Kings bring in Wright & Grabner from Merritt

Photos by Christina Gillett

The Kings are proud to announce the signings of 2005 born forward Ben Wright and 2004 born defenceman Sam Grabner for the 2024-25 season.

Wright is an Island boy, hailing from Mill Bay and comes to the Kings with 60 games in the Western Hockey League with the Edmonton Oil Kings. He split last season with the Oil Kings, Estevan Bruins (SJHL) and the Merritt Centennials where he notched 4 assists in 13 games for the Cents. “Ben is a 6’4″ power forward who plays with a lot of patience and poise” says Assistant General Manager Stephan Seeger Jr. “We believe his previous experience as a Major Junior player and his time with the Centennials that he will be a great addition to our roster. Ben will seamlessly fit into our system and our community. We are proud to welcome him aboard.”

The twenty year old Grabner will be a veteran addition to the blueline. The Ottawa native has over 100 junior hockey games to his credit that includes 37 with the Centennials last season. He is also a Centennial Cup Champion, winning the Canadian Junior “A” title in 2023 with the Ottawa Jr. Senators. “Sam is a big, solid, and consistent defender who knows what it takes to go far in the postseason. We are very happy to add a Centennial Cup champion to our locker room” adds Seeger Jr. “We believe in Sam’s character, and previous junior experiences will bring a level of compete and energy to our team that is warmly welcomed and encouraged.”