SUMMERSIDE, P.E.I. — The opportunity to close out his junior career in his home province was an opportunity Chris McQuaid could not pass up.
The 20-year-old Charlottetown native will anchor the Summerside D. Alex MacDonald Ford Western Capitals’ defence for the 2020-21 Maritime Junior Hockey League (MHL) campaign.
“With everything going on and it being my last year of junior, being able to play in Summerside was one of the options I leaned towards pretty heavily right off the bat,” said McQuaid in an interview with The Guardian earlier this week. “Just knowing how well of an organization it is, how well the team is run and how well they have done in the past, I decided I wanted to play there and be close to home."
Opening game
The Caps will open the regular season at Eastlink Arena on Saturday against the Berwick, N.S.-based Valley Wildcats. McQuaid said the Caps feel "really fortunate" to be able to return to playing meaningful games and enjoy as normal of a season as possible during the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic.
“We feel lucky our league can go where some other leagues aren’t quite as lucky right now,” said McQuaid, a business student at UPEI. “It was a long training camp, and we are all excited to get things going this weekend.”
McQuaid said the players are looking forward to getting into a routine of playing games and practising. He said the adjustments the players have had to make for COVID-19, including wearing masks to the rink and taking their temperatures entering the dressing room, have not been an issue for anyone. He says those responsibilities have become part of the new norm.
As for his early impressions of the Caps, McQuaid likes what he has seen. He said every player has been working hard and is committed to a team-first approach, which he added goes a long way in achieving success.
“Within the locker room, we have been jelling well, and I am really confident with this group,” said McQuaid. “I know the season hasn’t started yet, but if we keep building the way we have, I am excited about the year.”
“With everything going on and it being my last year of junior, being able to play in Summerside was one of the options I leaned towards pretty heavily right off the bat. Just knowing how well of an organization it is, how well the team is run and how well they have done in the past, I decided I wanted to play there and be close to home."
- Chris McQuaid
Experience
The six-foot-two and 187-pound McQuaid brings plenty of experience to the Capitals’ blue-line. He played 234 regular-season and playoff games with three QMJHL teams the last four years, including 27 with the Charlottetown Islanders during the second half of last season.
Caps head coach Billy McGuigan says the left-handed-shooting McQuaid’s impact will extend far beyond the ice.
"We know when we sign Prince Edward Islanders, we are getting good people,” said McGuigan. “He's a hard worker, and there are not many players who put the work in like he does.
“Coming back from major junior, there is always that adjustment period. It's a little different game (in the MHL), a little different style. He’s going to be an outstanding defenceman for us.”
Fill void
McQuaid’s arrival could not have come at a better time for the Caps. He will be looked upon to help fill the void on the ice and in the leadership department created by the graduation of defencemen Jacob Arsenault and Brodie MacMillan and would-be sophomores Ed McNeill and Zach Biggar moving up to the QMJHL.
McQuaid says he is looking to contribute at both ends of the rink.
“I will bring a defensive aspect before anything, but this year I want to be a guy who is relied on in all situations, both defensively and offensively,” he said. “I’ve always had a good first pass out and quick D-zone exits. More than anything, in the last few years, I haven’t been able to show my offensive abilities. This year is more the type of year to re-establish some of my offence.”
McGuigan said McQuaid's four years of experience at the major-junior level has been evident in training camp. He said McQuaid has already established himself as a leader on the team.
“He works hard, holds himself accountable and, in turn, holds his teammates accountable,” said McGuigan. “He has a business-like approach every day and comes ready to work.”
Chris McQuaid’s recent statistics in the QMJHL:
2016-17
Rouyn-Noranda Huskies
Regular Season
GP G A Pts PIM
55 3 6 9 44
Playoffs
10 0 0 0 4
****
2017-18
Rouyn-Noranda Huskies
Regular Season
34 3 2 5 40
Gatineau Olympiques
Regular Season
34 2 7 9 40
Playoffs
5 0 0 0 4
****
2018-19
Gatineau Olympiques
Regular Season
35 1 4 5 45
****
2019-20
Gatineau Olympiques
28 0 5 5 34
Regular Season
Charlottetown Islanders
Regular Season
27 0 3 3 26
Jason Simmonds is a sports reporter for The Guardian.
