Photo by: Greg Vasil
Men's Ice Hockey Announces Incoming Class for 2026-27
6/16/2026 2:17:00 PM | Men's Ice Hockey
The class features 17 players, six transfers and 11 first years
FAIRFIELD, Conn. – With the start of the Sacred Heart University men's ice hockey season just 115 days away, it seems like a good time as any to debut our incoming class for the 2026-27 campaign. Coming off a record-breaking 2025-26, the Pioneers brought in a class they believe can reach their lofty goals.
The incoming group features six transfers from across NCAA ice hockey, including the Big Ten and Hockey East. The incoming first years have excelled on the junior hockey circuit, with the class featuring multiple captains and league winners. The class also has a player who played a professional season in the ECHL.
Here are the SHU newcomers.
Nick Bernardo
Previous school: LIU
Hometown: Hauppauge, New York
Position: Defense
Bernardo comes to Sacred Heart after two seasons at LIU. The Hauppauge, N.Y., native played 55 games on defense for the Sharks, racking up 10 goals and 15 assists for 25 points. After totaling two goals and six assists as a freshman, Bernardo improved to eight goals and nine assists for 17 points in his sophomore season. Prior to LIU, Bernardo played junior hockey for the Maine Nordiques of the NAHL. He tallied 30+ points in three seasons with the Nordiques, highlighted by a 38-point (9-29-38) 2022-23.
Coach Marottolo: "Nick is a puck-moving defenseman whose game is built around mobility, offensive instincts and hockey sense."
Talon Brigley
Junior school: Red Deer Rebels (WHL)
Hometown: Red Deer, Alberta
Position: Forward
A five-year player with the Red Deer Rebels of the WHL, Brigley brings a solid amount of experience to the Pioneers. The Red Deer, Alberta, native has never played fewer than 60 games in the league, totaling 329 games in his junior career, in addition to leading the Rebels to four playoff appearances. The 2025-26 captain had his best season yet in his last with the team, racking up 20 goals and 18 assists for 38 points. He also scored 20 goals in 2023-24, tallying two goals and two assists in the postseason that year. Hockey talent must run in the Brigley family, as Talon's father, Travis, played in the NHL, skating for the Calgary Flames and the Colorado Avalanche.
Coach Marottolo: "Talon is an intelligent two-way forward with good offensive instincts, strong puck support habits and can impact the game in all three zones."
Diego Buttazzoni
Previous school: UMass Lowell
Hometown: Langley, British Columbia
Position: Forward
D. Buttazzoni played his first collegiate season with his brother Mirko at UMass Lowell in the Hockey East Association. In his debut campaign, the Langley, B.C., native appeared in 29 games and tallied 12 points on six goals and six assists. D. Buttazzoni recorded a pair of two-point games as a freshman, doing so in back-to-back contests against Maine (1/24/26) and UMass Amherst (2/1/26). Before joining the River Hawks, he played three seasons with the Portland Winterhawks in the WHL. D. Buttazzoni tallied 77 points on 38 goals and 39 assists in his final season in 2024-25, tallying 27 points (14-13-27) in 18 postseason games.
Coach Marottolo: "Diego is a competitive, high-energy two-way forward who possesses a quick release and heavy shot."
Mirko Buttazzoni
Previous school: UMass Lowell
Hometown: Langley, British Columbia
Position: Forward
M. Buttazzoni joins the Pioneers after two seasons with UMass Lowell, playing last year with his brother Diego. He has skated in 56 games over the last two seasons, racking up nine goals and 23 assists for 32 points. As a freshman, he was second on the River Hawks with 14 assists, in addition to five. M. Buttazzoni was named the Hockey East Rookie of the Week (12/9/24) and the team's Rookie of the Year after 2024-25. At the junior level, he played for the Brooks Bandits in the BCHL, tallying five goals and six assists for 11 points in 12 playoff games in 2023-24.
Coach Marottolo: "Mirko is a smart, skilled two-way winger who plays with strong offensive awareness, distributes the puck well and has the ability to create scoring chances."
