SUMMERSIDE, P.E.I. — There is no doubt the Summerside D. Alex MacDonald Ford Western Capitals have lost some crucial parts from last season.
Regardless, head coach Billy McGuigan is confident this year's team has the ingredients to be back contending in the Maritime Junior Hockey League (MHL).
The Capitals graduated five forwards, including captain, league scoring leader and MHL player-of-the-year Brodie MacArthur; lost four defencemen, including eligible returnees Zach Biggar and Ed McNeill to the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League, and had the league’s top goaltender the last three years, Dominik Tmej, graduate.
The Caps held a Maritime Junior Hockey League (MHL)-best 42-7-1-2 (won-lost-overtime losses-shootout losses) record when the 2019-20 season was cancelled due to the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic just before the start of the playoffs in March.
“The calibre of that team last year was probably the best team that I have ever coached at this level,” said head coach Billy McGuigan. “The good thing about our hockey club is that the core group of guys we have returning were key guys on last year’s team and are going to be key players this year.”
Two players expected to step into those roles when the Caps open the 2020-21 regular season at Eastlink Arena against the Valley Wildcats on Nov. 7, (7 p.m.) are fourth-year forwards Josh MacDonald and Cam Roberts.
"We lost some big pieces at the forward positions, but a lot of us have watched them be successful for a couple of years," said MacDonald, 19. "The blueprint is all laid out, and we have the guys who are ready to fill in their shoes.”
Roberts likes what he's seen from this year's team during training camp. He feels the Caps have a lot of grit and will be stingy in the goals-against department.
“We are going to have to earn everything out there," said Roberts, 20. "Last year, it was pretty easy for us when we were scoring six, seven goals a game. This year, we are going to have to win by defence."
Last year, Caps’ graduates and players who moved onto other levels this year combined to record 438 points, including 155 goals. Those numbers include 100-plus-point seasons by MacArthur and assistant captain Kallum Muirhead.
McGuigan said the Caps’ recipe for success is simple – work hard every night, which will translate into being a difficult team to face. He is confident, with the returnees and additions, the Caps have the makings of a strong club.
“I don’t think we’ll score goals at the pace we did the last couple of seasons, but I think we will be in a dogfight every night and give ourselves a chance to win,” said McGuigan.
Roster
As of late last week, the Capitals had three goaltenders – Mavrick Goyer, Stephen Giansante and Stratford, P.E.I., native Erik MacInnis – battling for two positions.
MacInnis was recently acquired from the Fredericton Red Wings for an eighth-round draft choice in 2021. Eligible returnee Alec MacVicar was sent to Dryden, Ont., of the Superior International Junior Hockey League for future considerations.
The defence features a mix of youth and experience, including returnees Theo Citrullo, Isaac Wilson and Ryan Miley.
"They were key players for us last year, and they bring that experience," said McGuigan. "We have added (Charlottetown native) Chris McQuaid, who is a four-year major junior defenceman, and we feel he will add leadership, character and is going to be a good player.
“Sid McNeill has had a tremendous training camp, is a very skilled young player and is going to be good for our club, and we have Will Proud. We thought Will Proud probably could have played here last year, but the best case for Will was to get another year of major under-18 in (with the Kensington Wild) and play those big minutes. He’s going to be a real good player stepping into the lineup.”
Olivier Robidas rounds out the seven-member blue-line unit, which McGuigan describes as “pretty stable.”
Up front, McGuigan said Roberts and MacDonald, along with returnees Colby MacArthur, Marc Richard, Nick Reeves and Riley MacDougall, will be looked upon to shoulder heavy loads.
The Caps are hoping the additions of forwards Owen Gilhula and Cole Edwards, who both have gained valuable experience at the major-junior levels, will help replace some of the offence and leadership.
“Gilhula is a real skilled offensive type of player who plays on both sides of the puck,” said McGuigan. “He’s a 200-foot guy who came from the Sudbury Wolves (of the Ontario Hockey League). He’s going to add some leadership, and he's going to score some timely goals.
“Prince Edward Islanders will know Cole well from playing with the Charlottetown Islanders. He’s a real hard-nosed player who works hard on both sides of the puck, and I think he will score some goals. He also adds some solid leadership.”
Prince County products Austin Arsenault and Landon Clow, along with former Saint John Vitos captain Jake Kyle, are entering their rookie seasons at the junior A level after graduating from the New Brunswick/P.E.I. Major Under-18 Hockey League.
Western Capitals’ expected season-opening roster:
Goaltenders
No. Ht. Wt. Hometown
1. Mavrick Goyer 6’1” 182 Saint Sophie, Que.
30. Erik MacInnis 5’11” 180 Stratford, P.E.I.
36. Stephen Giansante 6’1” 170 Toronto, Ont.
Defence
2. Theo Citrullo 5’7” 175 Belleville, Ont.
4. Will Proud 5’10” 170 Stratford, P.E.I.
5. Olivier Robidas 6’2” 178 Richmond, Que.
6. Chris McQuaid 6’2” 187 Charlottetown
7. Isaac Wilson 5’11” 168 Vernon River, P.E.I.
24. Ryan Miley 6’1” 190 Brookings, SD
48. Sid McNeill 5’7” 140 Summerside, P.E.I.
Forwards
9. Nick Reeves 5’11 180 Summerside, P.E.I.
11. Austin Arsenault 6’4” 180 Richmond, P.E.I.
12. Colby MacArthur 6’3” 180 Summerside, P.E.I.
15. Riley MacDougall 5’9” 160 Stratford, P.E.I.
18. Jake Kyle 5’10” 140 Sussex, N.B.
19. Cam Roberts 5’9” 145 Kensington, P.E.I.
21. Cole Edwards 5’11” 185 Sydenham, Ont.
28. Josh MacDonald 6’0” 180 Cornwall, P.E.I.
77. Landon Clow 5’9” 165 Kensington, P.E.I.
79. Marc Richard 6’0” 160 Clinton, P.E.I.
81. Owen Gilhula 5’10” 185 Stratford, Ont.
