Hopefuls making their case

Capitals hosting pre-season tournament before making cuts at training camps

Prospective players get a chance to showcase their skills this weekend in an attempt to make the Summerside D. Alex MacDonald Ford Western Capitals.

The Caps are hosting the Battle of the Bridge beginning today at Eastlink Arena. The Edmundston Blizzard, Pictou County Crushers and Amherst Ramblers round out the field for the Maritime Junior Hockey League pre-season tournament.

Summerside began training camp on Wednesday with 28 skaters and five goalies. Isaac Wilson joined them on Thursday after attending the Moncton Wildcats major junior camp. Ed McNeill had a strong camp with the Blainville-Boisbriand Armada and was the last cut on the back end after Thursday’s pre-season game. He is expected to join the Caps, but exactly when was not immediately known.

Summerside head coach Billy McGuigan said they expect to make their final cuts after the weekend games.

“We’d like to see where guys fit and what kind of roles they can play. I’d like to shuffle some guys around in different positions, (like) playing their off-wings,” he said Friday. “I think we’re going to have some real tough decisions to make and I think these few days will separate the guys.”

He was pleased with how the first few days of camp, noting strong results were turned in during on- and off-ice fitness testing. Captain Brodie MacArthur led the way.

“He’s taken this role very seriously,” McGuigan said. “He led the way, but I was really impressed with our older guys and their testing scores and our younger guys as well.”

While guys like MacArthur and others are locks to make the final roster, McGuigan said he expected they would each see some ice this weekend.

“We’d like to get them gameready as well,” he said. “You can practice as much as you want but there’s no preparation like playing actual games.”

The tournament format is two 25-minute, stop-time periods. Day passes are $10 for all ages.

The Capitals begin the regular season Saturday, Sept. 14, in Amherst, N.S., and will play four more road games before their home opener on Saturday, Sept. 28, against the Yarmouth Mariners.

Schedule, B2