No stranger to Summerside
MacDonald quietly making key contributions to Western Capitals
SUMMERSIDE – Ryan MacDonald has only been with the Summerside D. Alex MacDonald Ford Western Capitals a short time, but he’s no stranger to the Prince County city.
The 20-year-old centre from Halifax has trained with wellknown Summerside trainer Dan Archibald in the summers since he was 15.
“It’s kept me committed to training and bettering my game,” said MacDonald. “I always drove by the rink here, and I have played in it with other teams against Summerside. Seeing that Summerside was doing well, and it’s my last year (of junior), I definitely wanted to be a part of it.”
That became reality on Dec. 1, when the Caps acquired MacDonald from the St. Stephen Aces for a conditional third-round pick previously acquired from the Valley Wildcats in 2019 and future considerations.
“Ryan has really come into his own, and he’s worked hard off the ice,” said Caps head coach Billy McGuigan, who pointed out MacDonald has put in a lot of extra work with conditioning coach Joe Borden.
The Capitals were the fourthranked team in this week’s Canadian Junior Hockey League’s rankings and sit atop the Maritime Junior Hockey League’s overall standings at 36-8-2.
“It’s been a great experience,” said MacDonald, describing his first three months as a Capital. “I don’t want the season to end, and we are looking to go out with a bang.”
NUMBERS
MacDonald has 10 points, including six goals, in 25 games with Caps while quietly going about his job.
“When we first got him we thought he might fit into an offensive role, but we have so many offensive players we were looking for that shut-down centreman or the centreman that can play on the D side of the puck,” explained McGuigan. “Ryan has turned into that guy for us, he’s really stepped up and is doing a great job on our penalty kill and he’s really stepped up his game as far as his defence goes.”
MacDonald has been playing on an effective line with sophomores Zach Thususka of Summerside and Josh MacDonald of Cornwall.
“Zach is a big, strong body and lugs the puck down in the corners, and Josh is a smart player,” offered MacDonald. “He’s a young forward and is improving each game.
“I’m just kind of there to give those guys some experience and be a smart centreman.”
MacDonald understands the most important thing is team success.
“I am just doing whatever Billy wants me to do,” said MacDonald. “I just want to be a team guy, and if there’s anything I can do to help the team get the win that’s what I’m here to do.”
It’s this attitude that has endeared him to the coaching staff.
“I love having him on the team, he’s a great kid and there are no issues with him away from the rink,” continued McGuigan. “He’s just a personable young man that goes above and beyond when you need him to do something. He’s been a great addition to our hockey club.”