Charlottetown Islanders defenceman excited for Friday's NHL draft

ACharlottetown Islanders defenceman is one step closer to realizing his dream of playing in the NHL.

"It's getting pretty exciting,"said Pierre-Olivier (P.O.) Joseph on CBC News: CompassFriday afternoon from Chicago hours before the start of the NHL draft.The first round of the draft is Friday and the remaining rounds tomorrow.

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Listed by the team at six-feet and 160 pounds, the Islanders defencemanis ranked27th in the draftforNorth American skaters by the NHL. At the midterm rankings, he was 42nd.

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Joseph has been in Chicago since Monday with his family sight seeing and wentto a baseball game. In terms of preparation for the draft, Joseph said he's done all he can do.

'I'll be the most happy guy in the world'

"I've talked with a lot of teams. You don't want to put any team in your head. You just want to go there and wait for your name and enjoy the moment,"he said. "Whatever happens, I'll be the most happy guy in the world,"he said.

This season was Joseph's second with the Islanders.

In 62 QMJHL regular season games, the 17-year-old from Chambly, Que., scored six goals and added 33 assists for 39 points as well as 54 penalty minutes. In 13 playoff games, Joseph tallied one goal and five assists along with 12 penalty minutes.

In 110 career regular season games with the Islanders, Joseph has seven goals and 47 assists. He has two goals and nine points in 25 career playoff games.

Joseph played in the Top Prospects game in January in Quebec City and tallied one assist. Hisolder brother Mathieu, a player with the Saint John Sea Dogs, was drafted in the NHL by Tampa Bay in 2015.

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