ANTIGONISH, NS – StFX men's hockey head coach Brad Peddle is pleased to announce and welcome six new student-athletes to the X-Men hockey program for the 2014-15 season. Defenseman Trey Lewis, Jagger Dirk and Craig Duininck, along with forwards Adam Stevens, Greg Jansz and Eric Locke will all be donning the blue and white this fall.
Defenseman Trey Lewis from Alduane, N.B. hails from the QMJHL where he was a Memorial cup champion and captain of the Halifax Mooseheads. X-Men head coach Brad Peddle states, "We are very excited to add Trey to our lineup. He is a proven winner, leader and a captain of the 2013 Memorial Cup champion Halifax Moosehead team. He is a fierce competitor that plays a very tough physical game, making it hard on opposing team's forwards. He also moves the puck well and will help our transition game. He will be a popular player on our team and in the community."
When speaking on defenseman Jagger Dirk from Penticton, B.C., Coach Peddle says, "Jagger is a very good mobile defender who can also play against other teams top lines. He has strong offensive capabilities putting up 64 points on D last season and will come in and help our offensive attack from the back end." Dirk played in over 300 games in the WHL with the Kootenay Ice where he was an assistant captain on some strong squads, including the WHL champions in 2011.
Craig Duininck is a five-year OHL defenseman from St. Cloud, Man. He played with the 2009 Memorial Cup champions in Windsor and was also the captain of the Sarnia Sting. "Craig is a high character individual with good leadership skills, strong work ethic and plays a very solid well rounded game," comments Peddle. "He comes highly recommended and is a tremendous defender and shot blocker who also possesses a heavy shot. We are excited to add Craig to our program and the stability he will provide to our defense."
Overall, Coach Peddle is extremely happy with the additions on the blue line. "We have been able to add three defensemen who all have won league championships in junior and have Memorial Cup experience with two winning it. In a season where we host the CIS national championship, adding this type of winning experience is invaluable. We look forward to adding these three athletes to a very solid returning core of defensemen."
In the forward position the X-Men have added Adam Stevens from Bedford, N.S. Stevens was an assistant captain with the Acadie-Bathurst Titan in the QMJHL and also spent time with the Gatineau Olympiques. "Adam is a very solid two-way forward who has a tremendous work ethic and competes hard at both ends of the ice," says Peddle. "He was an assistant captain in junior and a very popular player in Gatineau last season. He will be a great addition for the next four years to our program."
Forward Greg Jansz also hails from Bedford, N.S. via the Gloucester Rangers in the CJHL where as captain he was third overall in league scoring with 90 points in 60 games. Coach Peddle comments that "Greg comes highly recommended from coaches he played for and against. He is a skilled forward with good hockey sense and finds ways to produce offense, putting up 90 points last season in a very good CJHL, where he lead the team in scoring. He will add more depth to our group up front and has considerable potential."
Rounding out the 2014-15 recruiting class is forward Eric Locke from Toronto, Ont. A 2013 Buffalo Sabres NHL draft pick, Locke was the captain of the OHL's Saginaw Spirit where he tallied 97 points and 44 goals in 2012-13 and 60 points and 26 goals in 2013-14. "Eric is our most recent recruit and one we are very excited to add," says Peddle.
"He is an NHL draft pick, a very good player and a strong academic student. He has decided to pursue his university studies and has enrolled in the BSc Human Kinetics program at StFX. Eric is a former captain of his junior team in Saginaw, a dynamic player that has consistently produced offense throughout his junior career, including a 44 goal and 97 point season. He is a very strong competitor and will be an impact player for us immediately. He is a tremendous addition to our hockey program as we get set for an exciting 2014-15 season."
The X-Men are hosting the 2015 CIS University Cup national championship March 12th to 15th in Halifax at the Scotiabank Centre and are guaranteed a berth as the host team. They begin exhibition pre-season play on Sept. 17th in Halifax against Saint Mary's, followed by a game in Antigonish on Sept. 19th against Moncton. The AUS regular season opens on Saturday, Oct. 11th when StFX hosts Saint Mary's at the Keating Centre.
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