The Capitals were able to select the two players they coveted in the Maritime Junior A Hockey League draft.
“We traded down (from fourth to 10th overall) and still got the player we wanted in Brodie MacArthur,” said McIver. “He’s going to be at least a four-year junior A player for us if he doesn’t play major junior. We are excited to have him.
“We got the goalie we wanted in the third round in Matt Williams, who was an all-star at the Atlantic major midget (hockey championship) in Kensington (in April). We feel he’s ready to play now, and to get (forward Kallum) Muirhead (in the second round), we are really excited about our draft.”
As a 1999-born player, Muirhead, who had 13 points in 31 regular-season games with the Charlottetown Islanders’ major midget team, was only eligible for the first three rounds.
The 16-year-old MacArthur recorded 22 points, including nine goals, in 35 regular-season games during his rookie season with the Kensington Wild major midget club.
“Brodie’s a Summerside kid and might have one of the highest hockey IQs around,” said McIver. “He’s definitely going to be an elite player if he doesn’t play major junior.
“We’ve gone through the battles of trying to get kids back who are from P.E.I., and we just didn’t want to take the risk of him not being there in any later round.”
Goaltender
Williams, 17, backstopped the Dartmouth-based Newbridge Academy Gladiators to the Atlantic major midget championship. He had a 2.00 goals-against average and .929 save percentage in four round-robin contests, and made 33 saves in the championship match.
“You start doing your homework on him, and you are hearing all positive things about his character, his play and he becomes even more enticing,” said McIver. “He had a heck of a tournament in Kensington. We are ecstatic to have him.”
Defenceman
The Caps used their second pick of the third round to take Wild defenceman Jesse Annear of Montague. Annear, 17, had 20 points in 32 regular-season games.
“I liked him a lot in Kensington last year,” said McIver. “He was pretty steady for them, and his game really improved from the year before.
“If he keeps progressing the way he has, I definitely see him as a junior A defenceman.”
Long shot
McIver admitted one surprise was being able to draft Chris Sarault of the Moncton Flyers’ major midget team.
Sarault, a draft choice of the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League’s Saint John Sea Dogs, had 23 points in 20 regular-season games, and tied for the scoring lead and was named the most valuable player of the round robin in the Atlantic championship.
“He’s a bit of a long shot (as he could be playing major junior),” admitted McIver. “He might have been the best player in the draft to be honest.
“He slipped to the fifth round, so we are glad to have him on our list.”
Picks
A look at the MHL draft:
Summerside Western Capitals
Round 1
Forward Brodie MacArthur, Kensington Wild (major midget).
Round 2
Forward Kallum Muirhead, Charlottetown Islanders (major midget).
Round 3
Goaltender Matt Williams, Newbridge Academy (major midget).
Defenceman Jesse Annear, Kensington Wild.
Round 4
No picks.
Round 5
Forward Chris Sarault, Moncton Flyers (major midget).
Round 6
No picks.
Round 7
Forward Sean Smith, Cape Breton Tradesmen (major midget).
Round 8
No picks
Round 9
Forward James Murphy, Kensington Vipers (junior B).
Goaltender Daniel Liengme (Cape Breton West Islanders (major midget).
Round 10
Forward Julian Makary, Weeks Midgets (major midget).
Forward Casey Fox, Fredericton Canadiens (major midget).
Defenceman Connor MacEachern, Cariboo Cougars (major midget).
Territorial Selections
Forward Carson MacKinnon, Notre Dame Hounds (major midget).
Forward Jeremy McKenna, Notre Dame Hounds (major midget).
Islanders
Prince Edward Islands drafted in MHL draft:
Defenceman Dawson Grenier – Amherst Ramblers (Round 3).
Forward Nick Currie – Yarmouth Mariners (Round 4).
Forward Alex Hambly – Woodstock Slammers (Round 7).
Forward Riley Gallant – Yarmouth Mariners (Round 8).
Forward Austin Taylor – Yarmouth Mariners (Round 8).
Defenceman Calen MacInnis – Woodstock Slammers (Round 9).
Forward TJ Shea – Miramichi Timberwolves (Round 9).
Defenceman Jesse Jay – Woodstock Slammers (Round 9).
Note: Grenier, Currie, Hambly and MacInnis played for the Charlottetown Islanders’ major midget team last season while Taylor, Gallant and Jay are products of the Kensington Wild. Shea was a member of the Alberton-based Western Regals’ midget AAA team.
