‘They have done so much for me’

Summerside Western Capital credits parents after being drafted To NHL team

SUMMERSIDE – Justin Ertel experienced two lifetime memories with the people closest to him in a matter of seconds on July 24.

As soon as the Dallas Stars drafted the 18-year-old left-winger in the National Hockey League Entry Draft, Ertel immediately hugged his parents – Jennifer and Tyler, a former UPEI Panther.

“They are honestly the real heroes,” said Ertel. “The reason I am able to call myself a Dallas Star is because of all the sacrifices they made,” said Ertel, who watched the draft with his family at a restaurant near his home in Kitchener, Ont. “They worked two jobs for a really long time to put me in opportunities to develop myself as a hockey player.

“Honestly, I can’t really thank them enough. They have done so much for me.

I’m really grateful.”

WESTERN CAPITAL

With no hockey played in Ontario last season due to COVID-19, Ertel joined the Summerside D. Alex MacDonald Ford Western Capitals of the Maritime Junior Hockey League after previously playing with St. Andrew’s

College.

The six-foot-two and 194pound Ertel led the Capitals with 28 points – nine goals and 19 assists – in 18 regularseason games. Ertel had nine points, including six goals, in five playoff games before the 2020-21 season ended due to COVID-19.

“Honestly, I am not 100-per-cent sure I would have heard my name called if it were not for the Summerside Capitals,” said Ertel, taken in the third round, 79th overall. “I had a really good experience there.

“(Caps head coach) Billy (McGuigan) is a good allaround good person who helped me a lot, and I feel I developed a lot with his coaching. It was a great experience.”

Ertel is grateful for everything the Caps’ organization did for him, especially McGuigan. Ertel lived with the head coach and his family.

HISTORIC PICK?

Ertel, who has committed to play NCAA Division 1 hockey with Cornell University next season, is believed to be the first player drafted to the NHL right out of the Western Capitals’ program in the team’s 40-year history.

“It’s a huge day for our team and our organization and the league, too,” said Caps general manager Pat McIver. “Our track record of developing players and moving them on is right up there with anybody. That’s why Justin put Summerside high on his list.”

McIver said the Caps were very fortunate and grateful that Ertel and his family trusted the organization in furthering his hockey career.

“There were a ton of NHL scouts at all our games (this past season),” said McIver. “The Dallas Stars were there quite often.”

Shane Turner of Charlottetown is an amateur scout with the Stars and attended a lot of Caps’ games at Eastlink Arena.

He said Dallas had its eye on Ertel for a while.

“As an underage when he was in St. Andrew’s (College in Ontario), we saw him and liked the way he played,” said Turner. “He composed himself into the harder areas of the game, and he had good hands when he got there. He played with poise and patience.”

Turner said the Stars watched Ertel quite a bit in person, both at home and on the road, during the 2021-22 season. He said the organization also assessed Ertel on video and broke down a lot of tape on him as a scouting group.

Turner added there were several things the Stars like about Ertel, who went into the draft understanding he could get picked in the top three rounds or not at all.

“One of the things we rate quite highly, and you need to have the ability, of course, but Dallas likes high-character athletes,” said Turner. “The more we dug into Justin, the more things we liked about him because the kid has integrity, good values, is a good person and is a hard worker.

“You couple all of that with his hockey ability, and he became an attractive option.”

Ertel talked to the Stars leading up to the draft, and is thrilled to be part of the Dallas organization. Ertel watched many Dallas games growing up, and said the Stars have always been a team that has caught his eye.

Now Ertel, who likes to play an aggressive and skilled game, is looking forward to the challenges of continuing to develop in hopes of one day donning the Stars’ jersey. Ertel knows there is a lot of hard work ahead, but seeing his name pop up on the television screen during the draft is another step towards realizing an NHL dream.

“I honestly can’t put it into words,” said Ertel. “It was a pretty incredible moment for my family and myself.”