Christian Chouha
Junior school: Sioux Falls Stampede (USHL)
Hometown: Freehold, New Jersey
Position: Forward
Chouha has split time between the USHL and the BCHL in his junior career, most recently with the Sioux Falls Stampede. In 2025-26, Chouha played a key role in the Stampede's Clark Cup championship run. The Freehold, N.J., native tallied 14 points on six goals and eight assists after getting traded to the team midseason. He went on to play in 12 of the team's postseason games on the way to the championship. Before heading to Sioux Falls, Chouha played with the Langley Rivermen and the Sherwood Park Crusaders of the BCHL, as he tallied 14 goals and 17 assists for 31 points in just 35 games with Langley before the move to Sioux Falls.
Coach Marottolo: "Christian is a dynamic forward with strong offensive instincts, who has speed and will be effective in the transition game."
Ashton Dahms
Junior school: Tri-City Storm (USHL)
Hometown: Lakeville, Minnesota
Position: Forward
Dahms comes to SHU after a stellar junior hockey career. The Lakeville, Minn., native has played the last two seasons with the Tri-City Storm of the USHL. He has skated in 112 games with the Storm, racking up 52 points on 26 goals and 26 assists. In his last season with the team, Dahms tallied 28 points on 16 goals and 12 assists. He has also played in four postseason games, with a goal and an assist. Before joining Tri-City, Dahms made 45 appearances with the Des Moines Buccaneers, totaling 21 points, before being traded within the league.
Coach Marottolo: "Ashton is a smart, versatile forward who plays with pace and competitiveness, supports the puck in all three zones and creates offense through his work ethic and speed off the rush."
Nolan Flynn
Junior school: Coquitlam Express (BCHL)
Hometown: Natick, Massachusetts
Position: Forward
Flynn heads to SHU after playing the last two seasons in the BCHL. He is coming off his first full season with the Coquitlam Express of the BCHL, where he tallied 49 points on 12 goals and 37 assists. The Natick, Mass., native also appeared in five postseason games with the team, tallying a goal and two assists. In 2024-25, Flynn split time between the Express and league foe Surrey Eagles, as he finished with 42 games played with 10 goals and 12 assists for 22 points. Before juniors, he played three seasons at St. Sebastian's School, a prep school in Needham, Mass.
Coach Marottolo: "Nolan is a reliable forward who plays a structured two-way game, competes hard on pucks and consistently works hard."
Lenny Greenberg
Junior school: Owen Sound Attack (OHL)
Hometown: El Segundo, California
Position: Defense
The first of two Owen Sound Attack blueliners in this year's class, Greenberg heads to SHU after a stellar junior hockey career. The El Segundo, Calif., native is coming off his lone full season with the Attack in the OHL, tallying 48 points on 13 goals and 35 assists, leading all defensemen on the team. He served as an alternate captain in 2025-26, helping to lead the team to its second straight postseason appearance. Before heading to Owen Sound, Greenberg played 85 games with the Alberni Valley Bulldogs of the BCHL, tallying 19 points in both seasons.
Coach Marottolo: "Lenny is a competitive defenseman who moves the puck efficiently and defends with good positioning and physical engagement."
Landen Gunderson
Previous school: Ohio State
Hometown: Plymouth, Minnesota
Position: Forward
Gunderson comes to SHU after playing his freshman season in the Big Ten with Ohio State. The Plymouth, Minn., native appeared in six games with the Buckeyes, tallying his first career point with an assist at No. 2 Michigan (11/22/25). Before OSU, Gunderson had a standout career with the Sioux City Musketeers in the USHL, earning Third Team All-USHL honors in 2024-25. He had 73 points, with 28 goals and 45 assists, in 62 regular-season games for Sioux City in 2024-25, ranking first in the league in assists and second in total scoring.
Coach Marottolo: "Landen is a skilled two-way forward with a strong hockey sense, a competitive motor and the ability to create offense with his size and smarts."
