Goalie Jordan Naylor is one of five Nanaimo Clippers who will get to complete his final junior season. As a graduating player he'll working to win for his teammates but also to secure an NCAA roster spot next season. (Gary Dorland)

By Dan Marshall

Getting A Chance

Graduating Clippers thankful for chance to complete their junior careers

Mar 18, 2021 | 6:07 PM

NANAIMO – There were times in the last three months Nanaimo Clippers Jordan Naylor and Baxter Anderson thoght it was game over.

Thankfully they’ll manage to finish their Junior A careers on the ice with the BCHL announcing a shortened season with players born in 2000 eligible to play.

Naylor said there was an exciting atmosphere in the dressing room once they knew regular season games would happen.

“We’ve been through a lot this year, like nothing I’ve ever gone through before in my life with all the uncertainty of the ups and downs. To get this news was a relief and like lifting a weight off our backs.”

Naylor acknowledged his own frustration at times after seeing the 2019-20 season shut down in March of 2020 due to COVID-19.

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The BCHL tried to begin in December and the league was hopeful for a January or February start but it didn’t happen.

“I thought ‘have I played my last game as a Nanaimo Clipper?’ It’s a sad feeling. Back to back years being shut down would have been tough.”

Baxter Anderson joined the Clippers in the late summer of 2020 from the Medicine Hat Tigers.

He’s eager to showcase his talents no matter what the 2021 BCHL championship will look like.

Anderson hoped being on a successful team will support his long term goal of moving to the next level of hockey in the fall.

“I want to continue to pursue my hockey goals to play Canadian college or university hockey in the future.”

Many of the current Clippers have been together since early September in Nanaimo and built a family atmosphere in the dressing room.

Anderson is eager to play out his junior season for his own family as well.

“My mom and dad and my grandparents tune in and watch every game and I like to play for them. They’ve helped me through a lot in my hockey career and my life.”

Naylor is excited his family will get to watch him play one more season, especially his dad Darren who’s been his coach with the Clippers since 2018.

“He’s been with me every step of the way and this is going to be our last year together. It’s exciting and it’s also emotional.”

There are still many details to be worked out for the upcoming season including the number of games and the schedule.

What is known is the Clippers will play all of their games in Port Alberni in a pod with Cowichan Valley, Alberni Valley and Victoria.

Naylor noted his favourite BCHL rink is Nanaimo’s Frank Crane Arena but he and his teammates don’t have any concerns about calling the Weyerhauser Arena home in the short term.

“We seem to play pretty well there. I really like that rink. The bus ride from Nanaimo to Alberni is the perfect length to listen to some music and get dialed in.”

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dan@nanaimonewsnow.com

On Twitter: @danmarshall77