Former Centennials goalie heading to the AJHL

MERRITT – The Merritt Centennials starting goalie for the past couple of years, Johnny Hicks, is going to try his luck in the Alberta Junior Hockey League (AJHL) and has signed with the Brooks Bandits.

The 17-year-old has played the past two seasons with the Merritt Centennials, putting up a 8-26-10 record in 51 games played, while issuing a .906 SV% and a 4.28 GAA.

Hicks, a Kamloops native, will be joining the Bandits who have won the last three Centennial Cups, the champions of Junior A programs across Canada.

By joining the Bandits, Hicks will also be reuniting with former teammate Davide Patella.

The Centennials have recently acquired a pair of goalies through a trade, Lukas Renaud, and a signing, Andrew Ballantyne, to try to fill the void.

The 2023-2024 season begins for the Cents on September 22, with a home game against the Powell River Kings.