The Merritt Centennials are excited to add goaltender Brayden Melnyk (03) of the Chilliwack Jets (PJHL) to their roster for the upcoming season.
The Chilliwack native spent the brief 2020-21 campaign with his hometown Jets where he saw action in 4 games but posted an 0-3 record with an .860 SV% and a 4.47 GAA. The year previous he played with the Pacific Coast Academy of the CSSHL and secured a record a 3-13 with a .878 SV% and a 6.00 GAA. Despite the poor team performance overall in front of his crease, Melnyk is known for his compete and consistency in the net.
Assistant Coach Levi Stuart says that Melnyk will be a welcome addition to the Cents.
“Brayden is a well rounded goaltender who has great hockey IQ, battle, and work ethic. He has developed into a strong goaltender over the last few seasons and will fit in well in our system and culture.”
Melnyk says that he chose the Centennials over other programs because of the proximity to his hometown and the strength of his new teammates.
“What set Merritt apart for me is that they have a good core of young guys that I can step in and develop my game with. Merritt is also not too far from my home base in Chilliwack, and I’ve heard great things about the history of the program and it being outstanding on and off the ice.”
He adds that his greatest asset in the crease is utilizing his natural gifts.
“My biggest strengths in my game are using my size, predicting in tight plays and staying consistent.”
Melnyk has been keeping his skills sharp by finding ice and keeping his mind and body active.
“I’ve been staying sharp during the pandemic by skating with various teams and goalie coaches. I have also been keeping busy hiking and with weight training, and also doing some visual work by tracking the puck in my own time.”
The Centennials would like to welcome Brayden and his family to the Nicola Valley and look forward to his contributions to the team and the community.
Melnyk will join the team as the BCHL prepares for a potential February 8th start date.
