GREG SAKAKI
Nanaimo Bulletin Sports
For three seasons, Spencer Hewson has filled every role the Nanaimo Clippers have asked of him. Now they’re asking him to take on his greatest role yet – team captain.
The 20-year-old forward from Vernon has been named the next Clippers captain.
“I was honoured,” said Hewson. “I’ve been lucky enough over the years to have a lot of great leaders with this team, so it’s going to be some big shoes to fill, was the first thought.”
Clipper head coach Mike Vandekamp said he’s unsure of how his team will look like in 2016-17, the coaching staff was confident that nobody could come in and be a better candidate for captain than Hewson.
“He does everything right, leads by example with good habits both on and off the ice, attention to detail,” said Vandekamp. “We couldn’t ask for anything more than that as a captain.”
Hewson, a 5-foot-11, 180-pounder, has played primarily on checking lines during his years with the Clippers, and he is also one of the team’s top penalty killers.
When needed, he has slotted into scoring-line duties and he’s even played games as a defenceman. Hewson was third in the B.C. Hockey League’s Fortis B.C. Energy Player of the Game standings in 2015-16 and was chosen Unsung Hero at the Clippers’ year-end awards banquet last weekend.
“I’m not looking to change the way I handle myself too much, because it’s what I think they’re looking for and why they chose me to have this role,” he said.
But the team will have higher expectations from Hewson when it comes to putting up numbers.
“He has the ability to create offence and I think if we allow him a consistent opportunity to play in those situations, he’ll do that,” said Vandekamp.
Hewson, who recorded 11 goals and 24 points in 56 games this season, said he believes he has more offensive upside than he’s yet shown.
“I think it’s just getting the opportunity. You play whatever role your team needs,” he said. “(Scoring) is something I’m excited for the opportunity for. As long as you’re taking care of the defensive zone and those things, it should come.”
He’s expecting to have a strong core of teammates supporting him.
“This week has been tough saying goodbye to guys, but we’re getting a good feel that we’re going to have a lot of excellent players come back … and I’m sure that Mike’s going to do a hell of a job recruiting,” said Hewson.
It should make for top-notch product on the ice, he said, and he suggested fans should have high expectations because the Clippers have those expectations of themselves every year, no matter the calibre of players who graduate.
“Completely. The goal every single year is to win the Fred Page Cup,” said Hewson. “We’ve had two excellent seasons and I’ve been lucky enough to be a part of those two teams, but we’ve come up short.”