Each year, the sports writers from all of the BCHL Interior Division‘s home communities collaborate on an early season preview of their respective teams — the key returnees, the hot new prospects, and the perceived strengths of this year’s squad.
Below is the 2014-15 season preview, presented to you alphabetically by team name.

MERRITT CENTENNIALS

Key Returnees: F Diego Cuglietta (19-37-56), F Gavin Gould (13-16-29), F James Neil (10-19-29), F Adam Tracey (12-14-26), D Shane Poulsen (7-19-26), D Jake Clifford (4-14-18)

Rookie Sensations: Head coach and GM Luke Pierce and his assistant Joe Martin once again spent the summer looking for offence. They found some gems in Americans John Shiavo (94) and Michael Ederer (96), along with home-grown talent Braden Fuller (95) and Nick Fidanza (96). Shiavo, from Long Island, N.Y., is a latecomer to ice hockey having grown up playing the inline version of the game. He has unreal hands and a nose for the net. He attended the New York Islanders development camp this summer. Ederer, another New Yorker, put up big numbers (30-23-53) with the Buffalo Jr. Sabres of the OJHL last year and is committed to St. Lawrence University in 2015. Fuller, from Grande Prairie, and Fidanza, from Kamloops, both excelled in the KIJHL last season. The former netted 17-24-41 with the Beaver Valley NiteHawks, while the latter posted 21-27-48 skating for the Chase Heat. The Cents’ revamped blueline has added imposing Matt Foley (95) from Longmeadow, Mass. and promising 1997-born youngsters Tyrell Buckelly (OHA Varsity Reds) and Cooper Prechal (Princeton Posse). This year’s unheralded sleeper could be 17-year-old Colin Grannary from Delta.

Strengths: All good things start in goal, and the Cents’ off-season acquisition of 20-year-old Jonah Imoo from the Powell River Kings bodes well for the 2014-15 campaign. The BCHL veteran and 2013 World Junior A Challenge participant has outstanding ability and tremendous leadership qualities. The return of 11 veterans from last year’s team should bring both stability and maturity to the ranks, while the new, young blood will contribute a considerable amount of fresh enthusiasm and energy. Injuries and illness decimated the Cents’ roster last season and crushed their playoff chances. If the team can stay relatively healthy this time around, look for good things from this group.

Coach’s Quote (Luke Pierce): “We are once again excited to get the BCHL season underway with a solid group of veterans and promising new recruits. We have what appears to be a very mature group of players with experience winning at many different levels of hockey. Our division looks to be even stronger than last year, and we recognize the daunting challenge it will be to get ourselves to the top. We will once again rely on our depth and experience to guide us through those challenges, and are excited about what lies ahead this season.”

PENTICTON VEES

Key Returnees: F Matthew Serratore (5-9-14), F Steen Cooper (9-32-41), F Riley Alferd (7-17-24), F Jack Ramsey (9-16-25), F Cody DePorucq (20-18-38) F Cam Amantea (10-7-17). D Patrick Sexton (3-6-9), D Jarod Hilderman (1-7-8). G Hunter Miska (19-12-2, 2.26 GAA, 2 SO, .915 SV%).

Rookie Sensations: Tyson Jost (97) helped the Okanagan Rockets major midget team earn bronze at the Telus Cup. Jost racked up 44 goals and 88 points in 36 B.C. Major Midget League games. Jost, who potted a hat trick against Alberni Valley in the Bauer BCHL Showcase on the weekend, was invited to Hockey Canada’s U17 hockey challenge development camp with Vees teammate, defenceman Dante Fabbro. Also 16, Fabbro is the 2013 Hockey Now B.C. Minor Hockey Player of the Year. He tallied 22 goals and 61 points in 38 games with the Vancouver Northwest Giants. Defenceman Miles Gendron was drafted by the Ottawa Senators last summer. Gendron is six-foot-two, 180 pounds. He brings skill to the Vees’ blue line with an “effortless skating stride.” Lewis Zerter-Gossage, considered more of a playmaker than shooter, scored a hat-trick against the Surrey Eagles in an 11-2 win at the Showcase. Zerter-Gossage is six-foot-two, 190 pounds and played for Kent School last season and helped his team win the Founders League title. Zerter-Gossage is committed to Harvard University for 2015-16.

Strengths: The Vees will possess a strong transition game as they play with speed. Vees coach and GM Fred Harbinson said when they have the ability to create turnovers, they will be heading into the offensive zone in a hurry and putting teams on their heels.

Coach’s Quote (Fred Harbinson): “We have a lot of young players that I think are just gong to get better with time. This is one of the deepest teams we’ve had. Healthy competition within your group is always a positive. It’s something that you usually find on championship teams. I think our guys know that if you want to play and get the ice time, you have to be hungry, hungry on the net, hungry in the corner and extremely hungry on the back check.”

SALMON ARM SILVERBACKS

Key Returnees: F Thomas Plese (10-17-27), F Taylor Maruya (8-16-24), F Colton Thibault (5-9-14), D Andrew Farny (4-23-27) G Angus Redmond (11-18-0, 3.33 GAA, .899 SV%)

Rookie Sensations: The Silverbacks have added two local boys with WHL pedigree in Shane Danyluk and Carson Bolduc. Danyluk, a centre, played 248 games for the Prince Alberta Raiders, scoring 77 points. Left-winger,Bolduc played 121 games in both Prince George and Kamloops. Calgary native F Nick Josephs played two seasons for the Junior B Kelowna Chiefs, amassing 151 points in only 74 games.

