Cents ink defender from Kamloops

The Merritt Centennials have signed defender Devin Benson (03) from the Kamloops Storm to the active roster as the team awaits the fate of the 2020-21 season.

A native of nearby Kamloops, Benson was a former team mate of current Cent Dylan Sydor on the Thompson Blazers U18 AAA team in 2019-20. In 35 games with the Blazers last season, Benson posted 2 goals and 11 assists.

Head Coach Derek Sweet Coulter says that he’s looking forward to seeing how Benson will progress in the Centennials Red, White and Black.

“Devin has a lot of potential and we look forward to watching him grow here in Merritt. He is smart, has a good first pass, and makes the high percentage play out of his own end which is what we need from our defenders especially in our rink. Devin came through our development camps last summer and participated in our top 40 game at main camp. He is a solid person and has a good understanding of our team first culture and will have no problem fitting in with our group.”

Benson says that he’s excited to join the BCHL and the historic Cents.

“The attraction to the BCHL is that it’s such a well known league that is super competitive with lots of future opportunities and overall a great league to play in. Merritt has a great history and I look forward to joining the culture being created with the Cents.”

Benson adds that he leans towards the offensive side with some of the strengths in his game.

“My skating ability, jumping up into the rush to create offensive pressure, my patience with the puck and how I see the ice are all things I look to contribute to the team.”

He continues to say that even though the season hasn’t gone as planned he still considers himself fortunate.

“For what this season has been so far, we have been extremely lucky with the ice time and training that we have received. The Storm staff have been great for giving us every opportunity to continue to develop during this pandemic.”