Through his play and hockey path, Daxon Rudolph keeps developing connections with a growing number of NHL players.
Less than two months away from almost certainly hearing his name called on the first night of the NHL Draft, the Prince Albert Raiders’ star defenceman is doing everything in his power to climb the board during what has been an impressive WHL playoff run.
The six-foot-two, 202-pound Rudolph leads all WHL blue-liners with 12 playoff points (five goals and seven assists in nine games) after helping the Eastern Conference’s top-seeded Raiders finish off a second-round sweep of the Saskatoon Blades on Wednesday night
“His hockey and game sense is elite,” Raiders general manager Curtis Hunt said in a telephone interview earlier this week. “His skill level is elite. He’s going to have a hell of a career.”
The native of Lacombe, Alta. already has ties to guys like Josh Morrissey, Kaiden Guhle, Dylan Guenther and Matthew Savoie.
Picked first overall by the Raiders in the 2023 WHL Draft, Rudolph was the first defenceman to go in the top spot since Prince Albert nabbed Guhle at No. 1 in 2017. What’s more, the Raiders’ pick they used to select Rudolph was acquired in a trade sending the current Montreal Canadiens defenceman to the Edmonton Oil Kings.
Rudolph played with the Northern Alberta Xtreme U15 prep team before the WHL Draft, just like previous WHL No. 1 picks Guenther (Utah Mammoth) and Savoie (Edmonton Oilers). Those two went No. 9 overall in their respective NHL Drafts, which is around the range projected for Rudolph, though he has a shot to go higher (Sportsnet’s Sam Cosentino has Rudolph ninth in his draft rankings this week).
Last month, Rudolph put himself in the Raiders record book with Morrissey when he matched the Winnipeg Jets blue-liner with a 28-goal season, most by a defenceman in the Saskatchewan franchise’s history.
“Definitely pretty cool,” Rudolph, 18, said of tying Morrissey’s record. “He’s had such a great start to his NHL career and probably will play for a quite a few more years to come. Just to be in the same conversation as a guy like that is super special and means a lot. It just speaks to the type of team we have this year. Happy to tie that record and be in the books with him.”
You can’t pigeon-hole Rudolph into either the offensive defenceman or defensive defenceman category.
For much of his time with Hockey Canada age-group teams, Rudolph has been called upon as a shutdown guy. He is the main man for Prince Albert in the Raiders’ zone, too, but Rudolph also has become a big catalyst on offence, finishing with 28 goals and 50 assists for 78 points in 68 regular-season games.
“Certainly for us he’s a complete player, starting off the ice with his drive, and attention to detail in the weight room,” Hunt said. “The most important element is your body and mind and he takes care of himself that way. He’s a natural leader and then there’s his on-ice play. He’s a complete defenceman. I think he’ll run a power play at the next level in a top pair.”
The versatility makes him an intriguing prospect as he battles it out with guys like Chase Reid (Sault Ste. Marie), Carson Carels (Prince Albert), Alberts Smits (Latvia) and Keaton Verhoeff (North Dakota) at the upper echelon of the draft rankings for defencemen. Forwards Gavin McKenna (North Dakota) and Ivar Stenberg (Sweden) seem to have separated themselves as the top two prospects.
Rudolph said he doesn’t have a draft number in mind as a goal.
“I think there’s definitely a little bit of pressure. We all know the draft is coming up. It’s a big year for a lot of us this season. It’s hard to stay away from it,” he said. “But at the end of the day for me to cope with that pressure, I just try to stay focused on the day. I think if I do that, the results of the draft will kind of take care of themselves.”
The son of an electrician father (Nathan played lower-level junior hockey in Cranbrook, B.C.) and a teacher mother (Renee), Daxon Rudolph can only help his draft stock with a deeper post-season push.
The Raiders have that potential after picking up top Vancouver Canucks prospect Braeden Cootes and Dallas Stars pick Brandon Gorzynski prior to the trade deadline to bolster their forward group. They joined a roster that includes top goalie Michal Orsulak of Czechia (a silver-medal winner at this year’s world junior championship) and highly regarded 2027 NHL Draft defence prospect Brock Cripps.
“Our goalie has been a real stud for us this year and has really stepped into a big role and excelled at it,” Rudolph said. “And then obviously a couple deadline moves. Those guys help our team a lot. We really do believe in this locker room we have a shot to go all the way. We’ve just got to keep working towards it.”
Of course, Rudolph will play as big a role as any if the Raiders go on to capture their third WHL crown. The next step is the Eastern Conference final against the Medicine Hat Tigers.
“He’s a big reason why we sit where we sit,” Hunt said. “He continues to get better. He’s had a tremendous playoff already. Not just the points, the points are important, but his play without the puck, killing penalties. If you look at our goals-against average, it takes a group back there. We do have an elite goaltender as well, but it takes a group, takes communication and takes sacrifice.
“Playing without the puck is nothing more than effort and attitude. He’s got that. That’s why I think he’s a can’t-miss player.”
Mammoth surge
The Mammoth had three first-round picks advance to the second round of the CHL playoffs — Canadian junior team forwards Caleb Desnoyers (Moncton Wildcats), Cole Beaudoin (Barrie Colts) and Tij Iginla (Kelowna Rockets).
They also have a lesser-known prospect raising eyebrows in the post-season.
Fourth-round pick Gabe Smith had four goals for the Wildcats in a Game 3 win over the Val-d’Or Foreurs on Tuesday. The six-foot-four native of St. Andrews, N.B. added another goal in a sweep-capping victory in Game 4 on Wednesday. He now has nine goals and six assists in eight playoff games, all wins for the QMJHL’s top-seeded Wildcats.
The Mammoth already have a strong young team preparing for the Stanley Cup Playoffs. They also have some great assets in the junior ranks.
Overage force
With 12 NHL Draft picks on their roster, the Kitchener Rangers sure look the part of an OHL title contender after sweeping the Saginaw Spirit and jumping out to a 3-0 lead on the Sault Ste. Marie Greyhounds in the second round.
But it’s an undrafted, undersized player leading the way for the Western Conference’s top seed recently.
Overager Dylan Edwards, acquired from the Erie Otters at the trade deadline, had a hat trick in Game 3 against the Greyhounds and two goals in Game 2.
The five-foot-eight Toronto native, an eighth-round OHL pick by Erie, is slated to play NCAA hockey at Quinnipiac next season.
International challenge
Hockey Canada has 23 players at camp for the world-under 18 championship, which starts next week in Slovakia, but the management group will be keeping a close eye on the CHL playoffs to see if any eliminated players can improve the roster.
Towering Saint John Sea Dogs rookie forward Alexis Joseph, a top prospect for the 2027 NHL Draft, is in camp along with fellow 2027 draft-eligible forwards Brock England (Seattle Thunderbirds), Jaxon Jacobson (Brandon Wheat Kings) and Jaakko Wycisk (Guelph Storm).
Top 2026 NHL Draft candidates in camp include defencemen Verhoeff and Ryan Lin (Vancouver Giants, committed to NCAA champion Denver next season) and forward Tynan Lawrence (Boston University).
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