The special Remembrance Day jersey of Rylan Yates (centre, #29) is headed to Toronto's Hockey Hall of Fame for preservation and display. (Garrett James Photography)

By Alex Rawnsley

TOP HONOUR

Nanaimo Clipper jersey heading to Hockey Hall of Fame

Dec 3, 2022 | 10:04 AM

NANAIMO — A little piece of the Harbour City is set to be enshrined in Toronto.

The #29 jersey of Nanaimo Clippers forward Rylan Yates, worn during the team’s Remembrance Day game against Alberni Valley will be sent to the Hockey Hall of Fame and featured in their rotating collection of exhibits.

Yates’ jersey was chosen in part due to his performance during a 4-1 Clipper win after he notched a goal and an assist and was named the game’s second star.

“When I first heard it, it caught me by surprise a little bit,” Yates told NanaimoNewsNOW. “Obviously it’s a huge honour and again it’s not something everyone can say. My parents are super excited and happy to hear that, they’re from Toronto and they’re around that area and been to the Hall of Fame a couple of times.”

It will be included in the constantly changing Hall of Fame exhibits to provide new things for regular visitors, in addition to anchor displays which are available to view year-round.

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Yates said he’s been a focal point for some good-natured attention from his teammates.

“When I got told, [forward Tyler] Wishart was bugging me, he was like ‘It’s going to the Hall of Fame’, and I was messing around with him saying ‘No, it’s going to the Nanaimo hall’, but when I found out it was going to Toronto, it’s a pretty cool feeling.”

The jersey was a special one-night design with a modified logo, replacing the traditional Clipper ship with a rendering of the HMCS Nanaimo.

It was designed by Lt. Tristan Robertson, a combat information divisional officer for the Royal Canadian Navy.

The team’s typical orange colouring was replaced by a blue camouflage motif based on the Navy’s Admiralty camouflage from the Second World War.

The Clippers were recently able to visit a base in the Victoria region to meet Robertson and speak with him about the design.

Yates said the recognition of the sacrifice’s made by Canadian Armed Forces members past and present puts playing junior hockey in perspective.

“It kind of gets a little fire, a little passion in you going. You’re playing for people who sacrificed and put their lives on the line every day, and they do so much for the world every day. We can’t say enough thank you’s to them.”

When Yates’ jersey is off display in Toronto, it will be considered for a travelling exhibition or stored in a climate-controlled environment to ensure preservation.

The Clippers continue a home stand Saturday, Dec. 3 hosting Merritt.

Yates scored a goal and added an assist in a 4-1 win over Alberni Valley on Nov. 11. (Garrett James Photography)

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