Newcomers Sebastian Miles and Caden Okovita made their Clipper debuts on Jan. 3 in Cranbrook. (Image Credit: Dan Marshall/NanaimoNewsNOW)

By Dan Marshall

Fresh Faces

Clippers roster sees significant change entering 2026

Jan 9, 2026 | 10:14 AM

NANAIMO — Rosters around the BCHL have gone through some major shakeups in the last few weeks, including the Nanaimo Clippers.

In their first game of 2026, the Clippers debuted two new players, defenceman Sebastian Miles and forward Caden Okovita.

In their next games, they’ll have another two new bodies in defender Blake Jones and goalie Matthew Hutchison.

On the departures side, just before Christmas the team lost blue liner Nicholas Holomego to the QMJHL and the club also saw the exits of forward Jesse Venturo, goalie Dryden Riley and team captain Nathan Larioza.

Larioza is the biggest loss and was a sought after player following a very strong first half of the BCHL season.

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He will move on to the USHL and leave a void in Nanaimo’s defence corps and the team’s leadership.

Miles and Okovita have already started to mesh with the group, while the other new players will start the process in the coming days.

Clippers coach Colin Birkas has high hopes for the pair, who suited up for the Clippers in Cranbrook for the first time.

“Miles is a big strong kid, who’s mobile. He’ll remind our fans of Hudson Gill who we’ve lost for the season. We’ll try to ease him in until he’s comfortable. Okovita is a spark plug. Talented, hardworking. Does a lot of things to outcompete his size.”

Miles grew up in the lower mainland and is happy to be back in his home province after player for Battlefords in the SJHL.

“It’s pretty cool, I’ll be getting to play in places that I played growing up. It’s going to be a great experience, and I’m proud to be a part of it. I’m going to bring a big physical presence on the ice and not let anybody get anything easy in front of me.”

Okovita had a whirlwind week of travel to begin his Clipper career.

He had to traverse North America to get into his first game action.

“I left Sioux City and had a 16-hour bus ride home. I spent the night there. Then I had a five-hour flight to Victoria and a two-hour drive to Nanaimo. The trip to Cranbook was long, it’s not ideal, but it’s just part of the game.”

The new-look Clippers have a pair of home games on Friday, Jan. 9 and Saturday, Jan. 10 at home versus Powell River and Victoria.

Then the team will have an 11-day break for the BCHL All-Star weekend Jan. 16-18.

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