Merritt, BC – January 10, 2010
The Merritt Centennials are pleased to announce the acquisition of 20-year-old defenceman Jon-Paul (J.P.) Witkop from the Grande Prairie Storm of the Alberta Junior Hockey League for future considerations.
Witkop, who's from Fairport, New York, has three assists and 28 PIM in 21 games with Grande Prairie this season. He was the captain and played 13 games with Rochester of the Eastern Junior Hockey League earlier this season, posting four assists and 50 PIM. Witkop played two seasons with Syracuse of the EJHL from 2008-2010, finishing with a goal, 22 assists and 40 PIM in 71 games.
“We are excited that we were able to add the piece we felt was necessary for our team to have success down the stretch and into the playoffs,” said Cents Head Coach/GM Luke Pierce. “With an already strong defence core, adding J.P. only reinforces our identity as a difficult team to play against. We look forward to having J.P. in the line-up on Saturday against Westside and for the remainder of the season.”
For further information, please contact Cents Head Coach & GM Luke Pierce at 250-378-3607.
The Merritt Centennials, proudly celebrating 38 years as the BCHL's longest continuously run franchise, are a non-profit, community owned Junior 'A' Hockey Club run by a dedicated team of investors, directors, and volunteers.
