‘Best life decision I ever made’

Citrullo said joining Western Capitals rekindled his passion for playing

SUMMERSIDE — Theo Citrullo was at a crossroads.

The Summerside D. Alex MacDonald Ford Western Capitals had acquired the defensive defenceman from the Brockville Braves of the Central Canada Hockey League with the goal of him coming east for the 2019-20 season.

“I wasn’t sure if I wanted to keep playing after my two years (in Brockville),” said Citrullo, 20. “I knew (the Braves) were restructuring the team and had a new coach. They were trading a lot of guys, and I expected to be traded.

“I thought maybe it was time to go to school, hang

(the skates) up and move on.”

Citrullo initially said no to the invitation because he felt Summerside seemed a little too far from his hometown of Belleville, Ont.

He eventually agreed to come to training camp but with no long-term commitment. What he expected to be a one-week visit to the Maritimes turned into a two-year stay.

“I’ll be honest, I didn’t even know where Summerside was before I came here, but I fell in love with it,” said Citrullo, who billeted with Cathy Lettues and Tim MacDonald. “I love this place, the Island, the people and everyone is so nice. It was the best life decision I ever made.”

Citrullo said he cannot describe how fortunate and lucky he feels to have been given this opportunity by the Capitals.

“It was the best time of my life,” said Citrullo. “It honestly made me fall back in love with hockey again, even going through all this (COVID) stuff. (The Caps have the) best fans, and it’s just a hockey town — it’s so much fun to play here.”

The five-foot-seven, 170pound Citrullo quietly became a key contributor on the Capitals blue-line for two seasons. Unfortunately, for Citrullo, last week’s announcement by the Maritime Junior Hockey League that there will be no league championship awarded for the second year in a row due to COVID-19 marked the end of his competitive hockey career.

Citrullo said he plans to focus his attention on school and work while looking to play recreational hockey. He did not rule out getting involved in coaching down the road.

“I feel bad for him and the other guys who have been here the last couple of years who had aspirations of winning and not getting that opportunity,” said Capitals general manager Pat McIver.

Although Citrullo may not have a championship ring from his stay in Summerside, he will take many memories with him.

He said he could not have asked for a more enjoyable final two years of his junior A career with the Credit Union Place-based Capitals.

“It changed me as a person,” said Citrullo. “It made me realize how much fun hockey is and how much fun it really can be.

“Playing in probably the nicest junior rink in all of Canada in front of the best fans, you felt like a pro. It was an unbelievable experience.”

TEAM-FIRST ATTITUDE

Caps head coach Billy McGuigan described Citrullo as the ultimate team player who earned the respect of his teammates.

“He would do anything for the team,” said McGuigan. “He went without a goal in his two years here in Summerside.

“If we were beating a team handily, not just me but the players as well, always wanted to get Theo on the power play. I would go to put him on the power play, and he wouldn’t go. He wanted no part of that.

“He’d always say, ‘No, I’m not on the power play; I want to win the game and get out of here.'

“He was such a team guy — a real special kid. He’s going to be missed.”

Although Citrullo didn’t score, his contributions extended far beyond the scoresheet. McGuigan described Citrullo as a gamer who did all the things coaches want players to do every night.

“He was a steady, steady

D,” said McGuigan, who described Citrullo’s work ethic as off the charts. “He played the shut-down role, blocked shots and would eat pucks on the penalty kill. If a guy was going to shoot a puck and if he thought he (could get) his face in front of it to block it, that is what he would do.

“He is just a phenomenal human being. He’s a special guy with good character.”

McIver said Citrullo came to the Caps as advertised — a heart-and-soul player who would go through a wall for his teammates. McIver said he did not disappoint.

“He is just a class, class A1 guy,” said McIver. “They don’t make them much better than Theo Citrullo.”

MEMORABLE GAME

One game that stands out for Citrullo in his time wearing Summerside’s white, blue and red jerseys is a road game in Edmundston, N.B., against the Blizzard on Dec. 8, 2019. The Caps rallied late to overcome a 2-0 deficit and eventually won in a shootout before more than 2,700 fans.

“It was the first time I ever experienced anything like that,” said Citrullo. “It was unbelievable.

“The fans were going nuts, and you never find that for junior A hockey in Ontario. You’d never find two-and-ahalf-thousand fans in Ontario.

“That experience showed me how much people love hockey (in the Maritimes). They love junior hockey. That was one of my memorable games.”

FUTURE PLANS

Citrullo plans to finish his work-isolation that the Caps followed since late January and then play tourist around P.E.I. He said he’s in no rush to go home because Ontario is on lockdown due to the pandemic.

“I’d like to get out and experience things on the Island that I never got to experience, like a little taste of summer; going to the beaches,” said Citrullo. “I hear it’s a pretty sweet place in the summer, and I have never been here then.

“I would like to get a little taste of that and leave in midMay probably.”