A team effort

Caps earn Roger Meek executive of the year award

SUMMERSIDE – The Summerside D. Alex MacDonald Ford Western Capitals have a simple formula for success, both on and off the ice: a team-first attitude.

It is this approach that helped the Caps earn the 2019-20 Roger Meek executive of the year award for the Maritime Junior Hockey League on Friday. The award honours the memory of Meek, a Kensington native who was a longtime executive at the junior A level.

“That was excellent to receive that award,” said Pat McIver, who reached the 300-win mark as Capitals' general manager during the past season. “We truly have a great team from the coaches to trainers to the executive to the off-ice people.

“I am not going to mention any names because I will always forget someone, but everybody in our whole organization pulls on the rope and that’s how we have a lot of success in Summerside. I am honoured for everybody in the organization.”

Caps head coach Billy McGuigan agreed.

“Any time you receive a league award it is a testament to your organization and the group of people you work with,” said McGuigan, who was named the Maritime and Canadian junior A coach of the year in 2020.

“We have great people here, we work hard and have a little bit of fun on the side, too.”

The Caps cruised to a league-best 42-7-3 (wonlost-overtime losses) record and were ranked as high as second in the Canadian Junior Hockey League’s top-20 rankings.

The league's playoffs were cancelled due to the coronavirus (COVID-19 strain) pandemic.

Mike James, a member of the Caps’ ownership group, praised the efforts of all involved with the organization.

“It’s a true testament to all the hard work by all our guys, all of the coaching staff and all the hard work that is put in by Pat and his staff.”

“Any time you receive a league award it is a testament to your organization and the group of people you work with.”

Billy McGuigan