As I mentioned in the previous post, I had an opportunity to talk to Jordon Southorn.  If you would rather read the transcript instead of listening, here it is...

Q.  Obviously being drafted is one of the biggest achievements in a young kids life, what was the experience being drafted like?

A.  You're right every kid dreams of playing in the NHL and being drafted was huge.  I never thought I would come this far but I worked hard and it was definitely an achievement.  Hearing my name get called was certainly a relief, especially by the Buffalo Sabres who I hear a lot of good things about.  I played Junior Hockey with Marc-Andre Gragnani and he's a part of the organization.  It was a relief to hear my name being called.

Q.  I seen reports that there was a unique situation that occurred when your name was being called, can you tell us that story?

A.  We got up in the morning on Saturday and me my family and my girlfriend were at my house and watching the rounds go by and my dad went on the computer because he didn't know if people were getting picked during commercials.  TSN came back from commercial and they were interviewing someone who just got drafted and I hear in the background "selected from the PEI Rocket" but my family didn't hear it.  I started smiling and said "I think I just heard my name" and my family stopped talking and my dad looked at the computer and seen Buffalo was picking, and then my name went up on the internet and my dad kind of screamed.  It was pretty exciting and it was funny that I heard it before everyone.

Q.  They don't give you much time to celebrate getting drafted before they bring you in for workouts.  Tell us a little about Prospects camp and how it may have been different than what you were expecting?

A.  After I was drafted I called Marc-Andre Gragnani and he told me we had camp that week.  It was actually three days later that I was on a plane to Buffalo.  I really wasn't expecting it to be that fast and he (Gragnani) said it's zero fun when you go there.  It's all work and obviously you have a good time with the guys but it's probably the hardest training you'll ever do.  He wasn't wrong, right off the bat we were working.  We were on the ice early in the morning and sometimes on the ice three times a day and in the gym twice a day, it was nonstop.  It was good to play against some of the guys you'll be playing with and meeting some new guys.  It was definitely hard work and we were all smiling when it was over.

Q.  You mentioned meeting some of the guys and there aren't only recent draft picks at camp.  There were also some guys who have played in the NHL extensively including Drew Stafford.  What was it like meeting some of the veteran guys?

A.  I was actually looking up to him, when I saw him come up against me one-on-one I got to see what it would be like in the NHL.  He's been in the NHL two or three years and than Sekera and Weber played in the NHL and you try to match yourself up to those guys and see where you fit in the next couple of years.

Q.  A lot of us haven't had an opportunity to see you play, tell us a little about your style of play and what you will bring to the table?

A.  I'm a good two-way defenseman and I like to jump up in the rush and set up play sin the offensive zone as well as make plays in the defensive zone.  I like the physical game, I don't mind getting hit and I like to dish out the big hit.  I will also drop the gloves when it's needed but that's not really my game, I am a good two-way defenseman. 

Q.  As the saying goes "you are your own worst enemy"  if you had to critique your game what area do you feel needs the most work?

A.  Off the ice I need to put on a little weight.  I'm at about 185 right now and I'd like to be at about 195 and still mobile.  On the ice I need to be more consistent, I will play really well one game and come back and have a bad game the next time.  Sometimes with my first pass I try to make the most difficult play instead of the easy play. 

Q.  At the camp you had an opportunity to meet Darcy Regier and Lindy Ruff, did they lay out a game plan for your development?

A.  With Mr. Regier and Mr. Ruff it was more of a hand shake and introducing, I wasn't much on the ice with head coach because he was more with the forwards.  I had an opportunity to talk to the scouts like Mr. MacAdam and Mr. Devine, they pulled me aside and told me they want me to work on my weight.  They said they had big plans for me in PEI and they were going to follow my development there.  They really just want me to have a good season in PEI this year and than we'll go from there.