling in a trade with Peoria. We traded Boutin for Rob! As much as we hated it when J.F. left, we never had any problems getting to know Rob and make him a part of our family, too. His outgoing personality made him a favorite with a lot of people and we certainly enjoyed his company. After a year in Wheeling, Rob headed to Little Rock, Arkansas, where he played for the Arkansas GlacierCats of the Western Professional Hockey League. His playing skills sharpened there, and he was one of the top scorers for the team. If I remember correctly, I believe he was the top player of the entire league in scoring short-handed goals. We were very proud of Rob, though disappointed that he didn't play anywhere close enough for a visit.
This past season (2000-2001), Rob ventured South to Monroe, Louisiana, to play for the Moccasins after the demise of the GlacierCats. Rob had another successful season, but again, was too far away to visit and see him play. He keeps in touch and we are hoping that maybe next season he will be closer to us so we can see him again.

2004 Update: I received an email from a lady a couple of months ago named Gina who told me that Rob is alive and doing well in Arkansas. After playing a few seasons in the UHL, the WPHL, and the CHL, Rob has now retired from hockey. He makes his living in carpentry work and is supervising a small crew of his own at his place of employment. Although I've not heard back from Rob or Gina, I wish them both the very best and am glad to hear that Rob is happy and well.