In operation since 1973, the Merritt Centennials organization has long been seen by National Hockey League teams as a desirable franchise for development of players.
A total of 17 players who skated at least one game in Merritt have played in the NHL. The number is remarkable considering the Centennials play in a city of less than 8,000 and have operated for many seasons as a community-owned franchise. Six players have been chosen in the NHL Entry Draft directly from the Cents, the most recent being Dane Birks, who went in the sixth round in 2014 to the Pittsburgh Penguins.
Former Centennials who have played in the NHL
| Name | Seasons Played in Merritt | Career NHL Games | NHL Teams |
|---|---|---|---|
| Fred Berry | 1973-74 | 3 |  |
| Paul Mulvey | 1973-74 | 225 |
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| Jeff Bandura | 1973-74 | 2 |  |
| Glen Cochrane | 1974-75 | 411 |     |
| Tim Watters | 1975-76 | 741 |   |
| Ed Beers | 1976-78 | 250 |   |
| Don Nachbaur | 1976-77 | 223 |   |
| Ron Flockhart | 1977-78 | 453 |    |
| Alan Kerr | 1980-81 | 391 |   |
| Neil Eisenhut | 1984-85 | 16 |  |
| Paul Kruse | 1986-88 | 423 |    |
| Link Gaetz | 1986-87 | 65 |  |
| Steve Passmore | 1989-90 | 93 |   |
| Bill Muckalt | 1991-94 | 256 |    |
| Mike Brown | 1994-95 | 34 |   |
| Brad Thiessen | 2005-06 | 5 |  |
| Max Reinhart | 2007-08 | 23 | |
Former Centennials Drafted Directly from Merritt
| Name | Seasons Played in Merritt | Draft Position | NHL Team |
|---|---|---|---|
| Greg Agar | 1974-75 | 10th round, 162nd overall in 1975 |  |
| Maco Balkovec | 1989-91 | 5th round, 110th overall in 1991 |  |
| Mike Hamilton | 2001-03 | 6th round, 175th overall in 2003 |  |
| Casey Pierro-Zabotel | 2004-08 | 3rd round, 90th overall in 2007 | |
| Reece Willcox | 2010-12 | 5th round, 141st overall in 2012 | |
| Dane Birks | 2012-14 | 6th round, 164th overall in 2013 | |
Former Centennials Drafted from the Western Hockey League
| Name | Seasons Played in Merritt | Drafted From | Drafted By |
|---|---|---|---|
| Fred Berry | 1973-74 |  |
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| Jeff Bandura | 1973-74 |  |
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| Paul Mulvey | 1973-74 | |
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| Glen Cochrane | 1974-75 |  |
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| Kevin Willison | 1974-75 |  |
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| Don Nachbaur | 1976-77 | |
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| Pat Rabbitt | 1976-78 | |
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| Alan Kerr | 1980-81 |  |
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| Troy Mick | 1984-85 | |
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| Cal McGowan | 1986-88 |  |
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| Paul Kruse | 1986-88 | |
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| Brent Thurston | 1987-88 |  |
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| Steve Passmore | 1989-90 |  |
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| Mike Josephson | 1991-92 | |
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| Tyler Willis | 1992-93 |  |
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| Mike Brown | 1994-95 | |
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| Max Reinhart | 2007-08 |  |
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Former Centennials Drafted from NCAA Hockey
| Name | Seasons Played in Merritt | Drafted From | Drafted By |
|---|---|---|---|
| Tim Watters | 1975-76 | Michigan Tech | |
| Rob Polman-Tuin | 1977-79 | Michigan Tech |  |
