Cents Commit To Strong NHL Bloodline For Upcoming Season

The Merritt Centennials announced today that they’ve committed to defender Will Bowman (02) from Deerfield Academy of the USHS Prep League for the upcoming season.

Calling Chicago, Illinois home, Bowman most recently played with Deerfield and has played a total of 30 games for the prep team from 2019-21, while registering a goal and an assist and just 6 penalty minutes. Standing at 6’1 and 185 pounds, the left handed shot prides himself on his defensive game. Prior to joining Deerfield, Bowman played with the Lincoln Stars of the USHL, the Springfield Rifles and the Chicago Mission AAA program. The name may ring familiar for some hockey fans as his father is Chicago Blackhawks GM Stan Bowman, and his grandfather is Hall of Famer Scotty Bowman.

General Manager Dave Chyzowski says that Bowman is a player that thinks defense first, but also can break a team up ice.

“Will is one of those players that is defensive minded, he’s a stay at home D that takes a huge amount of pride protecting his net, defensive zone and goalie. That being said, he also has a great first pass out of the zone.”

Bowman says he’s ready for a new experience and a new challenge with the BCHL and the Centennials.

“Growing up in the States every player wants to play either USHL or NAHL and the really good tier 1 Canadian leagues sometimes get left out of the equation. I am really excited to move to a new environment and experience something new. As for the Centennials, I am looking forward to meeting the community. Other than the past two years when I attended boarding school, I had lived in a big city, so I am looking forward to living in a community where hockey means a lot.”

As for his biggest assets on the ice, Bowman agrees with the Head Coaches assessment.

“I’m a steady responsible defenseman that makes a good first pass.”

Despite the challenges faced with the pandemic last year, Bowman says that he got to focus on individual skills.

“I was very fortunate to be able to skate and workout all of last year at school. The downside to the pandemic was obviously the lack of games. Although, the lack of games led to more practice time which helped improve certain aspects of my game on and off the ice.”

The Centennials will host their final ID Camp on the weekend of the August 27th.