By Dan Marshall

Clippers busy offseason continues with acquisition of Marcus Mitchell

Jun 25, 2018 | 8:00 PM

NANAIMO — The overhaul of the Clippers roster continued over the weekend in a trade with the Penticton Vees.
 
The Clippers sent David Silye and Max Crozier to the Vees in exchange for Marcus Mitchell and future considerations.
 
Both Silye and Crozier had been exploring options south of the border with the USHL, and the latter had told Clippers management that he had made a verbal commitment to join Sioux Falls of the USHL in the middle of last week.
 
In Mitchell the Clippers get a veteran player of 146 BCHL games who has an NCAA commitment to Michigan Tech.
 
Last season the 19-year-old had 22 points in 43 games split between Penticton and Salmon Arm.
 
He was especially productive in the post season when he counted 11 points in 11 games for the Vees.
 
Clippers coach Darren Naylor has had his eye on Mitchell for some time now.
 
“He’s a player I feel can bring the leadership we really need this year. He’s a player I’ve admired and he’s a really competitive guy.”
 
Both Crozier and Silye were players who made large contributions to the Clippers in the 17-18 campaign.
 
Crozer had a year of accolades from being on the Central Scouting list, to getting an invite to the Team West camp for the World Junior A Challenge, to being named a finalist fo the BCHL’s Top Defenseman Award.
 
Silye spent two years playing in Nanaimo and amassed 61 points in 106 games.
 
The now former Clippers are both committed to NCAA programs down the road as well.
 
The strong possibility of Silye and Crozier leaving for the US was a factor in the deal according to Nanaimo owner Wes Mussio.
 
“Both David and Max are excellent hockey players and will be missed but it became very apparent in the last few weeks that both players were opting to continue their hockey careers in 2018-2019 away from the Clippers organization. We accepted that fact and sought to add some age and leadership bringing in Mitchell.”
 
The Clippers also made another deal last week acquiring forward Mackenzie Merriman from Bonnyville of the AJHL in exchange for blueliner Jeremy Gervais.
 
Merriman put up 12 points in 46 games for the Surrey Eagles last season.
 
 
dan@nanaimonewsnow.com
 
On twitter: @danmarshall77