DANBURY, CONN. – Cornell men's ice hockey sophomore defenseman Xavier Veilleux has been added to the roster of the the U.S. Collegiate Selects Team that will compete in the 2026 Spengler Cup in Switzerland, the organization announced on October 22nd.

Veilleux joins Dartmouth men's ice hockey junior forward Hayden Stavroff and Union College senior defenseman Tyler Dunbar, who were announced among the first six on the United States roster on October 1st, as well as Quinnipiac junior defenseman Elliott Groenewold, who was announced as an addition to the roster on October 15th. Veilleux also joins forces with Cornell head coach Casey Jones, who is one of two assistant coaches for the USCS team.

The full roster will feature 25 student-athletes from all six NCAA DI conferences and will be announced in the coming months. The U.S. Collegiate Selects open play at the 2026 Spengler Cup on Saturday, Dec. 26, against Sweden's Frölunda HC before facing host HC Davos on either December 27 or 28.

As a freshman in 2025-26, Veilleux was unanimously selected to ECAC Hockey All-Rookie Team, earned Second Team All-ECAC Hockey honors, and was named a finalist for ECAC Hockey's Rookie of the Year award. He was one of 12 skaters to appear in all 34 games, concluding his rookie campaign with 26 points (6-20—26), ranking fifth on the team and most by a Big Red defenseman. Veilleux was also unanimously named a First Team All-Ivy last season, and received Greg Ratushny Award at team's annual banquet.

He was drafted by New York Islanders in the sixth round (179th overall) of the 2024 NHL Entry Draft, becoming the second Cornell player selected by Islanders, joining Misha Song (2015).

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