Image Credit: Merritt Centennials

By Chad Klassen

BCHL POD SEASON

Centennials look ahead to new coach, new year to put BCHL pod season behind them

May 14, 2021 | 5:29 PM

KAMLOOPS — It was a nightmare pod season for the Merritt Centennials – who at times looked out of place against their two opponents — Prince George and Chilliwack.

They finished 3-17 and gave up twice as many goals as they scored, outscored by the two by a combined 91-45. It’s now back-to-back seasons that Merritt finished at the bottom of the BCHL.

“There definitely needs to be a lot of turnover in general,” said Centennials defenseman Talon Zakall, a native of Merritt. “We’re coming off two losing seasons now. I’ve been here for three years now. My first year we were at the top of the league with Penticton. Now we’ve been dead last the last two years, so there definitely needs to be some turnover.”

The first change was made this week with the team announcing on Wednesday it won’t be bringing back head coach and GM Derek Sweet-Coulter.

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“Tough last couple years. It’s just a decision we had to make as a board,” said Centennials’ Director of Hockey Operations John Stuart. “With new leadership and a new voice and how we wanted to proceed.”

Zakall added, “It’s tough. Derek did all he could here. He worked hard every day. It just wasn’t the outcome we all hoped for. At the end of the day, it’s hockey, it’s a business.”

Sweet-Coulter was put in a difficult spot coaching such a young team due to the COVID-shortened season. Stuart says with the uncertainty about the season, Merritt brought in young kids simply to train and develop, and they were then thrown into the fire when the BCHL pod season was given the green light.

The Centennials say they need at least a half dozen good recruits to be competitive again.

“If I was to go through our roster, there’s probably going to be six, seven, eight pieces that are going to need to be upgraded, replaced,” said Stuart, who’s also the assistant GM. “Ultimately, that’s going to be the new head coach/GM’s responsibility and his vision and how he wants the team to look.”

The organization will start the search in the next month, looking for a coach with extensive BCHL experience, or someone who has spent time in the WHL.

“We need someone who has connections to the U.S. colleges, as well as across Canada, that can recruit and has those connections and personal contacts that we can use to recruit players here to Merritt,” noted Stuart.

With Merritt only two seasons removed from finishing near the top of the league, Stuart feels the franchise can eventually turn it around.