Landon Hanson
Junior school: Edmonton Oil Kings (WHL)
Hometown: Grande Prairie, Alberta
Position: Forward
Hanson joins the Pioneers after four seasons with the Edmonton Oil Kings of the WHL. The Grande Prairie, Alberta, native appeared in 228 games in his time with the Oil Kings, playing his best in the last two campaigns. Hanson tallied 29 points on 15 goals and 14 assists in 2024-25 before racking up 55 points on 24 goals and 31 assists last year. He led Edmonton to the WHL postseason in both campaigns, tallying four goals and an assist in 14 playoff games.
Coach Marottolo: "Landon is a hardworking, north-south forward who plays with pace, competes consistently on pucks and plays a reliable two-way game."
Taos Jordan
Previous team: Jacksonville Icemen (ECHL)
Hometown: Brooklin, Ontario
Position: Defense
Jordan comes to SHU after playing one professional season with the Jacksonville Icemen, the ECHL affiliate of the NHL's Buffalo Sabres. In his one season with the Icemen, the Jamaican-Canadian blueliner skated in 67 games and tallied seven goals and 18 assists for 25 points. Prior to the ECHL, Jordan played four seasons with the Owen Sound Attack in the OHL, followed by 52 games with the Gatineau Olympiques of the QMJHL. He ended his junior career in 2024-25 with nine goals and 25 assists in 57 games with the Olympiques.
Coach Marottolo: "Taos is a mobile puck-moving defenseman, makes a good first pass on breakouts, is efficient in transition play and defends with strong positioning."
Jack O'Brien
Junior school: Maine Nordiques (NAHL)
Hometown: Kennebunk, Maine
Position: Defense
O'Brien heads to SHU after junior hockey stops in the BCHL, OHL, USHL and NAHL. O'Brien last played for the Maine Nordiques of the NAHL in 2025-26, tallying two goals and five assists for seven points, in addition to playing three postseason games with the team. The blueliner from Kennebunk, Maine, matched seven points two times before heading to Maine, doing so for both the Cranbrook Bucks (BCHL) and Sarnia Sting (OHL).
Coach Marottolo: "Jack is a defenseman who possesses good size, skating mobility and the ability to make a strong first pass."
Devin Phillips
Previous school: Holy Cross
Hometown: Raleigh, North Carolina
Position: Forward
Phillips goes from one AHA powerhouse to another, heading to SHU from Holy Cross. The Raleigh, N.C., native was a four-year player with the Crusaders, appearing in 99 games and racking up 25 goals and 46 assists for 71 career points. In his career, Phillips was named Third Team All-AHA in 2025, served as a captain in 2025-26 and an alternate captain in 2024-25, and made two AHA Championship Games. In his All-Conference season, Phillips was second on the team with 31 points and set career highs with 11 goals and 20 assists. Before Holy Cross, he spent three seasons playing for the Brooks Bandits in the AJHL, helping the team win the league title in 2021-22 with 30 goals and 78 assists for 108 points in the team's regular season and postseason.
Coach Marottolo: "Devin is a smart, hardworking forward who competes consistently in all three zones and will get to the hard areas of ice to create offense."
Noah Roberts
Junior school: Owen Sound Attack (OHL)
Hometown: Boca Raton, Florida
Position: Defense
Roberts joins Greenberg as a defenseman from the Owen Sound Attack heading to SHU this season. The Boca Raton, Florida, native played across the OHL, seeing time with the Attack, Sudbury Wolves, Brantford Bulldogs, and Hamilton Bulldogs. He tallied 12 points on a career-best six goals and six assists in 65 games with Owen Sound in 2025-26. He also recorded 12 points (4-8-12) in his final season with Brantford. In his junior hockey career, Roberts made the playoffs in all four of his full seasons in the OHL. Roberts comes from a strong hockey lineage, as his father, Gary, had a 21-year career in the NHL, playing for six teams. Gary has his name etched on the Stanley Cup after winning the trophy with the Calgary Flames in 1989, in addition to being a three-time all-star.
Coach Marottolo: "Noah is a steady, reliable two-way defenseman who moves pucks well, defends with good awareness and has strong gaps."
