By Heather Thomson – Merritt Herald – May 30, 2007
The ice may be out of the arena, but the action is far from dead for the Merritt Centennials.
This week the BCHL team acquired two forwards from the Trail Smoke Eaters. Next season Smokies Brian Kang and Mitchell Smith will join the Centennials? lineup in exchange for defenceman Cody Butcher.
?We are happy to obtain both Brian and Mitchell,? Cents head coach and general manager Al Glendinning says. ?They come in as our top two goal scorers and will give us better depth at forward.?
Smith and Kang bring some experience, but also youth to the team. As they are both 19 year olds next season, they have been playing for a number of years, but they will offer the Centennials two more seasons.
Kang is from Vancouver. He is the cousin of current Cent Nick Kang. He had 19 goals and 35 points in 53 games last season with the Smokies. He will be entering his fourth season in the BCHL.
Smith, from Calgary, spent last season with the Quesnel Millionaires. While in his rookie year with the Mills club, he amassed 15 goals and 36 points.
?We will be a younger team, and as 19 year olds they fit right in,? Glendinning points out. ?We want to wish Cody the best in his future endeavors and thank him for his contribution here in Merritt.?
The Centennials picked up Butcher in November 2005 from the Vernon Vipers. The 20-year-old leaves Merritt and heads to Trail with two years of experience in the BCHL. In his last season he was one of Merritt?s best players, ending the season with 41 points, an impressive accomplishment when you consider he spent 128 penalty minutes in the penalty box.
