Alexis Joseph (C, L, 6’4″, 206, Saint John Sea Dogs, 06/16/2009)
2027 Draft Grade: A
Skating: 4.0
Passing: 4.25
Shot: 4.0
Puck Handling: 4.25
Defense: 4.0
Size/Strength: 4.75
Compete: 4.5
IQ: 4.5
Upside/Projection: Top Six NHL
Player Type: Two-Way Forward
Comments: SKATING: Balanced and agile for a big young man, he is still developing his first step explosiveness. PASSING: Can thread passes through tight lanes or triangles and throws soft sauce into scoring areas. SHOOTING: Hard, whipping snap-shot that can beat a goalie with velocity. Still developing deception on release when he has little space. PUCK HANDLING: Soft hands to curl and drag, but is at his best when he is using those soft hands to protect the puck and / or put the puck into areas for the next play. DEFENSE: Aware and strong. Can be seen communicating with defensemen in the defensive zone and while backchecking. SIZE/STRENGTH: Big and strong, and will only get bigger and stronger. COMPETITIVENESS: Competes in all three zones. HOCKEY IQ: High end. Sees plays develop early on both offense and defense. OVERALL COMMENTS: Alexis Joseph projects as a first-round, potential top-10 pick, for the 2027 NHL Draft with top-six, 200-foot power center upside, combining elite size (6’4″, 206 lbs) with high-end offensive processing and rare perimeter-to-interior translation. At just 17 years old, Joseph already has an NHL-ready frame that allows him to shield pucks down low and dominate high-leverage areas. His 2026/27 single-game metrics reflect a driver of team play: logging nearly 17 minutes a night with 3:52 of power-play time, he maintains an outstanding 87% pass completion rate, 54% puck-battle winning rate (C%), and generates 2.7 takeaways against 4.4 puck losses. Historical evaluations praised his reach, heavy release, elite U17 tournament dominance (13 points in 5 games), and smooth edge work, while noting minor flaws like forcing breakouts under pressure, turning his back on plays, and needing a more explosive first step out of traffic. His current tracking proves his habits are sharpening rapidly as he is using his frame and length to dominate defensive and offensive transitions, driving inside ice, and maintaining a solid 49% faceoff rate on 11 draws per game while drawing leadership responsibilities (Assistant Captain for Team Canada at the Hlinka Gretzky Cup). While developing his first-step explosiveness and his finishing percentage on Grade-A chances (5.6% SC%) remain developmental priorities, Joseph’s blend of size, soft hands, active defensive awareness/stick, and premier hockey IQ give him all the tools to evolve into a cornerstone power center at the NHL level.
Photo credit: Dan Hickling/Hickling Images