Meet Your Manitoba Moose, Part Two: JC Lipon

This five-part series will focus on the players that will don the Manitoba Moose jersey in 2015-16. While these players may see time with the Winnipeg Jets next season, they will likely make up the core of the farm team that will be heading to the Manitoba capital. Part two features J.C. Lipon.

Webster’s Dictionary definition of antagonist is “a person who actively opposes or is hostile to someone or something; an adversary. That describes J.C. Lipon to a tee. The 6-0, 180 pound Regina native loves to get under the skin of his opponents. You love to have a J.C. Lipon on your team but you would hate to play against him.

The Jets third round pick in the 2013 draft will be entering his third professional season after a solid junior career with the Kamloops Blazers of the WHL. He could score in junior, potting 36 goals in his final year in Kamloops. But since joining the pro ranks, Lipon hasn’t been noted for his goal-scoring touch. 

In 75 games last season, Lipon notched only 5 goals and 21 assists. That doesn’t mean he won’t be noticed out there. Lipon racked up 163 penalty minutes last season showing that he wasn’t afraid of the rough stuff. 

Lipon is excited to be in Winnipeg next season as he told a media scrum when the Moose were introduced to the public:

“I had some buddies who played in Toronto in that system and in Boston. It’s just more exciting being closer to the bigger team, feeling the buzz of the city and getting used to the city as well. 

 It’s a nice building here. I’ve played here a couple of times and it’s always been really exciting and we should have a good fan base with the Moose as well.”

So what should Moose fans expect from JC Lipon?

They should expect a lightning rod of a player who will be a pest to the opposition. For those who like the fisticuffs, Lipon is more than willing to drop the gloves and engage in a scrap. Discipline can be an issue and Lipon has taken the bad penalty from time-to-time. But Moose fans will get an honest night’s work from Lipon. He won’t be a major offensive contributor, but if he’s on his game. the fans will notice him. He should emerge as a crowd favourite in a blue-collar city like Winnipeg.