Joseph growing into top prospect for 2027 NHL Draft

EDMONTON -- Alexis Joseph is not sure where his size comes from but hopes to utilize it on the road to the NHL.

The 6-foot-4, 205-pound center for Canada at the Hlinka Gretzky Cup is considered a top prospect for the 2027 NHL Draft. 

As with most of the teams he's played on, Joseph is the biggest player on Canada's roster.

"I've always been big," Joseph said Tuesday. "My dad is 5-foot-11, and my mom is only 5-foot-5, so maybe my uncles or something were big."

Joseph tries to make the most of his size whenever he's on the ice. He had 60 points (24 goals, 36 assists) in 54 games for Saint John of the Quebec Maritimes Junior Hockey League, sixth among league rookies last season. He'll return to Saint John for his second season at the conclusion of the eight-team international tournament.

"I try to use my size for 1-on-1 battles," Joseph said. "I think it's an advantage and I'm able to protect the puck. That's where I use it the most."

Joseph, who turned 17 on June 16, complements his size with a strong skating ability and good offensive instincts. He's not afraid to go to the front of the net, where he's adept at winning puck battles. He also is good with the puck on his stick and always tends to make the right play.

"It's easy to see his capabilities there," Canada coach Ryan Oulahen said. "I've only been around him for a short time but those are the things that strike me most with him. He's got a bubbly personality and is really good in the room. He's a humble kid."

Joseph knows he has the size to play in the NHL and is working on other aspects of his game. He's looking forward to taking on a bigger role in Saint John this season.

"It was good to play with and against older guys last season," he said. "I felt I got better doing that and that's what helped me along the way last season. I did work a lot on my skating this summer and the summer before that too. That's always difficult for a bigger guy and I take pride in being a good skater."

Joseph has the tools to be an effective NHL power forward, which makes him so attractive to the numerous scouts taking in the Hlinka Gretzky Cup.

"You always want more and want to improve, and you have to be hungry to do more offensively and defensively," Joseph said. "That's something that I'm working on right now and going to continue to work on."

Joseph has been working on his game at an elite level since he was 10 years old. He played in the 2019 Brick Invitational Hockey Tournament in Edmonton, which features some of the best youth players in the country with an alumni list full of current and former NHL players.

"That was a fun experience," Joseph said. "We lost four games in overtime which I think is probably a record. I remember it was a fun tournament and it's always fun to play against the best players. I think that's the first tournament that I got to do that, so it was pretty fun."

Joseph again is playing against elite competition and could have a chance to be back in Edmonton with Canada at the 2027 IIHF World Junior Championship. That tournament will be played Dec. 26-Jan. 5, in Edmonton and Red Deer, Alberta.

As he gets stronger with age, Joseph will be tough to handle at any level.

"With him, he's very coordinated and I think he’s very powerful," Oulahen said. "I think he's always been large and with him that big body and that big frame has always been impressive.

"You see the plays he makes on the power play, and driving the middle of the ice he can really distribute."

Joseph displayed his play-making abilities in a 6-1 win against Slovakia on Tuesday, setting up defenseman Landon DuPont for the opening goal of the game. DuPont is projected to be the No. 1 pick in the 2027 NHL Draft.

Canada is considered the favorite to win the Hlinka Gretzky Cup, an under-18 tournament, featuring some of the best players in age group in the world. Joseph is an alternate captain for Canada, with DuPont the captain.

"I think we played a 200-foot game, and we were in sync with each other," Joseph said. "We had a good start and we played well.

"It's always fun to be part of the leadership group, but I think everyone is a leader on this team, and my true pleasure is to wear the (Canada) logo and play for your country."