Ethan Semeniuk
Junior school: Moose Jaw Warriors (WHL)
Hometown: Fort St. John, British Columbia
Position: Forward
Semeniuk begins his SHU career after a successful five-year stint in the WHL. He most recently played three seasons with the Moose Jaw Warriors, appearing in 50+ games each season. The forward from Fort St. John, British Columbia, last tallied 43 points on 16 goals and 27 assists in 2025-26. Before that, Semeniuk helped lead the Warriors to the WHL championship in 2023-24. He tallied one goal and six assists on his run to the Ed Chynoweth Cup. Prior to Moose Jaw, Semeniuk played with the Vancouver Giants between 2021-23, leading the team to two playoff appearances.
Coach Marottolo: "Ethan is a heavy, hardworking forward who plays a direct game, wins puck battles consistently and creates offense through his physicality and relentless compete level."
Emmanuel Vermette
Junior school: Chicoutimi Saguenéens (QMJHL)
Hometown: Québec City, Québec
Position: Forward
Vermette is coming off an outstanding 2025-26 season, as he captained the Chicoutimi Saguenéens to their first QMJHL championship in 32 years. The forward from Québec City tallied 27 goals and 42 assists for 69 points in 64 regular-season games with the Saguenéens, setting new career highs in both points and assists. He then tallied 17 points (10-7-17) in 20 games during the team's run to the Gilles-Courteau Trophy. He led the team to the QMJHL playoffs in all five seasons he was with the team.
Coach Marottolo: "Emmanuel is a skilled offensive forward with quick hands, strong playmaking instincts and has the ability to generate scoring chances off the rush or in tight around the net."
Nils Wallstrom
Previous school: Merrimack
Hometown: Skelleftea, Sweden
Position: Goalie
Wallström joins the Pioneers after two seasons at Merrimack in the Hockey East, preceded by a year at former AHA program AIC. The native of Skellefteå, Sweden, appeared in 11 games over two campaigns with the Warriors, posting a 4-6-0 record. The Warriors won the Hockey East Tournament in 2025-26. At AIC, Wallström went 19-12-2 as a freshman with a stellar 2.27 goals against average and a .920 save percentage. In that season, he was named to the AHA All-Rookie team and made the watch list for the Mike Richter Award and the Tim Taylor Award. Before AIC, he played one season with the Kenai River Brown Bears of the NAHL, posting a 26-16-2 record in 46 games.
Coach Marottolo: "Nils is a big, athletic goalie who has a calm presence and has a strong technical foundation in net."
The incoming group features six transfers from across NCAA ice hockey, including the Big Ten and Hockey East. The incoming first years have excelled on the junior hockey circuit, with the class featuring multiple captains and league winners. The class also has a player who played a professional season in the ECHL.
Here are the SHU newcomers.
Nick Bernardo
Previous school: LIU
Hometown: Hauppauge, New York
Position: Defense
Bernardo comes to Sacred Heart after two seasons at LIU. The Hauppauge, N.Y., native played 55 games on defense for the Sharks, racking up 10 goals and 15 assists for 25 points. After totaling two goals and six assists as a freshman, Bernardo improved to eight goals and nine assists for 17 points in his sophomore season. Prior to LIU, Bernardo played junior hockey for the Maine Nordiques of the NAHL. He tallied 30+ points in three seasons with the Nordiques, highlighted by a 38-point (9-29-38) 2022-23.
Coach Marottolo: "Nick is a puck-moving defenseman whose game is built around mobility, offensive instincts and hockey sense."
Talon Brigley
Junior school: Red Deer Rebels (WHL)
Hometown: Red Deer, Alberta
Position: Forward
A five-year player with the Red Deer Rebels of the WHL, Brigley brings a solid amount of experience to the Pioneers. The Red Deer, Alberta, native has never played fewer than 60 games in the league, totaling 329 games in his junior career, in addition to leading the Rebels to four playoff appearances. The 2025-26 captain had his best season yet in his last with the team, racking up 20 goals and 18 assists for 38 points. He also scored 20 goals in 2023-24, tallying two goals and two assists in the postseason that year. Hockey talent must run in the Brigley family, as Talon's father, Travis, played in the NHL, skating for the Calgary Flames and the Colorado Avalanche.
Coach Marottolo: "Talon is an intelligent two-way forward with good offensive instincts, strong puck support habits and can impact the game in all three zones."
