The Nanaimo Clippers continue to address all positions as they piece together a roster for 2016-17.
The city’s B.C. Hockey League club made a trade this month, dealing forward Troy MacTavish to the Carleton Place Canadians of the Central Canada Hockey League in exchange for defenceman Will LeNeave.
The 6-foot-4 newcomer is expected to add not just size, but a well-rounded game to the blueline corps, as he is a smooth skater with offensive upside. He had 17 points in 58 games last season and gained playoff experience as the Canadians made it all the way to the Royal Bank Cup. He has an NCAA Div. 1 scholarship to Union.
MacTavish played 37 games with the Clippers last year, scoring five points.
Another defenceman, Austin Crossley, comes to the team from Fort St. John, via the junior B Kamloops Storm. The 6-foot-1, 205 pounder had nine points and 64 penalty minutes in 40 games last season.
Will Koop, a first-line forward with the Nanaimo Buccaneers last year, has officially signed on with the Clippers. He practised with the Clips as an affiliate during the BCHL team’s playoff run this past spring.
Nanaimo made a trade to acquire Vincent Millette, sending future considerations to the Montreal-Est Rangers of the Quebec Junior AAAA Hockey League. The 5-foot-10, 180-pound forward scored 27 goals and 46 points in 48 games last season.
Another new forward is Ben Solin, a 5-foot-10, 175 pounder from Madison, Conn. who has an NCAA Div. 1 scholarship to Harvard. Solin scored 21 goals and 49 points in 29 games of prep hockey last year in Exeter, N.H.