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Merritt Centennials: Graduating players and eligible returnees

Brian Wiebe

With the 2019-20 BCHL season officially done for one of the circuits’s 17 teams, anticipation is building for next season already.

With future considerations from this season’s trades potentially turning into players, plus recruiting and players moving on due to age or college commitments, there’s no shortage of work to be done before the 2020-21 season starts in September.

As each team’s season comes to an end, we’ll break down what all 17 teams are looking at roster-wise heading into the off-season. These numbers will likely change as players move to other leagues like the WHL, USHL, or NAHL, drop down to junior B, are included in trades, retire, or wind up committing to college before September and don’t return to their BCHL clubs.

The depth chart is based on coaches going with a 23-man roster of 13 forwards, eight defensemen and two goaltenders. First up is the only BCHL team to not make the playoffs – the Merritt Centennials.

The Centennials have two players in goaltender Ryan Winter and forward Rylan Van Unen who have aged out of junior, while forward Payton Matsui is off to play NCAA hockey for the University of Alaska-Fairbanks.

Cents GM and head coach Derek Sweet-Coulter has eight players eligible to return up front, five on the blueline and Tanner Marshall in goal.

Graduating Players

Ryan Winter (aged out)
Rylan Van Unen (aged out)
Payton Matsui (University of Alaska-Fairbanks)

Eligible Returnees

(* indicates an open spot – assuming the team goes with 13 forwards and 8 defencemen)

Forwards
Thomas Manty (00)
Daniel Tkac (00)
Chase Nameth (00)
Christian Buono (00)
Evan Benwell (00)
Hunor Torzsok (00)
Ben Ward (01)
Jerzy Orchard (01)
Josh Van Unen (01)
Jake McLean (02)
*
*
*

Defencemen
Talon Zakall (02)
Brophy Dunne (02)
Wyatt Marlow (02)
Braydon Clarke (02)
Brody Johnston (03)
Chase Cooke (03)
*
*

Goaltenders
Tanner Marshall (00)
*

Brian Wiebe

Brian's been involved in the BCHL in a variety of capacities for 17 years. From 2002 to 2012, he served in several roles around the Merritt Centennials organization, including as team president, board member, beat writer, colour commentator, webmaster, media and communications coordinator and marketing assistant. He's been writing about the BCHL since 2008 and served as colour commentator on the TSN 1040 broadcasts in 2012-13. BCHLNetwork is one of Brian's many passion projects that he balances around his full-time job as an instructor in the Radio Arts and Entertainment Program at BCIT in Burnaby.