Bolstering the lineup

Capitals add three players before deadline

The Summerside D. Alex MacDonald Ford Western Capitals made three trades on Wednesday.

The Capitals added two defencemen and one forward before the 10 p.m. roster deadline for the stretch drive of the 2017-18 Maritime Junior Hockey League regular season. The Caps, who are 17-12-1-0, sit second in the Eastlink North Division.

“We feel we’ve added a real good forward and some depth on D,” said Caps general manager Pat McIver. “The trade deadline was really quiet this year, but we were able to improve our team and didn’t compromise the future.”

The Caps acquired 20-yearold forward Alex Beaulieu’s rights from the Woodstock Slammers in exchange for future considerations. Beaulieu, listed as five-foot-11 and 161 pounds, recorded one goal, five assists, six points and 37 penalty minutes in 22 games with the Amherst Ramblers, who dealt him to Woodstock.

The Caps sent a conditional eighth-round draft pick to the Valley Wildcats for defenceman Hunter McTague, who is pointless in 11 games. McTague, a Charlottetown native, is 20 years old.

The Caps also added 19-yearold blue-liner Sam Lau from the Cornwall Colts. The Colts, who play in the Central Canada Hockey League, receive future considerations.

Lau, listed as six feet and 185 pounds, has two assists and four penalty minutes in 31 games.

McIver, however, may not be done adding to the roster. Teams can sign players who are not inked with any team at the Jan. 10 deadline up to Feb. 10.

“We still have two empty cards, and some irons in the fire on a few free agents,” added McIver.

The Caps return to action tonight, when the Valley Wildcats (12-17-1-1) travel to Summerside for a 7 p.m. faceoff at Eastlink Arena. See story on page B3.