All-Delco Hockey Player of Year: Despite injury, few had moves like Haverford’s Jagur McClelland

HAVERFORD — Jagur McClelland didn’t need any reminders from the boisterous crowd at the Skatium on that particular Thursday night. For all that the Haverford senior forward had been through, he understood the stakes pretty well.

Springfield and Haverford entered the third period of a contentious Central League final tied at 1. McClelland knew the vitriol his opponent and its fans brought to the rink. He was, after all, the architect of the 2021 baptism Haverford meted out, an 11-1 mercy-rule affair in the final, on the path to a Flyers Cup triumph.

But separate from such drama, McClelland knew what this game meant to him. He’d missed all of December and most of January with a foot injury, an ailment that wrote off his chances at hitting the road to play for junior-level hockey, and also drastically diminished how much he could play with his Haverford mates this senior season.

There would be no making up for lost time. But in that final, there was a chance to script a new ending that at junctures of a difficult season seemed unlikely.

McClelland felt that pressure, more than anything lobbed from the stands, as he approached the third-period puck drop.

“I was nervous,” McClelland said. “I tried to keep it simple. My mindset was all over the place, but I just tried to get the puck on the net, and it worked two times, so that was nice.”

The nerves didn’t show, even if Springfield, the top seed, pulled ahead when Zach Crain scored 2:41 into the third.

In a game where the Fords needed their star player to play like a star, McClelland stepped up as he has his entire career. He assisted on Quinn Carson’s opening goal in the first period. Then with less than five minutes to play, he buried a feed from Nate Rabadam to make it 2-2. Fifty-two seconds later, he deposited what would be the game-winner.

It was a microcosm of what McClelland has always been: A big player for the biggest moments.

And also, once again, the Daily Times Boys Hockey Player of the Year.

Joining McClelland on the first team is teammate Nate Rabadam; Springfield defenseman Ryan O’Connor and forward Crain; Strath Haven’s forward Josh Peabody and defenseman Nick Dignazio and Cardinal O’Hara goaltender Christian Green.

McClelland is the player of the year for the second consecutive season. He, Rabadam and Crain are repeat selections. Dignazio, a junior, is the lone underclassmen. The All-Delco team is selected in consultation with local coaches.

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