BCHL Bulletin: Centennials make leadership changes, Smoke Eaters earn commitments, and more!

Centennials fire GM and head coach Toneff

After one and a half seasons, the Merritt Centennials announced they have parted ways with general manager and head coach Curtis Toneff (5 goals, 15 assists in 53 games with Westside and Trail from 2011-13).

The Centennials were 12-37-3-2 during the 2022-23 season, a four-fold improvement over 2021-22. The team was 14-64-4-4 overall during Toneff’s tenure. The 29-year-old from Nanaimo, B.C. took over when the Centennials let Dave Chyzowski go in late December 2021.

Kennedy commits to the Smoke Eaters

The Trail Smoke Eaters announced a commitment from 2004-born defender Jack Kennedy. Kennedy, who hails from Granby, Mass., played 24 games with the Buffalo Regals 18U AAA team in 2022-23, earning three goals and 14 points.

He also played 28 games with Avon Old Farms School, which is a U.S. High School Prep squad based in Connecticut. There, he scored twice and collected 19 assists. Kennedy was a New England Preparatory School Athletic Council champion this past season.

Smoke Eaters sign forward Pendy

2005-born forward Trip Pendy has signed a commitment with the Trail Smoke Eaters for 2023-24. He is committed to playing NCAA Division I hockey at Brown University for the 2024-25 season.

Pendy, who is from Far Hills, N.J., played 82 games with the New Jersey Rockets U18 AAA team this season, earning 101 points on 30 goals and 71 assists. He also scored 17 goals and 30 assists this season with Delbarton School, a prep school in Morristown, N.J.

Bodie extended by ERC Ingolstadt

33-year-old defender Mathew Bodie (nine goals, 75 assists in 104 games with Powell River from 2008-10) has been signed to a contract extension by ERC Ingolstadt of the Deutsche Eishockey Liga in Germany. 2023-24 is his fourth season playing in the Bavarian city.

Bodie, from East St. Paul, Man., scored four goals and earned 25 points in 49 games for second overall Ingolstadt this past season. He added 10 assists in 15 DEL playoff games.

Wilkie commits to Salem State College

21-year-old defender Mitch Wilkie (one assist in 11 games with Trail in 2020-21) has committed to playing NCAA Division III hockey at Salem State College.

Wilkie, who hails from Calgary, spent the 2022-23 season with the Northern Ontario Junior Hockey League’s Powassan VooDoos. He scored nine goals and added 33 assists in 52 regular season games there. He added two goals and nine points through 10 NOJHL playoff games.