They were both from fellow Pens prospect Jordy Bellerive, Addison's best friend and teammate with the Lethbridge Hurricanes of the Western Hockey League. The text consisted of just two words:
YEAH BABY!
When Addison called him back, the two just started yelling with excitement. That pretty much sums up Addison's emotions, as it was hard for him to articulate just how it felt to be taken by Pittsburgh - stopping numerous times throughout his interview just to shake his head and smile.
"I don't even have any words," he admitted. "I don't even know what to think right now. I've dreamt about this since the day I was born and I've always been a hockey player. This is a dream come true for me and my family and all my friends. This is the best moment of my life, for sure."
Addison had been ranked 21st overall by the Red Line Report, an independent scouting service, and 30th among North American skaters by NHL Central Scouting, so the Penguins were thrilled to land him where they did.
The 18-year-old from Brandon, Manitoba describes himself as an offensive defenseman, modeling his game after Colorado Avalanche blueliner Tyson Barrie.
"I like to bring the puck from the back and make a good first pass and join into the rush," Addison said. "I like to just be creative in all three zones of the ice and just make things happen out there. That's just the type of player I am. I like to have fun out there."
At 5-foot-11 and 178 pounds, Addison isn't the biggest guy, but he's not the smallest, either, joking that he's more just - well, average.
"The game is about speed and skill now and it's a perfect year for me to be in the draft," he said.
That sentiment was echoed by Pens director of amateur scouting Patrik Allvin.
"The game is fast now, so you've got to be able to skate, you've got to be able to get the puck up," he said. "Just look at the players who went in the first round: a lot of sub-6-foot defensemen. Addison is a modern type of NHL defenseman. He's a great transitional defenseman. He's a smaller defenseman, but he skates so well and he's really impacting the offensive game, too."
Addison set career highs across the board last season, ranking second in team scoring with 65 points (11G-54A) in 68 games, finishing behind only Bellerive, who had 92 points. During the postseason, Addison collected 19 points (7G-12A) in 16 games.
He credited the Hurricanes coaching staff for giving him plenty of opportunities to show what he could do, and felt like he made the most of them into a productive season. Moving forward, he wants to continue working on his defensive game.
"I think I have all the skill to play at the next level, it's just whether or not I can bear down defensively and I think I can," he said. "I just need to get bigger, stronger and that comes with maturity. I'm ready to work and I'm so excited."
