The Merritt Centennials are pleased to announce that 18-year-old forward Rylan Van Unen is among fifteen BCHL players named to the Team Canada West roster for the 2017 World Junior A Challenge.
The tournament is December 10-16 in Truro, Nova Scotia.
Van Unen is in his second season with the Centennials and has 12 points (eight goals, four assists) in 26 games. In his first BCHL season in 2016-17, the Kamloops product posted 18 points (five goals, 13 assists) in 53 games.
“Rylan was very good at the selection camp, he showed an excellent work ethic and compete level every time he was on the ice,” said Centennials General Manager and Head Coach Joe Martin, who joins Van Unen at the tournament as an Assistant Coach for Canada West.
Merritt has now been represented seven times in the WJAC’s 12-year history. Cents players who skated for Canada West previously include Casey Pierro-Zabotel (2006, 2007), Reece Willcox (2011), Dane Birks and Jeff Wight (2013) and Michael Regush (2016).
Canada West has won gold four times at the tournament (2006, 2007, 2012, 2015). It opens this year’s edition of the tournament on December 11 at 11:30 am PST against the Czech Republic.
All games can be watched online at www.hockeycanada.ca/wjac. TSN will broadcast the gold-medal game on December 16th at 11 am PST.
