The Merchants start off the season with a major test, going up against the team that beat them in finals.
NORWICH - It should be a heated affair tonight in Norwich as the Merchants open up their season at home against the Ayr Centennials.
The Cens eliminated Norwich last year in the finals. President Ken Gillanders tells Heart FM it will be a tough test to start the season and good opportunity to see where the club is at.
"It sure is a lofty test for game 1 of the regular season to head up against the Ayr Centennials, they are looking like a perennial powerhouse, but it is a good test for us and should serve as a measuring stick to see where the team is at and what areas we need to improve on."
Gillanders says they did lose some key players from last year, however they do have a number of young guys ready to step up to the plate this year.
"We are going to have a very young team this year, we lost some of our leaders from last year, basically we have a lot of kids that are in the lineup and have a chance to step up and prove their leadership so we are very excited about the upcoming year."
He expects the team will be fun to watch all season and should produce a lot of exciting games and moments. The puck drops on the regular season at 8 p.m. on Friday night in Norwich.

MURC: Coming Soon to Ingersoll!
Candidate Information Session Coming Up
EZT Remembers Former Ward 3 Councillor
SWPH Issues Cold Weather Alert
UPDATE: Strong Winds Continue this Morning
Woodstock Resident Charged with Speeding
Interview with the Mayor - March 16th, 2026
Woodstock Driver Charged in Brant County
PJHL Playoff Recap - March 13th to March 15th
March Break Safety Tips from Oxford OPP
Oxford-Elgin Rainbow Research Project Underway
Death Investigation in Woodstock
OPP: Plan Ahead Before St. Paddy's Day Festivities
Another Friday the 13th in Port Dover Today
Hansen Parents Visit Artemis II Explorers Club at IDCI
East Oxford Parents Respond to AARC Announcement
Strong Winds Expected in Oxford
WPS Charge Two in Firearms Incident
Food Rescue Hub Receives $50,000
Interview with the Warden - March 12th, 2026
Comments
Add a comment