Second year Clipper Will Subject has taken over the team's captaincy. He said he will rely on his family and teammates and captains from the past and present to find the best way to lead the Clippers on the ice and in the community. (Image Credit: Damon James/Island Images Photography)

By Dan Marshall

Subject Change

Will Subject steps into Clippers captaincy role

Jan 29, 2026 | 2:23 PM

NANAIMO — For the third time this season the Clippers have named a new captain.

Will Subject now wears the ‘C’ after initial captain Carson Lesiuk was traded and Nathan Larioza left the club for the USHL.

Subject was informed in the lead up to the BCHL All-Star weekend.

“It was unfortunate to lose Larioza, he was a great leader and a great player. There was a moment in the locker room where coach Birkas got us together and I got the honour of being named captain. It was pretty special for me.”

The new captain said he’ll be leaning on his experiences both in and outside of the game to help lead the team.

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“I draw from former captains like Connor DeTurris and even looking closer in to my own family, people like my parents and my sister. Everyone’s a leader in their own way. As I’ve gotten older and more mature I can draw bits and pieces from life that can accumulate. I’m just trying to be me and the biggest leader possible.”

Subject wasn’t able to finish his first game as captain.

He got into a skirmish in the second period of the Jan. 21 game in Chilliwack that started with a hit on the Clippers Indiana Grossbard and ended with Subject getting a major penalty and game misconduct.

“There was something in me that I just knew I had to step up for my teammate and go after the guy that hit my teammate in a bad way. I think regardless of whether I wore the captaincy or not I think I would have done that anyway.”

In Nanaimo’s Jan. 24 game in Coquitlam, Subject and his teammates were down by scores of 3-1 and 4-2 but the captain said the team’s attitude helped them overcome those deficits and win 5-4 in a shootout.

“The character that we have in our locker room and the group of guys that we’ve brought in has really gelled this team together. In any scenario we’re going to give it our all in every shift. It doesn’t matter the score or what’s going on. It’s nice to get a reward out of that too, it proves the point that attitude and effort impact results. I was proud of how the group stepped up.”

The Clippers went 1-1-1 on their last extended road trip of the season and now have games at home against Alberni Valley on Friday, Jan. 30 and Coquitlam on Saturday, Jan. 31 to wrap up the month.

Friday is Alumni Night with several former Clippers from different eras expected to be in attendance.

Nanaimo enters the weekend in sole possession of second place in the Coastal West division with a record of 18-13-3.

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