On his style of play: You probably see my speed come out, that’s the first thing. I think I try to use my speed as much as possible. I like to be a play maker. I might get more goals than assists in some tournaments, but I think I'm more of a play maker.

On his favorite team and players growing up: Well, Jason Spezza and the Ottawa Senators. I've always liked Spezza, which made me like the Senators since I was pretty young. Then once Crosby came into the picture, those two teams battle it out for who I like the most.

On skating and playing hockey for the first time: When I first started skating I was two and then I joined hockey when I was four. When I was younger I grew up in Vancouver, and I eventually moved to Burnaby. I used to go public skate a lot with my older brother who played hockey. My dad wanted to get me into hockey but he was always a baseball guy, so he was kind of surprised that I took a liking to hockey more than baseball. Ever since I was four I started playing hockey, and have loved it ever since.

On his dad’s baseball career: He did play when he was younger, but he kind of passed on that career choice because he wasn't too good. But he liked to coach, and he ended up being a hockey coach. But he used to be, I think, a pretty good baseball coach in his younger years.

On the influences that helped shape his young hockey career: The biggest influences on me were my parents, definitely. We always watched the Vancouver Canucks play. When I was younger, it was Markus Naslund, Todd Bertuzzi, and Brendan Morrison, those three players. I used to watch them quite a lot and go to the games and watch them play hockey. I kind of remember them as being the first NHL players that I followed.

On memorable tournaments during his minor hockey career: Going to Quebec my first year of Pee Wee was the farthest place I ever went outside of Burnaby, so that was pretty exciting. They were speaking a different language there, which was pretty exciting to me, too. I think that whole experience, just how it was it handled, it was a really professional tournament. I really enjoyed that as my first big tournament.

On honing his skills in Vancouver: It would always be public skating or just open ice. There are a ton of rinks in Vancouver that you can find and you can just go any time of the day usually. Just go to some open ice get some friends and just go out there and have fun. I didn't see an outdoor rink until I was 15, when I went to Alberta for the first time.

On what he loves most about the game: Just that kind of camaraderie between players, the social aspect of it is great. The feeling of winning a game and winning a championship, nothing can really beat that. But also just stepping out on the ice and having the breeze go through you is pretty exciting. Having all the fans there is pretty cool.

On his draft year: It's very exciting. It kind of seems surreal that I'm already in my draft year. It's very surreal. I'm really looking forward to it. I know I'll be nervous going up on that stage, but very excited to start, hopefully, a career.

On what he’s been trying to show NHL GMs and scouts: Well, I've really been working on by defensive game this year. I mean, I've always been more of an offensive-minded guy, and kind of let the defense come second, but I know that it's a very important part of the game and I'm really trying to work on it this year. Because I'm a center, so I've got to stay low, support for my (defensemen) and just trying to stay on the defensive side of my man all the time.

On the possibility of being drafted first overall: Yeah, definitely. I think it would be a big honor being drafted first overall. I mean, it would be great and it's something that I'm really going to strive for.