(1973-74 BCJHL Rookie of the Year Fred Berry)
The Centennials franchise was founded in 1961 as the Kamloops Rockets, competing in the upstart Okanagan (Mainline) Junior ‘A’ Hockey League. When the Vancouver Nats of the Western Canada Hockey League relocated to Kamloops in the summer of 11973, the team then relocated to White Rock and was renamed the Centennials. In November of 1973, the White Rock Centennials Struggled on the ice and at the gate despite top scorers like Fred Berry and Darrel Zelinski. Then, the decision was made to move the team to the Nicola Valley Memorial Arena in Merritt.
Following the move in January of 1974, a group of Merritt businessmen Jim Flux, Len Pare, Bill Pooley, Harold Pooley, John Mulvey and Don Dewinetz formed Merritt Hockey Limited giving the Centennials their first local ownership group.
The Merritt Centennials Hockey Club is the longest continuously operating franchise in the BCHL, proudly celebrating our 50th Anniversary Season in 2022-2023. Over the past fifty years, the Centennials have continued to provide residents of the Nicola Valley with junior hockey at its finest. Junior hockey will likely continue to survive and further thrive as long as strong community support exists.
The 1977-78 season represents the most significant in Centennials history as the team experienced achievements yet to be matched. The Cents rocketed to the top of the BCJHL standings, finishing with a record of 50-15-1 and 101 points. Merritt racked up an astonishing 489 goals that season, led by six different players with 90 points or more.
Once the BCJHL playoffs rolled around, the Centennials were nowhere to be found. Opting to return to the Centennial Cup Junior “A” playoffs, the league decided that Merritt would represent them. While the rest of the BCJHL teams competed the regular playoffs, the Centennials first faced the Pacific Coast Junior Hockey League’s Richmond Sockeyes for the Mowat Cup provincial championship. Merritt swept the best of five series 3-0 and advanced to the BC-Alberta Junior “A” Championship against the Alberta Junior Hockey League’s Calgary Canucks. The Centennials swept them aside in six games.The Cinderella run came to an end in the Abbott Cup Championship against the Saskatchewan Junior Hockey League’s Prince Albert Raiders as they beat the Centennials 4 games to 1.
In 2011-12, the Centennials set a new franchise mark for fewest goals against in a season with 171 goals-allowed, breaking the previous record from 1978-79 by five.
In 2016-17, the Centennials became the first team in Canadian Junior Hockey League history to sweep a defending a RBC National Championship team.
Since joining the BCHL in 1973-74, Merritt has advanced to the playoffs 35 times.
However, in the early years of the 2020’s the Centennials encountered ongoing financial and operational issues. Also, at this time the BCHL was no longer sanctioned with Hockey Canada.
In March 2024, the Centennials notified the BCHL it would be ceasing its hockey operations. On March 31, 2024, under the new private ownership of Brad Anstey and Daniel Schofield the KIJHL approved Merritt as a new expansion team. In honour of the tradition of the Centennials, ownership kept the name.
With the announcement Mayor Goetz stated ‘the City of Merritt is very excited to embark on a new journey in the history of the Merritt Centennials hockey club. We continue to see one of the longest running junior hockey franchises secure its position for years to come.
On September 20, 2024, under Coach Wes McLeod, the Centennial played its first KIJHL game and defeated Quesnel 2-1 with Sam Giangualano scoring the first goal in Merritt’s KIJHL history.
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CENTENNIALS LEAVE BCHL, FRESH START IN KIJHL – April, 2024
After celebrating their 51st year in the BC Hockey League, the Merritt Centennials will be making a fresh start in the Kootenay International Junior Hockey League (KIJHL).
In a news release, the KIJHL said the Junior A club will be joining the league after being awarded an expansion franchise in April of 2024. The Centennials are withdrawing from the BCHL after having played in the league since 1973.
The Centennials will begin play in the new league for the 2024/25 season.
The club will move from community owned to private ownership.
“The Centennials have a rich history and this year celebrated their 51st consecutive season of continuous junior hockey in the City of Merritt, stated the KIJHL commissioner Jeff Dubois
“Brad and Daniel have a great vision for a successful and sustainable KIJHL franchise.”
“We guarantee our commitment to grow the Centennials brand while building a competitive team with the best of sporting cultures,” Anstey said.
Merritt Mayor Michael Goetz said the upcoming season will hold a ”Whole new and exciting team, as well as opponents that haven’t previously been seen in the Valley”.
“We are very pleased to see the Centennials become part of the KIJHL.”
“We continue to see one of the longest running Junior Hockey franchises secure its position for years to come, and we also welcome the new owners and appreciate their investment in keeping Merritt as one of the top hockey cities in BC.”
In news release, Centennials President Ken Carruthers said the difficult decision was made after an “in-depth analysis” by the club’s Board of Directors.
“The Board members past and present have worked extremely hard to maintain 51 continuous years of operation in the BCHLj but have finally conceded that continuing into the future is no longer viable. We wish Brad and Dan and the new organization all the best”.
