Merritt Centennials enter B.C. Hockey Conference play with new head coach, development in mind

Recently hired head coach Henry Acres will lead the Merritt Centennials into a new era, with the club scheduled to play its inaugural B.C. Hockey Conference regular season game on Friday (Sept. 18) at Nicola Valley Memorial Arena.

Merritt will play host to the Princeton Posse, with game time scheduled for 7:00 p.m.

“Fast, up-tempo, in-your-face hockey, the modern game,” Acres said when asked what fans can expect to see from his Cents.

“We want to possess the puck and be able to play a game where you’re able to create offence in that regard. When you play a fast, intensive game, it’s exciting for the players to play, but it’s also exciting for the people watching.”

Former head coach Wes McLeod led the Centennials to winning Kootenay International Junior Hockey League seasons in 2024-2025 and 2025-2026, so his summertime departure turned a few heads.

“It wasn’t anything that Wes did wrong or wasn’t doing,” Centennials’ majority owner and assistant general manager Brad Anstey said. “I just felt like our group needed to go in a different direction. The standard needed to be increased. We need to play more of a modern hockey game, which is fast-paced skating, staying out of the penalty box. The ‘70s- and ‘80s-type hockey of beating up guys just wasn’t working.”

McLeod told CFJC on Wednesday he loved his time in Merritt and has nothing but good things to say about the community.

The Centennials are eligible to ice seven overage players. At the moment, they have no 20-year-olds on their roster.

“We are a development league,” Acres said. “We’re looking to establish relationships with the Blazers in Kamloops and Western Hockey League teams. We can sort of fill that niche where guys need a little bit more seasoning to be able to make that step. That’s our goal as an organization. As players are leaving major junior at 18 to go to the NCAA, there are a lot of 16- and 17-year-olds who are close to being major junior players who perhaps need or deserve an opportunity at this type of level to be able to make that step.”

Anstey said his club did well with roster retention and recruiting in the off-season, noting the club’s Junior A Tier 1 standing helped in both of those areas.

Kaden Wilkins, a 19-year-old forward from Rumsey, Alta., is among the returnees.

“There are better players coming here and the quality is just improving around the league, so it should be better to play in and [more fun] to watch,” said Wilkins, who tallied 10 goals and 20 points in 34 games last season.

Isaac Gossen, a 17-year-old forward from Sicamous who played last season for the Thompson Blazers, is amped for his Junior A debut.

“It’s going to be a jump for me, a more physical league,” he said. “You’ve got to move pucks quick. It’s going to be just as quick as I was playing last year, if not faster.”

The Centennials are in the five-team Interior Division, along with the Kamloops Storm, Quesnel River Rush, Revelstoke Grizzlies and Williams Lake Mustangs.

“It’s phenomenal,” Anstey said. “I’m so excited to have Kamloops in the division. [Storm owner Matt Kolle] and I talked about having a Coquihalla Cup. We’ve really got to get that going. I’m really excited to play these guys six times. It’s going to help our fan base.”

Anstey said his club wants to win and, eventually, compete for a national championship, but his vision of success is not limited to results.

“I want to see our players develop,” he said. “What’s winning? Holding the trophy at the end of the year, it is, but that’s the cherry on the cake. It’s about every player and coach and our staff and volunteers having a great experience, having a positive year, providing a great product on the ice and making sure we’re heavily involved in the community.”