CHARLOTTETOWN, P.E.I. – Jacob Arsenault was all smiles after playing his first game with the Charlottetown Islanders Friday night at the Eastlink Centre.
The 19-year-old Richmond native was claimed off waivers after starting the season with the Sherbrooke Phoenix. He played 60 games last season with the Moncton Wildcats.
RELATED: Click here for Thursday's story of the Islanders claiming Arsenault.
“It was surreal feeling honestly stepping onto the ice here,” Arsenault said after his new team’s 4-3 win over the Saint John Sea Dogs. “I played in the league for a year, but it’s a lot different here.”
Arsenault went to training camp with the Wildcats but was traded to Sherbrooke towards the end of camp. He played eight games with the Phoenix but was the odd man out when they had a blue-liner return from the United States Hockey League.
“I had no idea where I was going. I didn't know if I was going anywhere,” Arsenault said of the unknowns.
It wasn't a seamless return home. The Isles claimed him Wednesday and he travelled back to P.E.I.
“I was driving home and got caught in a snowstorm (in northern New Brunswick). It seemed like everything was unravelling, but it turned out pretty good,” he said.
Arsenault arrived back in his home province around 8 p.m. Thursday and hit the ice Friday for a game-day skate.
“It was my first time skating in a week, actually. I was on waivers, so I wasn’t skating.”
Head coach Jim Hulton, as he has in the past with other new players, threw Arsenault right into the lineup. Arsenault said it helped to get the jitters out of the way.
“I know what my job is,” he said. “Keep it simple, play good defensively, be hard to play against and move pucks up ice, so I think I did a good job of jumping in.”
The Islanders only had six defencemen before adding Arsenault and they will be back to six when Lucas Cormier leaves after Sunday’s game in Saint John, N.B., to attend the World Under-17 Hockey Challenge. Captain Pierre-Olivier Joseph is also likely to be invited to the world junior camp in December too, providing the potential for playing time for Arsenault, but he’s not getting ahead of himself.
“I’ve had a little bit of a rough start to the season, but I think I’m ready to make a difference on this team. I’m just going to take it one day at a time,” he said. “Whatever happens, I’m not going to get too upset about it. I just kind of have to go with the flow and try to be the best teammate I can.”
