Opportunity to play with twin brother leads to Western Capitals moving defenceman

Massie has nothing but fond memories of season in Summerside

Noah Massie in action with the Summerside Western Capitals during the 2018-19 MHL (Maritime Junior Hockey League) season. - Jason Simmonds

SUMMERSIDE, P.E.I. — It was a trade that came down to family.

The Summerside D. Alex MacDonald Ford Western Capitals honoured a trade request by defenceman Noah Massie, who was moved to the Wellington Dukes of the Ontario Junior Hockey League in exchange for future considerations and the MHL (Maritime Junior Hockey League) rights to defenceman Tim Fallowfield, who is expected to be traded to a team in Ontario.
“It’s my last year of junior and the reason I requested this trade is I want to spend my last year (of junior) with my brother (Dylan),” Massie explained in a phone interview with the Journal Pioneer on Thursday afternoon. “We started playing hockey together and there was an opportunity for me to play with him. . .
“The real reason was to get closer to home, (play) with my brother for my last year and have some fun.”
Massie made sure to point out he loved his time with the Billy McGuigan-coached Capitals.
“I want to stress that Summerside was first class,” said Massie, who is from St-Lazare, Que. “I want to let everyone know it is nothing bad against them why I left.
“The guys are great, especially (general manager) Pat (McIver) and Billy. Those guys were good for me. You get treated like a pro in that dressing room and it is a lot of fun.”
But the opportunity to play with his brother was too good to pass up.
“The last time I would have played with him was in high school and you don’t get this chance in junior too often,” said Massie.
McIver said he didn’t want to trade Massie, but understands the reasons behind it.
“Noah would have been one of our top guys this year, but we did build up a lot of depth on our blue-line this summer,” said McIver. “We signed a 20-year-old guy out of the OHL back in June (Gianluca Fuoco) and we just traded for a 19-year-old defenceman out of Brockville (Theo Citrullo).
“We obviously have Jacob Arsenault and Brodie MacMillan back and we have some great young guys coming up, Ed McNeill, Isaac Wilson, Will Proud.”
Massie joined the Caps early in the 2018-19 season after starting the year with the Charlottetown Islanders of the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League. He had six goals and 30 assists for 36 points in 39 regular-season games while accumulated five points, including one goal, in 10 post-season contests.
The Caps also announced two other moves.
Forward Cedric Chenier was also dealt to the Dukes for future considerations. Chenier joined the Caps late last season and had three points – one goal and two assists – in nine regular-season games. He was pointless in nine playoff matches.
The Caps also recently traded defenceman Kyle Nichol to the Amherst Ramblers for future considerations. In his rookie season with the Caps, Nichol had five assists in 50 regular-season games and one assist in 10 playoff contests.
The Caps will open training camp at Credit Union Place in Summerside on Wednesday.