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Clippers preparing for training camp

Aug 17, 2016 | 10:09 AM

NANAIMO — The Nanaimo Clippers open training camp next week, and there are alot of unknowns about the 2016-17 team.
 
Nanaimo’s top six forwards, top four defensemen, and number one goalie from last season have either graduated or moved to the NCAA.
 
Coach Mike Vandekamp needs to get down to 22 players by the time the season starts September 9th, and the process of picked the opening night roster begins next Tuesday at Frank Crane Arena.
 
“We should start camp with about 34 or 35 total,” said Vandekamp. I’d like to have the numbers settling at that, it gives us the right size for two groups. We have that first exhibition game on the Saturday night (August 27th) and I think alot of the players that are here will have an opportunity to advance with the team to that point at least.”
 
With so many new faces, the coach will be looking to build chemistry right from day one.
 
“I think I’ll start that right from the first day of camp. Some of it will be more off of hunches because we don’t know that much about all of our players, and we’ve only seen so much of each one of them. I’ll try to do that right away, try to put a couple of guys especially in pairs at least, maybe a couple guys you think might play well together. And start them off that way right from the get go and then tweak it.”

The Clippers have seven players eligible to return from last season, and there have been a number of high level recruits from the prep school, Junior B, and Midget hockey.
 
Over the years the Clippers have had an obvious number one goalie picked early in the summer, but that’s not the case this time around.
 
“Not every year do you have a starting goaltender in the middle of the summer or before camp starts, and this year’s one of those for us.  We’ve got three very competitive goaltenders in our camp and we could very well start the season with two of those three being here.  Just because you haven’t played a lot of Junior A hockey doesn’t mean you’re not a good goaltender.”
 
The Clippers will be on the ice from August 23rd to 25th at Frank Crane Arena doing practice sessions, and Main Camp will end with the Rhodesie Cup Intersquad game at 6pm on August 26th.