SUMMERSIDE – It’s the start the Summerside D. Alex MacDonald Ford Western Capitals were looking for.
Now four days into training camp, head coach Billy McGuigan has liked what he has seen.
“The intensity has been very high,” assessed McGuigan. “From my perspective, it’s been a great start to camp.
“The guys came in really good shape, and the young guys are really pushing the older guys. It’s been a real entertaining couple of days, and guys are really working hard.
“The pace of the games is higher than normal, there are good battles and there’s good competition.”
The Capitals, who have 35 players in camp, are not expected to make the first round of cuts until the weekend.
“We’d like to see most guys in an exhibition game,” said McGuigan. “We want to get down to a workable number after the weekend of around 28 or so.”
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Home-and-home series
The Capitals open the exhibition schedule against the Pictou County Crushers at Credit Union Place’s Ice Pad on Friday at 7 p.m. The teams will meet in the back end of the home-and-home series in New Glasgow, N.S., on Saturday at 4:30 p.m.
“We are trying to get some separation amongst the guys,” said McGuigan. “We are looking for guys to play well in the exhibition games, and see where they fit against junior competition.”
McGuigan said a lot of MHL teams have gone with “smaller camps” number-wise this year. When asked about the Caps’ roster for Friday’s game, he commented, “We are looking at playing a few vets, but it will be mostly rookies.”
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Goalie arrives
McGuigan said 18-year-old goaltender Daniel Thompson is expected to arrive in Summerside on Thursday. Thompson, a recent cut of the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League’s Cape Breton Screaming Eagles, was acquired from the Amherst Ramblers on Saturday. Thompson played the last three years with the Moncton Flyers of the New Brunswick/P.E.I. Major Midget Hockey League.
McGuigan said the Caps have everyone in training camp that they expected with the exception of forward and former Charlottetown Islander Sam Meisenheimer, who received a late tryout with the Mississauga Steelheads of the Ontario Hockey League.
“We are just waiting on details on his tryout, and see what’s going to happen there,” added McGuigan, who is delighted to have the core of this year’s team in camp from Day 1.
“You are not guessing who’s coming back and wondering what players you are going to get later,” said McGuigan. “This is how our team is going to look in September, and now we have to figure out who’s going to make those final spots.”
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