Capitals acquire forward Smith from Valley

The Summerside Western Capitals have acquired forward Gavin Smith from the Valley Wildcats, the team announced Saturday morning. 

In return, the Western Capitals send a second-round pick in the 2027 MHL Entry Draft to the Wildcats. 

Smith, 17, played a majority of last season with Rothesay Netherwood School Under-18 where he scored 13 goals and 19 points in 33 games.  The native of St. Andrews, N.B. appeared in 18 games with Valley last season scoring four goals and six points. 

The six-foot-two, 183-pound frame was drafted in the eighth round by the Charlottetown Islanders in the 2024 QMJHL Entry Draft. He appeared in one game with the Islanders in the 2024-25 season.

See his full career stats here. 

Western Capitals sign forward MacLauchlan

The Summerside Western Capitals have signed forward Declan MacLauchlan, the team announced on Thursday.

MacLauchlan, 18, was originally drafted by the Western Capitals in second round, 19th overall, in the 2024 MHL Entry Draft. The native of Charlottetown, P.E.I., has spent the past three seasons with the Charlottetown Major Under-18 Knights of the NBPEIMU18HL where he has totaled 73 goals and 134 points in 106 games. 

The six-foot, 161-pound frame appeared in three games for the Western Capitals during the 2024-25 season and picked up one assist.

MacLauchlan was invited to the Cape Breton Eagles' training camp in 2025.

To see MacLauchlan's full career stats, click here for his EliteProspects page.

Western Capitals with 8 selections at upcoming draft

The Summerside Western Capitals will head into the 2026 MHL Entry with eight draft selections.

The draft selections list was released by the Maritime Hockey League (MHL) today and that number includes six regular draft picks plus two territorial picks for the Western Capitals. The highest pick for the Western Capitals this year will be 16th overall which comes in the second round. The pick was originally owned by Yarmouth which Summerside acquired when they traded Ryker Rougeau to Yarmouth during the trade deadline in January.

Here are the selections for the Capitals:

2nd round, 16th overall (Yarmouth)[Ryker Rougeau trade]

Territorial 1, 36th overall

Territorial 2, 48th overall

3rd round, 52nd overall (Yarmouth)[Ryker Rougeau trade]

3rd round, 56th overall (Pictou County)[George Gallant trade]

4th round, 62nd overall (Miramichi)[Max Jardine/Coen Miller trade]

7th round, 100th overall (Yarmouth)[Liam Duquette/Nikolas Mokriavkov trade in 2025]

8th round, 110th overall (Miramichi)[Elliot Robert trade]

The draft takes place June 20, 2026 in Campbellton, N.B.

Full list here.

Capitals deal Griffin to Timberwolves for haul in return

The Summerside Western Capitals have traded forward Carson Griffin along with a fifth-round draft pick in 2026 to the Miramichi Timberwolves, the team announced Friday.

In return, the Western Capitals receive the rights to forward Brody Molloy, rights to forward Aaron Chipp, rights to forward Logan Roop, a second-round draft pick in 2027 and future considerations.

Griffin, 19, scored eight goals and 18 points in 47 games with the Capitals this past season and only skated in one playoff game, while suiting up for two games at the 2026 Centennial Cup. The native of Summerside, P.E.I., has major junior experience under his belt having played 19 games with the Cape Breton Eagles in 2024-25 but recorded no points. 

Molloy, 18, played with Stanstead College Varsity of the CAHS (Canadian High School Hockey) located in Quebec this past season where he scored 19 goals and 38 points in 35 games. He also appeared in two games with the Baie-Comeau Drakkar of the QMJHL.

Chipp, 18, also spent the past season with Stanstead College Varsity of the CAHS scoring 21 goals and 31 points in 27 games. The Halifax, N.S., native also appeared in 25 games for the Rimouski Oceanic and scored two goals and six points.

Roop, 19, has spent the last two seasons with the Rimouski Oceanic of the QMJHL where he has scored 10 goals and 19 points in 87 games. The Brookfield, N.S., native played for the Pictou County Weeks Crushers during the 2023-24 season where he scored 15 goals and 34 points in 50 games.

The 2026 MHL Entry Draft is June 20, 2026 in Campbellton, N.B.

Western Capitals acquire defenceman Culligan from CCHL

The Summerside Western Capitals have acquired defenceman Alex Culligan from the Carleton Place Canadians of the Central Canada Hockey League (CCHL), the team announced on Wednesday.

In return, the Capitals will send future considerations to Carleton Place.

Culligan, 18, scored two goals and 15 points in 34 games with the Canadians this past season while adding an additional two goals and six points in five playoff games.

The Quispamsis, N.B., native stands six-foot-three and weighs 176-pounds and previously played for the Saint John Vitos U18 AAA and Mount Academy Saints U18 Prep. 

This is the second trade the Western Capitals have made since the trading period opened on Monday. 

Culligan will be a great addition to the blue line for 2026-27 season.

Capitals trade Ouellet

The Summerside Western Capitals made a minor deal on Monday, sending forward Henry Ouellet and a 2026 fifth-round pick to the Truro Bearcats.

 

There is no return as the trade completes a previous trade. 

 

In a subsequent trade, the Bearcats then traded Ouellet to the Grand Falls Rapids to complete another previous trade.

 

Ouellet, 20, was acquired by the Capitals on Nov. 12, 2025 via trade with the Hearst Lumberjacks of the Northern Ontario Junior Hockey League (NOJHL). 

 

The St-Alexandre, Que., native scored 10 goals and 28 points in 31 games with the Capitals this past season while adding two goals and four points in 14 playoff games. Ouellet had a goal and one assist in five games at the 2026 Centennial Cup in Summerside.  

 

The off-season trading period opened on Monday June 1, 2026.

 

In other moves around the league, former Capitals forward Ethan Dickson was traded to the Miramichi Timberwolves by the Pictou County Weeks Crushers to complete a previous trade. Another former Cap, Coen Miller was acquired by the Amherst Ramblers from Grand Falls to complete a previous trade. 

Capitals sign goaltender Picard

The Summerside Western Capitals have signed goaltender Maxence Picard, the team announced on Monday.

Picard, 18, spent the past season with Ridley College of the CAHS (Canadian Hockey School Hockey) where he posted a 11-7-4 record with a 1.73 goals against average and four shutouts.

Picard stands six-foot-two and hails from Sorel-Tracey, Que.