The Nanaimo Clippers have to part with a big piece of their blueline corps.
Defenceman Josh Bryan and forward Michael McNicholas were revealed to be the future considerations from January’s trade-deadline deal that brought Aaron Hadley from the Vernon Vipers.
Hadley played only six games for the Clips before being lost the rest of the way with a knee injury.
After the Clippers were eliminated from the Western Canada Cup earlier this month, coach Mike Vandekamp said Hadley was just the sort of experienced player who would have helped at that tournament.
“We made a pretty big trade at the deadline and never got anything out of it,” he said.
The Vipers like the additions of Bryan and McNicholas.
“[McNicholas] is gifted offensively and if we put him with the right guys, he’ll be a dangerous player,” said Vipers coach Jason Williamson. “[Bryan] is a guy we can lean on for leadership and play in all kinds of situations.”
In other Clippers news, the club announced the commitment of two players from U.S. academy hockey, 19-year-old Anthony Sabitsky of Sicklerville, N.J. and 19-year-old Zach Sabatini from Johns Creek, Ga.
Sabatini, a 5-foot-10, 160-pound forward, scored 37 goals in 60 games at the academy and midget levels last season.
The 5-foot-11, 175-pound Sabitsky led his Milton Academy team in scoring last season with 18 goals and 31 assists in 24 games.
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