The BCHL season will start Oct. 8 for the Clippers. Nanaimo has added veteran talent to their roster and will continue to search for players at upcoming evaluation camps. (Gary Dorland)

By Dan Marshall

Busy Offseason

Clippers well into preparations for full 2021-22 BCHL season

Jun 11, 2021 | 5:16 PM

NANAIMO — The Clippers offseason is anything but quiet with player acquisitions, evaluation camps and the confirmation of the 2021-22 schedule.

June 1 was the first day BCHL teams could officially sign players and Nanaimo quickly added three junior hockey veterans.

Forward Austin Spiridakis is a player the Clippers know very well after seeing him suit up from 2018-2020 with the Alberni Valley Bulldogs.

Skyler Cameron is a hometown defenseman who spent two seasons with the West Kelowna Warriors and fellow rearguard Klim Georgiev came to the club from the OJHL’s Toronto Junior Canadiens.

Clippers general manager and head coach Darren Naylor said he has confidence in his young core of returning players but it was also important to add key veterans.

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“If you want to win in this league you have to have the experienced guys and you have to have those 19 and 20-year-olds.”

In late June, the Clippers will begin their evaluation camps with three sessions in different areas of the province.

The Clippers will be holding a camp in Kamloops June 18-20, one in Nanaimo June 25-27, and another in Abbotsford July 9-11.

Goalie evaluations will be tied into those three weekends as well.

“We’re going to see a lot of ’04’s, ’05’s and ’06’s but it’s open to any age group up to 2001. We’re in a pretty high turnover year with the Clippers so if you think you’re ready this would be the year to try out,”

A later start to the BCHL season will give the coaches some extra time to fill out their roster.

Typically the league begins play the weekend after Labour Day but this year Nanaimo will drop the puck on Oct. 8 in Powell River and host the Kings in their Oct. 15 home opener.

Naylor said a key aspect of the 2021-22 schedule is how the games are more spread out.

“I didn’t really want three in three’s. In the third game guys can start to break down and injuries creep in. It does cost a little bit more because we have to make some extra trips but at the end of the day it’s about getting the advantage for our players.”

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