The Nanaimo Clippers added three players to their blueline through the week, replacing many of their very successful defensive unit who graduated to NCAA.

By Dan Marshall

BUSY WEEK

Clippers shore up blueline with trio of moves

Jun 12, 2020 | 1:43 PM

NANAIMO — The Clippers have added three defencemen to their roster in the span of a week.

First the team re-acquired Colton Kitchen in a future considerations deal with Victoria.

Kitchen dressed for only one game as a Clipper in 2019-20 before moving on to Penticton and Victoria.

The Prince George product finished the season with six points in 38 games.

Markham, Ontario native Michael Palandra was picked up in a futures deal with the Brantford 99ers.

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The 19-year-old is already committed to the Rochester Institute of Technology a year down the road but is looking to further his development in Nanaimo.

“I’m excited. I’ve been wanting to come out west and experience the BCHL for a while now.”

Last year in the OJHL Palandra had 28 points in 51 games.

Kabir Gill is entering his final year of eligibility and the 2000 born blueliner is looking to provide leadership for his new club.

“I plan to be a leader in anyway possible whether that’s on the ice or off the ice. I had some great leaders when I was younger and I’m going to take what I learned from them to help out here.”

Gill played parts of two seasons with the Coquitlam Express but was acquired in a future considerations deal with the SJHL’s Weyburn Redwings.

He had nine points in 38 Junior A games last year.

Coach Darren Naylor felt the Clippers need to added veterans on defence with the loss of key contributors Devin Mussio, Aiden Hansen-Bukata, and Robby Drazner to the NCAA.

“We had to rebuild our blueline. We had basically three returning guys and at this level that’s not going to fly. You’ve got to go out and get some experienced guys and I feel we did that.”

Jack O’Brien, Trevor LeDonne and Liam Visram are all eligible to return to the Clippers and the club has already committed to defenceman Carter Rose this offseason.

dan@nanaimonewsnow.com

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