Defenceman Noah Dobson of Summerside is expected to be one of the first 10 players selected at the NHL entry draft this Friday in Dallas.

Dobson, a lanky offensively gifted blueliner who helped the Acadie-Bathurst Titan win the Memorial Cup, remains humble as he checks off some item on his list of lifelong dreams.

Winning the President’s Cup with the Titan on home ice and then going out to Regina as the underdog was a great experience as was creating “memories with a great group of guys” that he’ll remember for the rest of his life.

Another dream is about to come true when the 18-year-old Dobson will hear his name called at the draft.

The six-foot-three, 180-pound Dobson has been climbing the draft rankings all season. He was ranked No. 8 in the final rankings by Waterloo, Ont.-based International Scouting Services (ISS) and is now predicted in their mock drafts to go as high as 4th overall as the Ottawa Senators make him the first Canadian player taken.

“It hasn't really sunk in yet,” Dobson says about the experience of hearing his name called by an
NHL team. “Whatever team that drafts me, it's going to be an honour.”

Chris Mooring, the head scout for ISS in the Maritimes, has been watching Dobson play since the versatile defender was just 13 years old.

“It’s not a surprise he did as well as he did,” Mooring said. 

Dobson’sgame is a perfect fit for today’s NHL, he added, where defencemen have to “make good decisions and do it quickly.”

Coincidentally, the player and the scout both see similarities between Dobson’s game and that of a current all-star NHL defenceman.

“I’d compare myself to Alex Pietrangelo,” Dobson said.

“I think that's a really good comparison for him,” Mooring said.

But it's not just on-ice skills that have made Dobson a favourite of NHL scouts. They love his leadership skills and personality too.

"He's a really humble type kid,” Mooring said. “He's really smart. He speaks well.”

Dobson says it's easy to stay humble when you come from Prince Edward Island, with its laidback lifestyle and plenty of beaches to relax on in the summer.

“I think I'm a pretty easy-going guy coming from the island,” he said.

And the beach?

“Definitely a nice spot to go to,” he said.

The kid who takes pride in his Island roots might soon be another source of pride for Maritime NHL fans. Dobson is one of two Maritimers expected to go in the first round.

Defenceman Jared McIsaac of the Halifax Mooseheads is expected to go later in the round. He is ranked No. 21 in the final ISS rankings.

McIsaac is originally from Truro and played much of his minor hockey in Dartmouth and Cole Harbour.

With files from CTV Atlantic's Jayson Baxter.