SUMMERSIDE, P.E.I. — The Summerside D. Alex MacDonald Ford Western Capitals’ two territorial picks feature names that will be familiar to longtime fans of the MHL (Maritime Junior Hockey League) team.
The Capitals selected 16-year-old forwards Landon Clow of Kensington and Connor Keough of Summerside. The territorial picks were announced Monday night.
Teams had the option of selecting two local players – the Caps’ territorial region is Prince
County – or receiving two extra picks in Saturday’s MHL Entry Draft.
“We had some tough, tough decisions and there were a lot of good quality local kids,” said Caps general manager Pat McIver. “We felt these two guys are potentially really good junior A players and there is still a chance we could lose them to major junior, but that’s always a possibility.”
McIver said the Caps are excited to add Clow and Keough to the organization.
“They both have good skill,” said McIver. “Landon is a tremendous skater and works hard at both ends.
“Connor has a pro shot, is physical and both are local guys with strong ties to the Caps.”
Keough’s father, Shawn, played with the Caps in the late 1980s and was a member of the 1989 club that finished runner-up at the Canadian junior A championship in Summerside. Clow’s father, Donnie, a former junior A, university and senior player, served two different tenures as an assistant coach with the Caps under Dave Cameron in the early-to-mid 1990s and Ron Carragher in the early 2000s.
Keough
Keough is very happy to have been selected by the Caps, who are preparing for Saturday’s MHL Entry Draft.
“It’s an honour,” said Keough in a phone interview with the Journal Pioneer late Monday night from Wilcox, Sask., where he is attending Athol Murray College of Notre Dame. “They are the team I grew up watching and my dad played there. It is something we can definitely talk about.”
Keough, who represented P.E.I. in male hockey at the 2019 Canada Winter Games, has played the past two seasons at Notre Dame. He played bantam AAA in 2017-18 and was a member of the Argos’ midget AAA squad in 2018-19.
“I like to be a high-scoring right-winger, but I like to play a physical game as well,” said Keough after being asked to describe his style.
Keough, who was drafted in the 11th round, 190th overall, by the Moncton Wildcats in Saturday’s Quebec Major Junior Hockey League Entry Draft, said, at this point, he’s undecided about his hockey plans for next year.
Keough, a Grade 10 student, said he’s really worked hard on becoming a solid two-way player and noted he has really enjoyed his two years at Notre Dame.
“You are on the ice every day and there’s lots of opportunities to be in the weight room training,” said Keough.
Looking forward to camp
Clow, a Grade 11 student at Kensington Intermediate-Senior High School, is also very pleased to have been selected by the local junior A team.
“I’ve been here watching these guys as long as I can remember,” said Clow. “It’s a great organization and is close to home, which is convenient.”
Clow, who is expected to also receive interest from QMJHL teams despite going undrafted the last two years, said he’s “excited” to get started with the Capitals.
“I want to come to camp, give my best showing and hopefully crack the opening-day roster,” said Clow, who was a key contributor to the Kensington Wild’s run to the Monctonian AAA Challenge championship, the provincial major midget hockey championship and the final of the Atlantic major midget hockey championship during the 2018-19 campaign.
“My confidence has grown,” added Clow, who missed approximately three months of his rookie 2017-18 season with the Wild due to emergency surgery for a health-related issue.
Although Clow’s trademark is his speed, he takes pride in being a solid two-way gritty player. He acknowledges he has a big summer of training ahead of him.
“It’s all about getting quicker,” said Clow. “Hockey has been getting faster and I am just going to keep working on my speed and agility this summer so I can come to camp ready.”
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