Paul Colborne Buys BCHL Hockey Team

(above) Paul Colborne just bought an interest in the BCHL Nanaimo Clippers

From: BCHL.ca

Paul Cloborne, the father of former University of Denver star Joe Colborne is one of four new owners of the BCHL Nanaimo Clippers hockey team in British Columbia, Canada. Paul was a fixture at DU games while Joe was playing college hockey.

One of the other four owners includes former NHL goalie and current CBC hockey analyst Kelly Hrudey. Hrudey, who spent 15 years in the NHL with the New York Islanders, Los Angeles Kings and San Jose Sharks.

Another owner is Dave Moir, who has worked with Hrudey on CBC hockey broadcasts as a statistician and researcher.

Paul Colborne, who was not able to be at the ownership announcement as he was watching his son Joe, a 2008 first-round pick by Boston, play for the Providence Bruins. The three have been interested in the Clippers for some time but things only came together recently and Moir says he and his partners are happy it worked out in Nanaimo.

“Basically for the last two-and-a-half to three years, we’d been looking at different opportunities,” said Moir. “We sat down with (current co-owner) Ken (Wagner) in the last six months ... and we felt it was a good fit.”

Moir was also happy to see fans flocking to the game and acknowledged the interest that Hrudey draws.

“I’ve been working with him for 14 years so I’m used to it. Kelly’s a little more visible and he’s good with the fans.”

Hrudey and Moir were able to address the team briefly before they took the ice against the Cowichan Valley Capitals. A former major junior player with the Medicine Hat Tigers, Hrudey said the memories of being around the locker room came flooding back.

“Absolutely – my wife said, ‘Boy, they look so young,’ but they’re all such good kids,” said Hrudey. “You hear that kids are different today but I don’t find that at all.

“If we can provide some help and guidance, that’s what we want to do.”

DU players Kyle Ostrow and Marc Cheverie were teammates on the Clippers before coming to DU.

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