(BC Hockey League official media release)
The BC Hockey League Board of Governors has approved the sale of the Nanaimo Clippers franchise to Northern Lights Hockey Canada.
Northern Lights Hockey Canada is an investment group headed by Brad Kwong, a western-Canadian born investment professional with a long history in the sport of hockey as a player, executive, and team owner. Kwong, who is a former NCAA Division I hockey captain at Harvard University, also heads up the group which owns the Dubuque Fighting Saints of the USHL and is the former Chairman of the USHL’s Board of Governors.
“The BCHL is a leader in junior hockey and we have been very impressed with the strategic plan the league and board members have in place to take things to even greater heights,” said Kwong. “We’re excited to be a part of that plan and, with our staff, we hope to establish the Nanaimo Clippers as one of the preeminent junior hockey franchises in all of North America.”
The BCHL Board of Governors unanimously approved the sale after a vote last week. Northern Lights Hockey Canada will assume ownership of the team immediately.
“The Nanaimo Clippers are one of the league’s most storied franchises,” said Chairman of the BCHL Board of Governors Graham Fraser. “With their rich tradition already in place and a new ownership group coming in, we are excited to see what’s in store for them in the coming years.”
On the ice, the Clippers won 12 straight playoff games in 2022, en route to a Coastal Conference title and an appearance in the league final, with a roster that featured 13 NCAA Division I committed players. The Clippers are one of the longest-running BCHL teams and just celebrated their 50th anniversary. The franchise has won the Fred Page Cup five times, most recently in 2007.
The Clippers will host an event in July where fans, sponsors, media, and other key stakeholders can meet with new ownership and Clippers staff.