Diego Buttazzoni
Previous school: UMass Lowell
Hometown: Langley, British Columbia
Position: Forward
D. Buttazzoni played his first collegiate season with his brother Mirko at UMass Lowell in the Hockey East Association. In his debut campaign, the Langley, B.C., native appeared in 29 games and tallied 12 points on six goals and six assists. D. Buttazzoni recorded a pair of two-point games as a freshman, doing so in back-to-back contests against Maine (1/24/26) and UMass Amherst (2/1/26). Before joining the River Hawks, he played three seasons with the Portland Winterhawks in the WHL. D. Buttazzoni tallied 77 points on 38 goals and 39 assists in his final season in 2024-25, tallying 27 points (14-13-27) in 18 postseason games.
Coach Marottolo: "Diego is a competitive, high-energy two-way forward who possesses a quick release and heavy shot."
Mirko Buttazzoni
Previous school: UMass Lowell
Hometown: Langley, British Columbia
Position: Forward
M. Buttazzoni joins the Pioneers after two seasons with UMass Lowell, playing last year with his brother Diego. He has skated in 56 games over the last two seasons, racking up nine goals and 23 assists for 32 points. As a freshman, he was second on the River Hawks with 14 assists, in addition to five. M. Buttazzoni was named the Hockey East Rookie of the Week (12/9/24) and the team's Rookie of the Year after 2024-25. At the junior level, he played for the Brooks Bandits in the BCHL, tallying five goals and six assists for 11 points in 12 playoff games in 2023-24.
Coach Marottolo: "Mirko is a smart, skilled two-way winger who plays with strong offensive awareness, distributes the puck well and has the ability to create scoring chances."
Christian Chouha
Junior school: Sioux Falls Stampede (USHL)
Hometown: Freehold, New Jersey
Position: Forward
Chouha has split time between the USHL and the BCHL in his junior career, most recently with the Sioux Falls Stampede. In 2025-26, Chouha played a key role in the Stampede's Clark Cup championship run. The Freehold, N.J., native tallied 14 points on six goals and eight assists after getting traded to the team midseason. He went on to play in 12 of the team's postseason games on the way to the championship. Before heading to Sioux Falls, Chouha played with the Langley Rivermen and the Sherwood Park Crusaders of the BCHL, as he tallied 14 goals and 17 assists for 31 points in just 35 games with Langley before the move to Sioux Falls.
Coach Marottolo: "Christian is a dynamic forward with strong offensive instincts, who has speed and will be effective in the transition game."
Ashton Dahms
Junior school: Tri-City Storm (USHL)
Hometown: Lakeville, Minnesota
Position: Forward
Dahms comes to SHU after a stellar junior hockey career. The Lakeville, Minn., native has played the last two seasons with the Tri-City Storm of the USHL. He has skated in 112 games with the Storm, racking up 52 points on 26 goals and 26 assists. In his last season with the team, Dahms tallied 28 points on 16 goals and 12 assists. He has also played in four postseason games, with a goal and an assist. Before joining Tri-City, Dahms made 45 appearances with the Des Moines Buccaneers, totaling 21 points, before being traded within the league.
Coach Marottolo: "Ashton is a smart, versatile forward who plays with pace and competitiveness, supports the puck in all three zones and creates offense through his work ethic and speed off the rush."
Nolan Flynn
Junior school: Coquitlam Express (BCHL)
Hometown: Natick, Massachusetts
Position: Forward
Flynn heads to SHU after playing the last two seasons in the BCHL. He is coming off his first full season with the Coquitlam Express of the BCHL, where he tallied 49 points on 12 goals and 37 assists. The Natick, Mass., native also appeared in five postseason games with the team, tallying a goal and two assists. In 2024-25, Flynn split time between the Express and league foe Surrey Eagles, as he finished with 42 games played with 10 goals and 12 assists for 22 points. Before juniors, he played three seasons at St. Sebastian's School, a prep school in Needham, Mass.
Coach Marottolo: "Nolan is a reliable forward who plays a structured two-way game, competes hard on pucks and consistently works hard."
