The 25-year-old, blueliner joined the club last season before February’s signing deadline and went on to make 16 appearances, whilst contributing one goal and three assists from the back end.
Born in St-Isidore, Quebec, Pouliot came in and added a big presence to the team, whilst showcasing his ability to play a physical but also a shutdown defensive game.
Standing at 6-feet-2-inches tall and weighing in at 225lbs, Xavier had previously played 56 games of pro hockey in the ECHL with Florida Everblades and Wichita Thunder after spending four seasons with York University between 2019 and 2023.
Pouliot also played 60 games in the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League over three seasons, as well as 75 matches in the Quebec and Alberta Junior Hockey Leagues.
LEFEBVRE ON POULIOT
After securing the return of the Canadian defenseman, Stars Director of Hockey Operations and Head Coach, Marc LeFebvre said: “His physicality was the number one reason.
“We need a good shutdown defenseman to play in our third pairing, he came in and did better than expected last year, especially late in the season and he fit right in with our group.
“He is a character on and off the ice and he gives us something we do not have on the back end and well it looks like with the ways things are going that they are trying to do away with the physicality, but I still believe there is room for it in the right way and he certainly brings it to our team.
“He has become a popular player with the fans too and he fits in to what we want to build here, so it was an easy decision.
“Obviously, we are not looking for a lot of offence from him but if he can contribute that is always nice, so he knows his role and what he brings to the table and I am looking forward to working with him again.”
POULIOT ON STAYING PUT
After penning his contract extension, Xavier said: “I am very happy, from talking with Marc at my exit meeting, he talked about wanting to bring a core back for the next year and that was definitely something I wanted to be a part of.
“I wanted to stay in this league because I did not really want to go back to North America, so from talking with him it made sense to come back and I did not want to drag it out over the summer, because it is harder when you are trying to get ready for a season and you do not have a job yet.
“So, I wanted to get it out of the way and so I can focus on preparing for next year.”
Reflecting on last season, Pouliot added: “It was very fun, I was only here for 16 games this season but playing at home was unbelievable.
“It is a smaller rink than what I was used to back home in North America but you guys packed the barn every single night and the atmosphere was unreal.
“So, it was a lot of fun and I got a lot of support from that fans too, they gave me a great welcome and that made my decision a lot easier.”
He continued: “When I was talking to Marc, he said he could see my part in this core group for next season that he wanted to bring back and that was one of the biggest reasons why I liked Dundee, it was the group of guys we had.
“So, when he told me that, I felt like we would have the same energy in the group as this past season and that is always something that is huge when you start a season, having that connection and it is not just random guys who are trying to build a culture right away.
“If it is already there then it gives you a big advantage and that was one of the things that weighed in the balance of me coming back.”
Finally, Xavier shared a message for the fans as he prepares for his first full season on Tayside.
He said: “I am going to bring the same energy that I brought this year and we have got some exciting additions to our team in O’Connor and returning guys like Dowsy and Jonnie.
“So, this is going to be an exciting year for the Stars and the fans are not going to want to miss a game.”
Listen to the full interview with Xavier and Stars TV below!
In his 12-year-career so far, Xavier has featured in 366 matches, recorded 22 goals, 76 assists and collected 979 penalty minutes, while also playing in 31 playoff games, where he tallied 6 points (3G, 3A) and 67 penalty minutes.
Xavier is our fourth signing of the summer and joins Drydn Dow, Ben O’Connor and Jonathan McBean on the roster for this season.
Xavier will again wear #49 for the Stars and you can sponsor his equipment for this season right now, click HERE.
To see Xavier’s career stats on Elite Prospects click HERE.
All images: Derek Black.
