WESTERN CAPITALS OPEN 46TH SEASON WITH PRODUCTIVE FIRST WEEK OF TRAINING CAMP

By Daniel Cudmore

The road to the 2026–27 Maritime Hockey League season is officially underway.

The Summerside Western Capitals opened training camp this past week at the Credit Union Place, inside the Gerard “Turk” Gallant Arena, beginning the process of building the roster that will represent the organization during its 46th season.

Thirty-six players took part in the opening week of camp, which included three intrasquad games in Summerside before the Western Capitals travelled for a pair of preseason contests against the Amherst Ramblers.

The start of camp comes after a memorable 2025–26 season for the Western Capitals.

Summerside enjoyed a strong regular season and entered the MHL playoffs as the league’s number one seed. The Western Capitals’ playoff run ultimately came to an end in a hard-fought seven-game semifinal series versus the Truro Bearcats, but the season continued beyond the MHL schedule as Summerside went on to host the Hockey Canada Centennial Cup presented by Tim Horton’s.

The Western Capitals captured a silver medal at the 2026 Centennial Cup, putting together one of the strongest runs in franchise history and giving the organization another moment to celebrate on the national stage.

Now, with the calendar turning toward a new season, the focus has shifted to building the next edition of the Western Capitals.

 

COMPETITION BEGINS AT THE TURK

The first week of training camp provided the coaching staff with its first extended opportunity to evaluate the group on the ice.

Thirty-six players took part in camp, representing a combination of returning players, new additions and players looking to earn an opportunity with the organization after either being drafted by the organization, or accepting a training camp invitation. The week featured three intrasquad games at the Credit Union Place Gerard “Turk” Gallant Arena, giving the coaching staff an opportunity to evaluate players in competitive game situations before the team moved into its exhibition schedule.

While training camp is an opportunity for players to make an impression, it is also the beginning of the process of building chemistry and establishing the standards that will carry into the regular season.

The Western Capitals will look to build on the success of last season while continuing to establish the identity of this year’s group.

“Week one was a good start for our group,” said Head Coach and Assistant General Manager Billy McGuigan. “The players have worked hard, competed and shown positive progress. There is still plenty of work ahead, but we’re happy with the way the group has approached camp so far.”

 

WESTERN CAPITALS OPEN EXHIBITION PLAY IN AMHERST

The Western Capitals opened their exhibition schedule on Saturday, August 29, travelling to Amherst Stadium to face the Amherst Ramblers.

Summerside came out with a strong start and took control late in the opening period.

Dixon Beatty opened the scoring at 18:33, with Grayson Aguilar-Knee recording the assist. Less than a minute later, Jordan Shaw added another goal to give the Capitals a 2–0 lead heading into the first intermission.

Amherst responded in the second period, scoring twice to even the game before the Capitals answered late in the frame. Jack Baldwin scored at 19:43, with Nash Langille and Gould picking up the assists, restoring Summerside’s lead heading into the final period.

The Ramblers moved in front during the third period with a pair of goals, putting the Capitals in position to chase the game late.

Summerside continued to battle.

With just 11 seconds remaining in regulation, Max Gamble scored on the power play to tie the game and send the contest to overtime. Maverick Hayes picked up the assist on the dramatic late goal.

The game was ultimately decided just 1:41 into the extra period when Amherst scored to earn a 5–4 overtime victory.

Dylan Wile got the start in goal for the Western Capitals, with Coby Maund entering the game midway through the second period.

Despite the result, the Western Capitals showed early signs of the competitiveness and resilience the coaching staff will be looking for throughout camp.

 

CAPITALS RESPOND WITH OVERTIME VICTORY

Less than 24 hours later, the Capitals and Ramblers met again at the Simmons Sports Centre in Charlottetown, PEI.

Once again, the teams played a closely contested game that required overtime to determine a winner. This time, the Capitals came away with the result.

Summerside opened the scoring just 1:07 into the game when Ashton Campbell found the back of the net. Cade Moser and Dylan MacLean recorded the assists.

Amherst responded with two goals in the second period to take a 2–1 lead, but the Capitals once again showed their ability to respond.

Kieran O’Brien tied the game at 10:07 of the third period, with Ryan Doyle and Malcolm James recording the assists. Just over three minutes later, Nate Ostridge scored to put Summerside back in front.