The Capitals were able to select the two players they coveted in the Maritime Junior A Hockey League draft.
“We traded down (from fourth to 10th overall) and still got the player we wanted in Brodie MacArthur,” said McIver. “He’s going to be at least a four-year junior A player for us if he doesn’t play major junior. We are excited to have him.
“We got the goalie we wanted in the third round in Matt Williams, who was an all-star at the Atlantic major midget (hockey championship) in Kensington (in April). We feel he’s ready to play now, and to get (forward Kallum) Muirhead (in the second round), we are really excited about our draft.”
As a 1999-born player, Muirhead, who had 13 points in 31 regular-season games with the Charlottetown Islanders’ major midget team, was only eligible for the first three rounds.
The 16-year-old MacArthur recorded 22 points, including nine goals, in 35 regular-season games during his rookie season with the Kensington Wild major midget club.
“Brodie’s a Summerside kid and might have one of the highest hockey IQs around,” said McIver. “He’s definitely going to be an elite player if he doesn’t play major junior.
“We’ve gone through the battles of trying to get kids back who are from P.E.I., and we just didn’t want to take the risk of him not being there in any later round.”
Goaltender
Williams, 17, backstopped the Dartmouth-based Newbridge Academy Gladiators to the Atlantic major midget championship. He had a 2.00 goals-against average and .929 save percentage in four round-robin contests, and made 33 saves in the championship match.
“You start doing your homework on him, and you are hearing all positive things about his character, his play and he becomes even more enticing,” said McIver. “He had a heck of a tournament in Kensington. We are ecstatic to have him.”
Defenceman
The Caps used their second pick of the third round to take Wild defenceman Jesse Annear of Montague. Annear, 17, had 20 points in 32 regular-season games.
“I liked him a lot in Kensington last year,” said McIver. “He was pretty steady for them, and his game really improved from the year before.
“If he keeps progressing the way he has, I definitely see him as a junior A defenceman.”
Long shot
McIver admitted one surprise was being able to draft Chris Sarault of the Moncton Flyers’ major midget team.
Sarault, a draft choice of the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League’s Saint John Sea Dogs, had 23 points in 20 regular-season games, and tied for the scoring lead and was named the most valuable player of the round robin in the Atlantic championship.
“He’s a bit of a long shot (as he could be playing major junior),” admitted McIver. “He might have been the best player in the draft to be honest.
“He slipped to the fifth round, so we are glad to have him on our list.”
Picks
A look at the MHL draft:
Summerside Western Capitals
Round 1
Forward Brodie MacArthur, Kensington Wild (major midget).
Round 2
Forward Kallum Muirhead, Charlottetown Islanders (major midget).
Round 3
Goaltender Matt Williams, Newbridge Academy (major midget).
Defenceman Jesse Annear, Kensington Wild.
Round 4
No picks.
Round 5
Forward Chris Sarault, Moncton Flyers (major midget).
Round 6
No picks.
Round 7
Forward Sean Smith, Cape Breton Tradesmen (major midget).
Round 8
No picks
Round 9
Forward James Murphy, Kensington Vipers (junior B).
Goaltender Daniel Liengme (Cape Breton West Islanders (major midget).
Round 10
Forward Julian Makary, Weeks Midgets (major midget).
Forward Casey Fox, Fredericton Canadiens (major midget).
Defenceman Connor MacEachern, Cariboo Cougars (major midget).
Territorial Selections
Forward Carson MacKinnon, Notre Dame Hounds (major midget).
Forward Jeremy McKenna, Notre Dame Hounds (major midget).
Islanders
Prince Edward Islands drafted in MHL draft:
Defenceman Dawson Grenier – Amherst Ramblers (Round 3).
Forward Nick Currie – Yarmouth Mariners (Round 4).
Forward Alex Hambly – Woodstock Slammers (Round 7).
Forward Riley Gallant – Yarmouth Mariners (Round 8).
Forward Austin Taylor – Yarmouth Mariners (Round 8).
Defenceman Calen MacInnis – Woodstock Slammers (Round 9).
Forward TJ Shea – Miramichi Timberwolves (Round 9).
Defenceman Jesse Jay – Woodstock Slammers (Round 9).
Note: Grenier, Currie, Hambly and MacInnis played for the Charlottetown Islanders’ major midget team last season while Taylor, Gallant and Jay are products of the Kensington Wild. Shea was a member of the Alberton-based Western Regals’ midget AAA team.