Lenny Greenberg
Junior school: Owen Sound Attack (OHL)
Hometown: El Segundo, California
Position: Defense
The first of two Owen Sound Attack blueliners in this year's class, Greenberg heads to SHU after a stellar junior hockey career. The El Segundo, Calif., native is coming off his lone full season with the Attack in the OHL, tallying 48 points on 13 goals and 35 assists, leading all defensemen on the team. He served as an alternate captain in 2025-26, helping to lead the team to its second straight postseason appearance. Before heading to Owen Sound, Greenberg played 85 games with the Alberni Valley Bulldogs of the BCHL, tallying 19 points in both seasons.
Coach Marottolo: "Lenny is a competitive defenseman who moves the puck efficiently and defends with good positioning and physical engagement."
Landen Gunderson
Previous school: Ohio State
Hometown: Plymouth, Minnesota
Position: Forward
Gunderson comes to SHU after playing his freshman season in the Big Ten with Ohio State. The Plymouth, Minn., native appeared in six games with the Buckeyes, tallying his first career point with an assist at No. 2 Michigan (11/22/25). Before OSU, Gunderson had a standout career with the Sioux City Musketeers in the USHL, earning Third Team All-USHL honors in 2024-25. He had 73 points, with 28 goals and 45 assists, in 62 regular-season games for Sioux City in 2024-25, ranking first in the league in assists and second in total scoring.
Coach Marottolo: "Landen is a skilled two-way forward with a strong hockey sense, a competitive motor and the ability to create offense with his size and smarts."
Landon Hanson
Junior school: Edmonton Oil Kings (WHL)
Hometown: Grande Prairie, Alberta
Position: Forward
Hanson joins the Pioneers after four seasons with the Edmonton Oil Kings of the WHL. The Grande Prairie, Alberta, native appeared in 228 games in his time with the Oil Kings, playing his best in the last two campaigns. Hanson tallied 29 points on 15 goals and 14 assists in 2024-25 before racking up 55 points on 24 goals and 31 assists last year. He led Edmonton to the WHL postseason in both campaigns, tallying four goals and an assist in 14 playoff games.
Coach Marottolo: "Landon is a hardworking, north-south forward who plays with pace, competes consistently on pucks and plays a reliable two-way game."
Taos Jordan
Previous team: Jacksonville Icemen (ECHL)
Hometown: Brooklin, Ontario
Position: Defense
Jordan comes to SHU after playing one professional season with the Jacksonville Icemen, the ECHL affiliate of the NHL's Buffalo Sabres. In his one season with the Icemen, the Jamaican-Canadian blueliner skated in 67 games and tallied seven goals and 18 assists for 25 points. Prior to the ECHL, Jordan played four seasons with the Owen Sound Attack in the OHL, followed by 52 games with the Gatineau Olympiques of the QMJHL. He ended his junior career in 2024-25 with nine goals and 25 assists in 57 games with the Olympiques.
Coach Marottolo: "Taos is a mobile puck-moving defenseman, makes a good first pass on breakouts, is efficient in transition play and defends with strong positioning."
Jack O'Brien
Junior school: Maine Nordiques (NAHL)
Hometown: Kennebunk, Maine
Position: Defense
O'Brien heads to SHU after junior hockey stops in the BCHL, OHL, USHL and NAHL. O'Brien last played for the Maine Nordiques of the NAHL in 2025-26, tallying two goals and five assists for seven points, in addition to playing three postseason games with the team. The blueliner from Kennebunk, Maine, matched seven points two times before heading to Maine, doing so for both the Cranbrook Bucks (BCHL) and Sarnia Sting (OHL).
Coach Marottolo: "Jack is a defenseman who possesses good size, skating mobility and the ability to make a strong first pass."