Amherst answered once more to tie the game at 3–3 and send the teams to overtime for the second consecutive night.

This time, the Capitals did not let the opportunity slip away.

Moser scored the overtime winner at 4:54, with Justin Ouellette and Mason MacAusland recording the assists, giving Summerside a 4–3 victory and its first exhibition win of the preseason.

Max Picard got the nod in goal for the Western Capitals, with MacAusland coming into the game midway through the second period.

The back-to-back games provided the Capitals with valuable early experience against MHL competition while giving the coaching staff an opportunity to see the group respond to different situations.

Over the course of the weekend, the Capitals played two overtime games, rallied late to force extra time in Amherst and responded the following afternoon with an overtime victory of their own.

 

ROSTER REDUCED TO 29 PLAYERS

Following the first week of training camp, the Western Capitals have made their first roster reductions.

The organization has released seven players from camp:

  • Grayson Aguilar-Knee (F)
  • Jack Baldwin (F)
  • Remy Belliveau (F)
  • Nash Langille (F)
  • Mason MacAusland (G)
  • Leo Meng (D)
  • Eli Swain (F)

The Western Capitals would like to thank each of the players for their hard work and commitment during training camp and wish them all the best moving forward.

The roster now stands at 29 players as the organization enters the second week of camp.

GOALTENDERS

  • Vincent Gladu
  • Coby Maund
  • Max Picard
  • Dylan Wile

 

DEFENCEMEN

  • Aidan Diamond
  • Maverick Hayes
  • Luke Inman
  • Malcolm James
  • Matthew MacLean
  • Nate Ostridge
  • Andrew Thompson
  • Lincoln Waugh

 

FORWARDS

  • Dixon Beatty
  • Ellis Callaghan
  • Ashton Campbell
  • Riley Cormier
  • Ryan Doyle
  • Max Gamble
  • Mitchell Gould
  • Logan Griffin
  • Harrison Hutt
  • Owen MacPherson
  • Jett Mills
  • Cade Moser
  • Kieran O’Brien
  • Justin Ouellette
  • Jordan Shaw
  • Isaac Taweel
  • Dylan MacLean

While the group has been reduced following the opening week, the roster remains a work in progress.

The Western Capitals could see additional players join training camp in the coming weeks as players return from major junior training camps. Those additions will provide the organization with further options as the coaching staff continues evaluating the group and working toward finalizing its roster for the regular season.

With several weeks remaining before the start of the regular season, competition for roster spots will continue to be a major focus throughout training camp and exhibition play.

 

EXHIBITION PLAY CONTINUES

The Western Capitals will return to the ice this week as preparations continue.

Summerside will travel to face the West Kent Steamers on Friday, September 4, at 7 PM before returning to Prince Edward Island for another exhibition game on Saturday, September 5.

Saturday’s game will be played in North Rustico at the Eliyahu Wellness Centre, with puck drop scheduled for 7 PM.

The upcoming weekend will provide another opportunity for players to make their case as the coaching staff continues to evaluate the group.

With a mix of returning players, newcomers and the potential for additional players to arrive following major junior camps, the Capitals’ roster will continue to take shape over the coming weeks.

 

THE COUNTDOWN TO YEAR 46 CONTINUES

The beginning of training camp marks the first step toward another season of Western Capitals hockey.

After a season that included a strong regular season, a playoff run that ended in a seven-game semifinal series and a Centennial Cup silver medal, expectations remain high as the organization begins a new chapter.

The players now in camp will spend the coming weeks competing for roster spots, building chemistry and preparing for the challenges of the MHL season ahead.

For fans, the countdown is officially on.

Saturday, September 12 marks the regular season opener for the Western Capitals when they travel to Truro to take on the Bearcats.  A five-game road trip will kick off the season, with the home opener scheduled for Saturday, September 26 versus the Pictou County Crushers.

 

SEASON TICKETS ON SALE NOW

Fans can now secure their seats for the 2026–27 Summerside Western Capitals season.

Season tickets are on sale now at: sside.ca/Capitals-SeasonTickets

The Western Capitals look forward to welcoming fans back to the Credit Union Place for another season of hockey.