McNeill brothers on-ice teammates
McNeill brothers thrilled to be teammates on Western Capitals
SUMMERSIDE – Brothers Ed and Sid McNeill did not expect to be teammates this season.
Now the left-handed-shooting sons of Dwyane McNeill and Kim MacDonald are patrolling the blue-line with their hometown Summerside D. Alex MacDonald Ford Western Capitals.
“It’s pretty cool,” said 16-year-old Sid, who has been with the Caps since training camp opened in September. “Not too many kids get to (play with their brother), especially at a high level like junior A.
“I get to learn from him, and he went through it last year. He helps me out and teaches me the ropes.”
Ed, who is 18, said it didn’t sink in that he and Sid were teammates with the Caps until they skated on Eastlink Arena ice in their first practice together. He described the opportunity as a “surreal feeling” and said he’s going to enjoy it.
Ed played with the Caps in the Maritime Junior Hockey League (MHL) as a rookie during the 2019-20 campaign. He played the first half of this year with the Blainville-Boisbriand Armada of the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League (QMJHL).
Ed originally planned to rejoin the Armada after Christmas. But after talking to Blainville-Boisbriand general manager Pierre Cloutier, head coach Bruce Richardson and Caps general manager Pat McIver, he decided to stay home and play with the Caps.
“It was a tough decision that my dad and I put a lot of thought into,” said Ed. “The way the world is right now, it’s a difficult situation to be anywhere but with your family and friends and to be home.
“It’s just the way the world is, and there’s nothing we can do about it.”
Ed had a first-hand experience at “how scary things can be” with COVID-19 when the Armada had 18 members – staff and players – test positive during the first half.
“That was an experience in itself for sure,” said Ed, who escaped a positive test. “You see how strict they can be with the protocols, but it makes sense because it’s not something to joke around about.”
UNIQUE OPPORTUNITY
Capitals head coach Billy McGuigan said the McNeill brothers have a unique opportunity to play together. He added Ed’s addition is “a boost for our back end.”
McGuigan described Ed as an “every-day player” in the QMJHL, who was very reliable last season, playing 5-on-5 and contributing to the second power-play unit as a rookie.
Sid, he said, is “a special player”, who is “fearless” and has the ability to move the puck and manoeuvre his way in and out of traffic quickly.
“Any time you get a player from Summerside, especially two and they’re brothers, it’s pretty cool for both of them to be able to play with their brother,” said McGuigan. “Both of these kids are exceptional kids, and they come from a great family. They work hard every day and are eager to be hockey players.”
NOT FIRST TIME
This is not the first time the McNeill brothers have been teammates. They played together in under-9, and Sid played a little as an affiliated player with Ed’s under-13 team.
Although they are not regular partners on the blueline, Ed and Sid have played together occasionally.
“It’s one thing to play on a team together, but to be on the ice together and side by side as D partners is something you will remember the rest of your life,” said Ed. “It’s something that is a great feeling for both of us.”
The brothers are benefiting from spending lots of time playing street hockey and on outdoor rinks together. Sid feels they play a similar game and added Ed is a “good player” to play alongside.
“We think the same way. … You almost know what he’s going to do every time,” said Sid.
There is no lack of hockey talk between the two brothers at home. Ed said a lot of chirping and serious discussions go on between the brothers.
“It’s what brothers are for,” said Ed. “We are there to help each other in any situation, and I’m always there for him.”
Sid, who is five-foot-seven and 140 pounds, said he understands young players have to wait for opportunities and then make the best of them when they arise.
He also said his brother, at five-foot-nine and 165-pounds, taught him the importance of being quick and patient on the ice.
“Ed’s always been smart and quick and not the biggest or strongest guy, which is the same with me,” said Sid. “He’s taught me to work on my speed and be able to think the game a little smarter than those big guys, who have the advantage of being stronger and can push us around.”
EARLY DRAFT PICKS
Both McNeills are high draft picks of the Capitals. In 2018, the Caps took Ed in the second round, 22nd overall. Sid, who played only one game last season due to a heart condition that was essentially an irregular heartbeat, was a 2020 territorial selection.
Sid, a draft pick of the QMJHL’s Halifax Mooseheads, said he is pleased with his transition into the junior A game.
“It’s been a little bit of an adjustment not playing hockey last year,” said Sid. “It’s been good to get some games in and get used to the faster and bigger players in the league.”
It’s an experience Ed went through last year. He was pleased with his rookie season, and he feels he “progressed a lot” during the year. Now he is hoping he can pass along some of the knowledge he gained last year to the young defencemen.
“I also learned lots of great things from the 20-yearold defencemen like Brodie MacMillan, Jake (Jacob) Arsenault and those guys who have played junior for four or five years and know what it takes,” said Ed. “I learned a lot from them that I can implement into my game this year.”