Merritt Centennials Trade Deadline Summary: Brian Passmore Wheeling and Dealing
NVMA | Centennials.ca
MERRITT — The Merritt Centennials head coach Brian Passmore has been wheeling and dealing as the BCHL’s Trade Deadline came to a close yesterday (January, 10th.)
The Cents said goodbye to defenseman Ranvir Gill-Shane and forward Tyler Wishart and the playing rights to Diego Johnson and Johnny Hicks.
Hicks and Johnson made it clear they wouldn’t be returning to the Centennials at the beggining of the season and will have a chance to play with the Vernon Vipers if they do return to the BCHL.
New to the Cents are forwards Jack Ziliotto, Luke Pfoh, Ray Hamlin and Defenseman Maks Percic.
Pfoh is a longtime fan favorite of the Cranbrook Bucks while Ray Hamlin is a former top scorer with the Coquitlam Express and had 23 goals a few seasons ago.
Hamlin and Pfoh are both experienced BCHL players while Pfoh started his career at a very young age much like Luke Melnik.
Here’s a look at Ray Hamlin’s career stats as the one veteran forward added.
Ryan Hamlin | eliteprospects.ca
Luke Pfoh was added to the Cents with future considerations from the Cranbrook Bucks in exchange for 2005 born forward Patrick Murphy (who was flipped from Victoria after being added in the Gill-Shane trade) and 2004 born forward Tyler Wishart.
Pfoh is committed to Bowling Green State University NCAA division 1.
Here is a look at his stats so far in the BCHL. He spent his entire time in the league with the Cranbrook Bucks.
Percic is a big bodied Slovenian defenseman while Ziliotto adds youth to the lineup as a 2005 born player.
Percic, a Maribor, Slovenia product, joins the Centennials as a Michigan Tech NCAA Division One commit for the 2024-25 season. So far this season, Percic has tallied twenty-three games played with the Vernon Vipers, earning one goal and seven assists.
Maks Percic | Eliteprospects.ca
With the signing of goaltender born Dylan Adams- who just turned 18- Passmore has added a handful of 2005-2007 born players that will slot in nicely to next year’s line up. Moves that build for the future instead of emptying the cupboards and scrambling at the start of next season.
Dylan Adams is from Kelowna, BC. Standing 6’1″ and 170 pounds.
“This will be good for Dylan to come in and get used to the league and see the standards this team has set day to day while also getting pushed by Karlis and Andrew every day, it will be good for Dylan and our team.
“Our goaltending depth is strong, and it is a bonus that Dylan is somewhat local to Merritt and can be close to family in Kelowna,” said Centennials’ Head Coach and Assistant General Manager Brian Passmore.
“This past fall, Dylan had a really good main camp with the Vernon Vipers. He has had enough high-quality U18AAA experience and is ready to step up to the BCHL now.”
Dylan has played the last four seasons with the Okanagan Rockets AAA organizations. Since 2022 Dylan has played 26 regular season games with the U18AAA team and has posted a respectable 2.86 GAA and a 16-8-1 record, including three shutouts.
The Centennials have also added 2007-born left-shot defenseman John Alex Banks.
Standing 5’8″ and 150 pounds, John Alex joins the Centennials from Secaucus, New Jersey and currently plays for the North Jersey Avalanche U16AAA. Banks is also a UMass Amherst commit for the 2025-26 season.
“John Alex will provide a similar version of play to our backend as Kiernan Poulin did for this season only John Alex is a left hand instead. Both Poulin and Banks are great skaters, read the play well and have professional characteristics. We are excited to add John Alex to our team for the 2024-25 BCHL season.”
The Centennials will now embark on a stretch of three games in three days starting Friday at home against the Cranbrook Bucks as Pfoh and Wishart will immediately face-off against their former teams.
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