How the Merritt Centennials found new life after their historic BCHL exit
The Merritt Centennials final BCHL season was defined by transition. Following several subpar finishes, the Cents bounced back to make the playoffs in 2023-24, after which the franchise announced its departure from the league. After more than 50 seasons, the historic Junior A club ceased BCHL operations to join the Kootenay International Junior Hockey League (KIJHL) as an expansion team.
A look back at that momentous final season reveals how changes behind the bench and across the roster set up the franchise’s new chapter.
Changes behind the bench
Before the 2023–24 campaign, the Centennials hired Brian Passmore as their new head coach and general manager, replacing Curtis Toneff. A veteran bench boss in both the Vancouver Island Junior Hockey League (VIJHL) and BCHL, Passmore previously helmed the Cowichan Valley Capitals.
In Merritt, he inherited a rebuilding squad reeling from its worst finish in franchise history — a 3-47-4 record in 2021–22, which eclipsed the previous low mark of 8-51-1 set in 1983–84. Under Passmore’s guidance, Merritt rebounded to finish the 2023–24 regular season at 22-26-6, securing sixth place in the Interior Conference. The Centennials ultimately bowed out in the first round of the playoffs, pushing the heavily favoured Salmon Arm Silverbacks to six games.
Goaltending
Merritt used four goaltenders over the course of the 2023–24 season. The primary tandem consisted of Andrew Ballantyne and Karlis Mezsargs, with Beau Lane and Dylan Adams also earning minutes.
Lane and Adams each picked up one win, while Mezsargs earned eight victories and Ballantyne led the way with a dozen wins. Ballantyne also backstopped both of Merritt’s postseason victories during the Cents’ six-game playoff run.
Following the season, the netminders scattered. Ballantyne joined the Salmon Arm Silverbacks, Adams moved to the Blackfalds Bulldogs after a one-game stint in the Saskatchewan Junior Hockey League (SJHL), Mezsargs returned to Europe, and Lane headed south to play for multiple American Junior A programs.
Defence
Merritt cycled through 14 defenders during the 2023–24 campaign, led by team captain Aidan Lindblad. Blueliners from that squad quickly became hot commodities across the league.
Ranvir Gill-Shane was sent to the Victoria Grizzlies in a mid-season deal, and Dennison Monahan followed suit by signing with Victoria for the 2024–25 season. Meanwhile, Jonathan Wong joined the Alberni Valley Bulldogs, and Sam Grabner landed with the Powell River Kings. Sawyer Prokopetz ended up patrolling the blueline with the Salmon Arm Silverbacks, and Maks Perčič signed with the Prince George Spruce Kings.
Offensively, Kiernan Poulin paced all Merritt defenders, finishing fifth in overall team scoring with six goals and 19 assists for 25 points in 49 games.
Forward
Up front, the Centennials featured 24 different forwards over the year. Michael Felsing led the offensive charge, racking up 16 goals and 42 assists for 58 points in 53 games. Jaxson Murray finished just behind him, scoring a team-high 20 goals along with 22 assists in 43 games. Dylan Lariviere rounded out the top three, posting 12 goals and 20 assists across 52 contests.
Following the franchise’s structural shift, several forwards found new homes within the BCHL. Nathan Taylor joined Monahan on the Victoria Grizzlies, Ben Wright signed with the Powell River Kings, and both Lariviere and Jack Ziliotto joined the Trail Smoke Eaters. Finally, Luke Pfoh ended up with the Langley Rivermen.
True to the roster overhaul, no players from the BCHL squad transitioned to the new KIJHL iteration of the team.
The new Centennials
The reimagined Merritt Centennials played their inaugural KIJHL season in the Bill Ohlhausen Division, skating to a solid 26-13-3-2 record. Their first postseason run in the new league was short-lived, however, as they were eliminated in five games by the Revelstoke Grizzlies in the opening round.
Looking ahead to the 2026–27 season, Merritt is set to transition from Junior A Tier II to Tier I status in the newly-approved BC Hockey Conference. In a roundabout way, the Centennials have come full circle – playing in a new league, but back under the Hockey Canada umbrella. While it remains unclear when these sanctioned BCHC teams will compete for the National Junior A Championship, the KIJHL Centennials have quickly established their footing as they wrap up their second year of operations.