Devin Phillips
Previous school: Holy Cross
Hometown: Raleigh, North Carolina
Position: Forward
Phillips goes from one AHA powerhouse to another, heading to SHU from Holy Cross. The Raleigh, N.C., native was a four-year player with the Crusaders, appearing in 99 games and racking up 25 goals and 46 assists for 71 career points. In his career, Phillips was named Third Team All-AHA in 2025, served as a captain in 2025-26 and an alternate captain in 2024-25, and made two AHA Championship Games. In his All-Conference season, Phillips was second on the team with 31 points and set career highs with 11 goals and 20 assists. Before Holy Cross, he spent three seasons playing for the Brooks Bandits in the AJHL, helping the team win the league title in 2021-22 with 30 goals and 78 assists for 108 points in the team's regular season and postseason.
Coach Marottolo: "Devin is a smart, hardworking forward who competes consistently in all three zones and will get to the hard areas of ice to create offense."
Noah Roberts
Junior school: Owen Sound Attack (OHL)
Hometown: Boca Raton, Florida
Position: Defense
Roberts joins Greenberg as a defenseman from the Owen Sound Attack heading to SHU this season. The Boca Raton, Florida, native played across the OHL, seeing time with the Attack, Sudbury Wolves, Brantford Bulldogs, and Hamilton Bulldogs. He tallied 12 points on a career-best six goals and six assists in 65 games with Owen Sound in 2025-26. He also recorded 12 points (4-8-12) in his final season with Brantford. In his junior hockey career, Roberts made the playoffs in all four of his full seasons in the OHL. Roberts comes from a strong hockey lineage, as his father, Gary, had a 21-year career in the NHL, playing for six teams. Gary has his name etched on the Stanley Cup after winning the trophy with the Calgary Flames in 1989, in addition to being a three-time all-star.
Coach Marottolo: "Noah is a steady, reliable two-way defenseman who moves pucks well, defends with good awareness and has strong gaps."
Ethan Semeniuk
Junior school: Moose Jaw Warriors (WHL)
Hometown: Fort St. John, British Columbia
Position: Forward
Semeniuk begins his SHU career after a successful five-year stint in the WHL. He most recently played three seasons with the Moose Jaw Warriors, appearing in 50+ games each season. The forward from Fort St. John, British Columbia, last tallied 43 points on 16 goals and 27 assists in 2025-26. Before that, Semeniuk helped lead the Warriors to the WHL championship in 2023-24. He tallied one goal and six assists on his run to the Ed Chynoweth Cup. Prior to Moose Jaw, Semeniuk played with the Vancouver Giants between 2021-23, leading the team to two playoff appearances.
Coach Marottolo: "Ethan is a heavy, hardworking forward who plays a direct game, wins puck battles consistently and creates offense through his physicality and relentless compete level."
Emmanuel Vermette
Junior school: Chicoutimi Saguenéens (QMJHL)
Hometown: Québec City, Québec
Position: Forward
Vermette is coming off an outstanding 2025-26 season, as he captained the Chicoutimi Saguenéens to their first QMJHL championship in 32 years. The forward from Québec City tallied 27 goals and 42 assists for 69 points in 64 regular-season games with the Saguenéens, setting new career highs in both points and assists. He then tallied 17 points (10-7-17) in 20 games during the team's run to the Gilles-Courteau Trophy. He led the team to the QMJHL playoffs in all five seasons he was with the team.
Coach Marottolo: "Emmanuel is a skilled offensive forward with quick hands, strong playmaking instincts and has the ability to generate scoring chances off the rush or in tight around the net."
Nils Wallstrom
Previous school: Merrimack
Hometown: Skelleftea, Sweden
Position: Goalie
Wallström joins the Pioneers after two seasons at Merrimack in the Hockey East, preceded by a year at former AHA program AIC. The native of Skellefteå, Sweden, appeared in 11 games over two campaigns with the Warriors, posting a 4-6-0 record. The Warriors won the Hockey East Tournament in 2025-26. At AIC, Wallström went 19-12-2 as a freshman with a stellar 2.27 goals against average and a .920 save percentage. In that season, he was named to the AHA All-Rookie team and made the watch list for the Mike Richter Award and the Tim Taylor Award. Before AIC, he played one season with the Kenai River Brown Bears of the NAHL, posting a 26-16-2 record in 46 games.
Coach Marottolo: "Nils is a big, athletic goalie who has a calm presence and has a strong technical foundation in net."
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