X-Men Hockey announce 7 new recruits for upcoming 2026-27 season

ANTIGONISH, NS – STFX men's hockey head coach Brad Peddle is pleased to announce the addition of seven new recruits to the X-Men line-up for the 2026-27 season. 

Joining the White and Blue this fall will be forwards Riley Sampson, Jack Greenwell, and Tyler Peddle, defensemen Matteo Rotondi, Leyton Stewart and Cory MacGillivray, as well as goaltender Jack Flanagan.

This year's class brings a wealth of experience to the X-Men program, combining for 1,000+ Canadian Hockey League games and two QMJHL championships over the past three seasons.

"We are very excited with the recruiting class for the upcoming season," says X-Men head coach Brad Peddle. "With a large returning group, we had specific needs and types of players we wanted to add to improve our team."

Peddle continues, "Each of these players will strengthen our team in different ways and will add more depth overall throughout our lineup. It is a great blend of talent, competitive skill and character, and we look forward to seeing them in White and Blue in the fall."

Riley Sampson is a 6'3, 196-pound forward from Havre Boucher, N.S. who just concluded a successful three-year Quebec Maritime Junior Hockey League (QMJHL) career with the Moncton Wildcats. During that stretch, Sampson scored 13 goals and 12 assists in 167 regular season games and was part of the 2025 QMJHL championship winning Wildcats team.

Coach Peddle notes that Riley is a great addition to a X-Men program. "He is a high character individual whom we know very well. He is a smart player, strong on faceoffs, and will bring a blend of size, strength and two-way play to us down the middle. He has great potential as he continues to develop his game."

Jack Greenwell is a 6'0, 183-pound forward from London, Ont. who has played parts of the last three seasons in the Ontario Hockey League (OHL), the QMJHL and the Manitoba Junior A League (MJHL). This past season, Greenwell scored a team-leading 61 points for the Steinbach Pistons of the MJHL.

"Jack is coming off a very good offensive year in Manitoba where he was one of the top goal scorers in the MJHL," comments coach Peddle. "He also brings OHL and QMJHL experience to our team and has played numerous roles along his major junior career. Jack is a skilled competitive player with good speed that plays a solid two-way game who will provide a nice addition to our team up front."

Tyler Peddle is a 6'2, 216-pound forward from Antigonish, N.S. who recently finished a long career in the QMJHL, having played parts of five seasons with Drummondville, Saint John and Charlottetown. During his career, Peddle amounted 81 goals and 71 assists in 296 games. A former second overall QMJHL Draft pick in 2021, Peddle was drafted in the seventh round by the Columbus Blue Jackets in the 2023 NHL Entry Draft.

"We are very happy to add Tyler to the team", comments coach Brad Peddle of his son. "He brings a wealth of experience in the QMJHL and at the pro level, attending three NHL camps and exhibition games. Tyler is a very competitive player who brings a heavy power game, plays with pace and will add valuable size and offence to our forward group. He has decided on STFX for the next stage in his development, and we are excited to see him come home and play for the White and Blue."

Matteo Rotondi is a 6'0, 196-pound defenseman from St. John's, Nfld. who played the last five seasons as part of the QMJHL's Drummondville Voltigeurs, having served as team captain in his final year. During his 309 career games, Rotondi scored five goals and 64 assists and was part of the 2024 QMJHL championship winning Voltigeurs squad.

Peddle is very pleased to be adding Matteo to the program, noting that, "He is a very strong defender with plenty of QMJHL regular season and playoff experience. He has the ability to play against other teams' top players and will help solidify our defense. His character, work ethic and leadership will be a great fit with our team."

Leyton Stewart is a 5'11, 172-pound defenseman from Antigonish, N.S. who played parts of the last four seasons with the Quebec Remparts of the QMJHL, the Cranbrook Bucks of the British Columbia Junior A League (BCHL), and the Pictou County Crushers of the Maritime Junior Hockey League (MHL).

Peddle relays that Leyton is a very familiar athlete who has grown up around the X-Men program. "He is coming off an exciting year and playoff run in the BCHL where he was one of the team's top defenders. Leyton is a very smart defenseman who plays a hard defensive game, making it tough on opposing teams forwards. He has a high compete level and we look forward to seeing his continued development as an X-Man."

Cory MacGillivray is 5'11, 172-pound defenseman from New Glasgow, N.S. who spent time in the MHL and QMJHL over the last four seasons. In the 2025-26 season, MacGillivray served as an assistant captain for the Pictou County Crushers and was the team's top scoring defensemen, potting 12 goals and 40 assists in just 51 games.

"Cory is a smart two-way defenseman coming off a great season in the MHL where he was one of the top scoring D in the league," says Peddle. "He is a high character individual with a strong work ethic and is a player we know well. He will add good depth to our defensive unit."

Jack Flanagan is a 6'4, 201-pound goaltender from Saint John, N.B. who played the last four seasons between the MHL and the QMJHL. In the 2023-24 season, Flanagan captured the MHL championship with the Miramichi Timberwolves and was named playoff MVP after sporting a 11-0-2 playoff record, 2.86 goals against average and a .917 save percentage.

Peddle shares that Jack is another solid addition to the team, having come off a strong MHL career. "Jack is a big, athletic goalie who competes hard, and is a great teammate who will fit in well with our current returning goalies to provide solid depth for us at that position."

The X-Men will open the 2026-27 pre-season with a home game on Saturday, September 19^th against the Dalhousie Tigers. Atlantic University Sport regular season action gets underway on October 3^rd. For the complete X-Men schedule, click here.

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