NANAIMO — The Clippers are on their longest road trip in team history with four games in five days in Alberta.
It’s an eight-day trip overall with two of the games at the BCHL Showcase in Nisku, outside of Edmonton, with the event featuring all 20 teams playing two games each.
While the results count in the regular season standings, the event brought scouts from several levels of hockey looking for talent, with BCHL communcations director Jesse Adamson saying the scouting community always shows up en masse.
“Scouts from the NHL and NCAA have always been our biggest customers, you might say. We have an increased presence from USports schools and also NCAA Division 3. That’s a great landing spot for players.”
On the ice, the Clippers’ results were less than ideal, as the team fell 3-2 to Blackfalds on Tuesday, Oct. 13, and 4-1 to the Brooks Bandits on Wednesday, Oct. 14.
Nanaimo will play in Spruce Grove on Friday, Oct. 16, and then visit Okotoks the following night.
Less than half of the Clippers roster has a school commitment, and Adamson hopes the Showcase is a launching pad for players from Nanaimo and around the BCHL to realize their hockey goals.
“Over the years a lot of players have said the Showcase was the first time they had contact with the school they ended up going to. The scouts come to evaluate the players on the ice, but they also get a chance to come down to the dressing room and talk to players in person to start building those relationships. I think it’s so important for us to facilitate that.”
Goaltender Hugo Laring came from Sweden in his last year of junior eligibility to play for the Clippers.
He’s confident he can find a place to play back home but he’s keen on trying to go down an NCAA pathway.
“Playing over here in Division 1 would be awesome. I’m really open-minded. I want to find a level that fits me. For a goalie, it’s important to find a team where you can play a lot. So far I’ve been focusing on my game and trying to play at a high level.”
Pherson Loehndorf is another Clipper hoping for a commitment.
He was trying to impress scouts while having some familiar faces in the crowd.
“I’m hoping I can show myself off at the Showcase and get some looks. I’m really looking forward to it, I’ll have some family at the games so that will be nice.”
Players like Drew Roelofs already have an NCAA commitment, with Roelofs set to attend the University of St. Thomas in Minnesota next year.
While he concedes a college commitment does take some pressure off, he treats every day like a tryout.
“There’s always someone watching you when you’re on the ice and you have to give 100 percent.”
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