Strengths: A young but mobile defence, led by Andrew Farny and Cole McCaskill, will help to bolster a fast, skilled offence with a lot of depth that is capable of getting scoring from all four lines. Adding Bolduc and Danyluk is a major boost to the size and lethality of the ’Backs offence.

Coach’s Quote: (Brandon West): “I’ve been really impressed by the level of skill and character shown by our players throughout camp and preseason. We have addressed our team’s concerns, and have taken positive steps forward.”

TRAIL SMOKE EATERS

Key Returnees: F Scott Davidson (16-19-35), F Bryan Basilico (16-16-32), F Jake Lucchini (8-18-26), D Zane Schartz (3-15-18), G Adam Todd.

Rookie Sensations: The Smokies will ice plenty of rookies this season but early standouts include former USPHL player Charlie Zuccarini (95) and 16-year-old Robbie Johnson up front, defencemen Sheldon Hubbard and Jeremy Lucchini, and goaltender Brett Clark from the Keystone Cup winning Beaver Valley Nitehawks. High expectations also surround Army commits Bryan Gerstenfield (D) from Connecticut and Ryan Swanson (D) from Minnesota, along with Brown commit Conner Wynne.

Strengths: Trail may be looking for an element of surprise with 10 rookies in their lineup, but coach Nick Deschenes has mined some legitimate talent, including eight players with commitments to NCAA Div. 1 schools. He has also acquired veteran players like Trail natives Craig Martin (Alberni) and Dallas Calvin (Vernon), Harlan Orr (Alberni, Salmon Arm), and Coquitlam’s Victor Dombrovskiy who played two seasons with the Langley Rivermen. Mix in the returning veterans and talented rookies, and the Smokies should have balance throughout the lineup.

Coach’s Quote (Nick Deschenes): “To be competitive is our goal. Our mission is to get Trail back on track and in the playoffs. We’re going to push as hard as we possibly can all year. There will be setbacks, but hopefully overall we’re going to come out where we want to be.”

VERNON VIPERS

Key Returnees: F Liam Coughlin (18-27-45), F T.J. Dumonceaux (7-13-20), D Riley Guenther (6-17-23), D Kenny Citron (1-6-7), G Danny Todosychuk (11-9-1, 3.15 GAA, .902 SV%).

Rookie Sensations: Thomas Aldworth of Keller, Tex. and Luke Voltin of Blaine, Minn. will join Liam Coughlin of Boston on the Vipers’ all-American top line.

Aldworth pocketed 3-1-4 last season with the Tri-City Storm of the USHL and 3-3-6 with the Lone Star Brahmas of the NAHL as an 18-year-old.

Voltin supplied 3-11-14 with the Lincoln Stars of the USHL and 1-3-4 with the Minot Minotauros of the NAHL. Both are adjusting well to life in Canada.

Jarrod Schamerhorn will be opening night backup goaltender for Todosychuk. Schamerhorn spent last season with the Portland Winterhawks and the Lethbridge Hurricanes of the WHL and went 2-1 with the Merritt Centennials.

Strengths: The 2013 RBC-host Vipers have 16 new players on their roster, so it will take time for the team to gel. In forwards Liam Coghlin (18-27-45) and TJ Dumonceaux, defencemen Ken Citron and Riley Guenther, and veteran goaltender Danny Todosychuk, they have a proven nucleus of talent and leadership to build around. The last-minute hiring of Mark Ferner as the new head coach is an unexpected bonus. Ferner guided the

Vipers to back-to-back Royal Bank Cup wins in 2009-10.

Owner’s Quote (Duncan Wray): “After reviewing several extremely well qualified candidates, the file that kept coming up to the top of the pile was Mark’s. He is familiar with the organization, has worked closely with both Todd Miller and Kevin Kraus and will therefore fit seamlessly into the program. I am very pleased to welcome Mark back into the fold, and I look forward to working with him again.”

WEST KELOWNA WARRIORS

Key Returnees: F Liam Blackburn (17-26-43), F Jason Cotton (23-36-59), F Jordan Masters (19-21-40), G Andy Desautels (27-15-2, 2.57 GAA) D Ryan Ivey (2-4-6).

Rookie Sensations: Forward Kade Kehoe, (96), joins the Warriors from the Saskatoon midget AAA Contacts, where he scored 25 goals and 53 points and displayed a physical side with 111 penalty minutes in 40 games. 

Like Kehoe, forward Josh Bly (96), also hails from Saskatoon, but played midget hockey last season in North Battleford where he tallied 65 points in 41 games.

At 6-foot-3, 200 pounds, Rylan Yaremko will bring size and physicality to the blue line brigade. Yaremko had 19 points in 31 games last season with the Grande Prairie midgets. 

Strengths: Goaltender and co-MVP Andy Desautels (94) was a workhorse between the pipes for the Warriors last season. With a largely new defensive corps in front of him, he will likely need to be sharp again in 2014-15. 

The club’s offensive punch rests with Liam Blackburn, Jordan Masters and Jason Cotton — a trio of skilled players who will also provide veteran leadership. 

With seven defencemen not returning from last year’s team, the blue line will be the Warriors’ biggest question mark heading into 2014-15.

Coach’s Quote (Rylan Ferster): “We have a lot of new faces, so it’s going to take some time to figure our what kind of team we are. We’ve been happy with our leadership group — the guys who we expect to lead us. When push comes to shove, they’ll need to show the way for us. It will take time to build some chemistry and see how that unfolds.”