Tuesday, September 13, 2022

Blizzard Name Former Vernon Laker Naylor New Head Coach/GM:

The Manitoba Junior Hockey League OCN Blizzard have named former

Vernon Lakers forward Darren Naylor new Head Coach/GM.

Here is the story from the Victoria Times Colonist,


- Victoria Times Colonist


Naylor spent the past four seasons with the Nanaimo Clippers as Head Coach/GM, Vice President and Director of Hockey Operations.


Naylor and associate coach Colin Birkas were placed in administrative leave on February 11th 2022 after the BCHL announced an investigation into alleged breaches of the league’s code of conduct. In a social media post on March 9th 2022 the league stated “the investigation has been partly completed but is still ongoing. To ensure fairness in the process, the BCHL has determined that Colin Birkas can return to the coaching staff of the Clippers.” Naylor will remain on administrative leave until at least May 31st 2022.


Naylor played three seasons in the COHL, CHL, SUHL, PHL, WCHL & NAL from 1993-1996 with six different teams, before retiring from professional hockey in 1996. Naylor was a Scout and been coaching since 2005. Naylor was Head Coach/GM of the PIJHL Delta Ice Hawks from 2016-2018 before joining the Nanaimo Clippers in 2017.

Naylor played parts of one season in Vernon with the 1989-90 Vernon Lakers. Naylor was traded to Vernon during the 1989-90 season. The Lakers were Naylor's third team in his final season of Junior hockey. In 20 games with the Lakers, Naylor collected (8-goals-27-assists-35-points).

The Vernon Lakers were around from 1980-1983 & 1984-1995 before changing their name to the Vernon Vipers in 1995.

Darren Naylor's Player/Coaching Profile,

4 comments:

Bob McInnes said...

This is old news and Naylor was dropped like he was hot by OCN shortly after they hired him. It must be related to the investigation by the BCHL into his handling of the Nanaimo Klippers last season and Naylor being suspended until the end of the season. OCN is now under different coaching.

https://www.ocnblizzard.com/hockey-operations-staff

Anonymous said...

Your so wrong its hilarious, Also it is the Clippers not with a K .

Bob McInnes said...

So Naylor is still going to coach OCN? I spelled Clippers with a K because Nanaimo was so disfunctional the past few years, and my exposure to the Kindersley Klippers.

Anonymous said...

Your comment should be "it's hilarious", not "its hilarious".