Former Tigers’ Forward Kevin Undershute Commits to University

ANTIGONISH, NS – StFX men's hockey head coach Brad Peddle will be welcoming five new faces to the X-Men line-up for the 2008-09 season. To date, Coach Peddle has confirmed three forwards and two defenseman as part of the X-Men hockey recruiting class.

"I am very pleased with our recruits thus far for the upcoming season," comments Peddle. "All five players are high character individuals who were captains on their respective major junior teams and will help our team immediately. We look forward to each of them joining the X-Men hockey program."

Included in the X-Men recruiting class to date are forwards Kevin Undershute, Phil Mangan and Matt Bragg and defensemen Tyson Aitcheson and Mark Louis.

Kevin Undershute joins former Tigers teammate Brett Robertson on the X-Men men's squad.

Kevin Undershute, a Medicine Hat, AB native, plays center/left wing with four years experience in the Western Hockey League (WHL). He will be a great addition to the X-Men program, coming from a winning program in Medicine Hat where he played for three years for the 2007 WHL champions and Memorial Cup finalists. According to Coach Peddle, "Kevin has been well coached, knows how to win and has great character. He brings a strong work ethic, plays a very solid, two-way game and will be looked upon to help add some offense to the team."

A native of Gananoque, QC, centerman Phil Mangan played two years in the Ontario Hockey League (OHL) and two in the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League (QMJHL). This past season he was the captain of the Moncton Wildcats and finished the year with the St. John's Fog Devils after a trade. "Phil is a very good player, an offensive center who competes very hard on both sides of the puck," says Peddle. "He will bring an element of skill and creativity we want to add to the X-Men. He was the captain of the Wildcats and is a mature individual that will fit into our program very nicely."

Matt Bragg from Newman's Cove, NF is a centerman who spent four years in the OHL, most recently with the Windsor Spitfires last season and for three years prior with the Barrie Colts.
"Matt is a very good two-way centerman well known for his defensive specialties," comments Peddle. "He was voted as the top defensive center in the OHL by the coaches for his abilities to shut down opposing teams top players. He is extremely gritty, hard working, a very good penalty killer and also has the ability to contribute offensively. He has some pro opportunities and may likely end up going to a pro camp, but has made it clear that StFX is where he wants to be if a pro contract does not present itself."

A defenseman from Stratford, ON, Tyson Aitcheson is an OHL veteran, playing for five years, the last two with the Barrie Colts. He is a mobile defenseman with good size and moves the puck well. Says Peddle, "Tyson is a very good skater that will fit in well with the overall speed and transition play of the university game. He is a well liked, high character individual who played with quite a few of our current players in his Ottawa 67 days. His five years in the OHL gives him valuable experience and will make for a really good addition to our blue line."

Also being added to the defensive core is Ponoka, AB native Mark Louis. Mark is a five year veteran of the WHL, playing four years with the Brandon Wheat Kings and last season with the Red Deer Rebels. "Mark is a big 6'4", 220 pound defenseman who has played 300 plus games in the WHL, the majority of those on some very good Brandon teams," relays Peddle. "He skates well and makes a very solid first pass, and will be the big steady stay-at-home presence we are looking to add to our blue line. He is familiar with a few of our western players and will fit in very well with the X program."

Coach Peddle also recently welcomed full-time assistant coach and Nova Scotia native Norm Batherson to the X-Men. StFX will begin exhibition play in late September with games against Acadia and Moncton. They then travel to the Acadia Invitational tournament and to the United States for games against the University of New Hampshire and the University of Massachusetts. Regular season play in the Atlantic University Sport (AUS) conference opens on the weekend of Oct. 17-18.