Luke Lavery started his BCHL with the Clippers in 2021 and returns home for his final year of junior eligibility in the 2024-25 BCHL season. (Gary Dorland)

By Dan Marshall

Homecoming

High-scoring winger Lavery rejoins hometown Clippers

Aug 1, 2024 | 12:28 PM

NANAIMO — Luke Lavery is returning home to the team he started with in the BCHL.

The 2004-born winger was re-acquired from the Coquitlam Express for Cooper Wilson and the playing rights of Matt Lahey.

Lavery is very excited to be suiting up for Nanaimo again after stints in Vernon and Cowichan Valley.

“I’m ecstatic. There’s no place I’d rather be, being from Nanaimo. I got a little chance earlier when I was younger in my career and now I get to finish my 20-year-old year here. It’s special for my parents and grandparents. Some of them have never got to see me play in this league before. It’s awesome that I get to come back and share this experience with them as well.”

In the 2023-24 season Lavery had 46 points in 54 games with Cowichan and Clippers coach and general manager Colin Birkas has high expectations for big offensive production in Nanaimo.

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“Luke is a very talented player who will score a lot of goals for us. He’s a player who’s very tough to contain physically as well.”

Lavery debuted with the Clippers in the 2021 pod season, scoring 11 points in 20 games.

Early the following season he was moved to Vernon and finished the campaign with 13 points in 38 games.

In the 22-23 season, Lavery had 29 points in 55 games with the Vipers and Capitals.

Giving up the rights to Lahey was key to the deal, but the recent Toronto Maple Leafs draft pick is to play in the USHL this year before he moves to the NCAA.

Cooper Wilson is also leaving the club after putting up six points in 39 games last season.

Lavery joins an impressive list of Nanaimo area players who have played on the Clippers in recent years, headlined by outgoing captain Brett Merner and including names like Skyler Cameron, Corey Renwick and Brendan Taylor.

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