The Nanaimo Clippers will be a very experienced team this season and the hope is that will translate into team success on the ice. (Gary Dorland)

By Dan Marshall

New Season

Veteran laden Clippers have big expectations for 2024-25 BCHL season

Sep 20, 2024 | 11:57 AM

NANAIMO — A fifth place finish and a first round playoff loss has been motivating for the core of the Nanaimo Clippers.

The 11 players returning from last season are hungry to battle for a division title and to have a long playoff run after an early exit last year.

Second year forward Cole Lonsdale said he personally worked a lot on his strength in the summer and he feels the group is ready to take a big step forward.

“Obviously we have high expectations but we’re just taking it game by game. That’s really all we’re focused on. We can play different ways and we want teams knowing they need to bring their best when they play us.”

The Clippers went 2-2 in their four preseason games and assistant coach Evan Richardson has been impressed with the level of play he’s seen so far.

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“Colin (Birkas) did a great job on the recruiting side with bringing in the new players for this year and we’re also really excited about the returning guys. The guys who came back look like they took a huge step in the summer and we’re excited to see where they can take their game to.”

Richardson said the team is putting in the work to hit the ground running, noting the importance of a strong start to the season.

“Job one will be those team tendencies. That’s where you don’t want games to come back late in the season and bite you. You want to be ready for these games right off the hop and the best way to do that is to have those team systems in place. We want to give the guys the tools to go out and be as natural as they can and not overthink it.”

Nanaimo’s first game is against the Alberni Valley Bulldogs on Sept. 20 at 7 p.m.

Last year the Clippers only won two of the seven meetings, but the two rivals haven’t played a meaningful game since last November.

Lonsdale said a 7-5 loss to the Bulldogs in exhibition play has fuelled the fire heading into night one of the season.

“I”m super excited. We had a good preseason and a fun preseason game against them. I’m ready to start the season against them and get things going.”

The Clippers have only one game on opening weekend and then start their home schedule with games versus Chilliwack and Powell River on Sept. 27 and 28.

On the eve of the regular season Nanaimo made a roster addition with the acquisition of defenceman Garin Ludwig.

The 18-year-old spent last year with the Green Bay Gamblers of the USHL where he had two points in 42 games.

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