Daxon Rudolph is showing the hockey world why he’s being considered as a top 10 selection for the 2026 NHL Draft in Buffalo at the end of June.
The 18-year-old blueliner is tied for the lead in Western Hockey League playoff scoring with nine goals and 27 points and has his Prince Albert Raiders in their third WHL Championship Series in franchise history.
Rudolph was also third among WHL defencemen in scoring in the regular season with 28 goals and 78 points to go along with a plus-32 rating and 75 penalty minutes.
As impressive as the offensive numbers are, it’s his ability to lead that he is most proud of. He was named an alternate captain for the Raiders in just his sophomore season and wore an ‘A’ for Team CHL at the CHL-USA Prospects Challenge and for Canada at the 2025 Hlinka Gretzky Cup.
“I think leadership is part of who I am,” Rudolph told TSN prior to the start of the WHL final. “I was truly honoured to wear the ‘A’ for that prospects team, at that type of event, and to be recognized as a leader of this age group. It’s something I take a lot of pride in.
“To be recognized as one of the leaders [for Team Canada] is super special as well. It’s something that I continue to do moving forward.”
When talking about his hockey fandom growing up, it’s easy to see where his pride for leadership comes from.
Rudolph said he grew up watching the Pittsburgh Penguins, admiring legendary captain Sidney Crosby.
Crosby, 38, is known as one of the great leaders in both the NHL and on the international stage. He captained the Penguins for the past 19 years and has been part of Canada’s leadership team at three Olympic games, two World Hockey Championships (and a third coming up), a World Cup of Hockey, and 4 Nations Face-Off.
He was recognized for the intangible impact his leadership brings by being named the Mark Messier Leadership Award winner in 2010 when he was just 22 years old.
“I always enjoyed watching him play, and I really like the type of person that he is,” said Rudolph of Crosby. “He’s just first class at everything he does. You see so many stories about his leadership qualities and the type of human he is.
“Obviously, I don’t know him personally, but from what I can tell it’s all very first class and he’s just always been someone I’ve looked up to in that way.”
While Rudolph models himself on Crosby’s leadership qualities off the ice, he looks to some of the top all-around defenceman in the NHL as role models on the ice.
The 6-foot-2, right-shot blueliner describes himself as a big, mobile, two-way defenceman that can do it all. He likes to create plays and create offence but also play big minutes and shut down top lines.
For that aspect of his game, he tries to emulate players like Drew Doughty of the Los Angeles Kings, Brock Faber of the Minnesota Wild, and Charlie McAvoy of the Boston Bruins.
“I’m kind of similar to those guys,” said Rudolph. “All right shots, big defencemen who kind of do it all in all situations. I think the biggest thing with me is that there’s not necessarily one thing that really stands out. But I have a very complete game and I’m someone who can be successful in all situations.”
Rudolph helped Prince Albert to the second-best record in the WHL this season at 52-10-6 and the No. 1 seed in the Eastern Conference. They easily dispatched the Red Deer Rebels in five games in the first round of the playoffs and then swept away the Saskatoon Blades in Round 2.
Prince Albert then found themselves up against a familiar foe in the Medicine Hat Tigers, who finished just behind the Raiders in the standings.
The Raiders also had a score to settle with the Tigers after Medicine Hat swept them in the second round of last year’s playoffs, en route to winning the Ed Chynoweth Cup and representing the WHL at the 2025 Memorial Cup.
After splitting the first four games of the series, Prince Albert stepped up in Games 5 and 6 to eliminate the Tigers and advance to the championship series.
“Obviously, they had a lot of experience from last year, going all the way,” said Rudolph. “We knew they were going to be a tough team, and we’ve had battles against them all year long.
“Coming out strong in that series was a big key for us. I think it all just shows the work we’ve put in all year and we kind of had that matchup circled for a long time, so we were ready for it.”
In the final, the Raiders are up against the WHL’s regular-season champions in the Everett Silvertips. They had a quicker path to the WHL final, defeating the Portland Winterhawks, Kelowna Rockets, and Penticton Vees in just 13 playoff games.
After winning Game 1 in Everett, the Raiders find themselves down 3-1 in the series, needing a win in Game 5 to stay alive, which will be their final game in front of their home fans, regardless of the result.
Rudolph knew going into this series that this would likely be their biggest test and commended the Silvertips on their excellent season so far.
“They’re definitely a strong team who brings it every night,” said Rudolph. “I think they put up the most shots per game this year and they’re a very high offensive team.
“But we take a lot of pride in defending, so that’ll be a good matchup for us. I think we have a very simple and effective game and if we stick to it, we like our chances.”
Rudolph has been very entrenched in the Prince Albert community since he was drafted first overall by the Raiders in the 2023 WHL Draft. His junior hockey home is about a six-hour drive from his hometown of Lacombe, Alta., which allowed him to grow independently without being too far from his family.
He goes to school at a local high school like a regular kid, despite a shift towards online learning for many CHL clubs.
Rudolph says that while he knows he has a lot of eyes on him in a smaller city like Prince Albert, he feels fans have been very respectful. He lauds the support the fans give to the Raiders every night and would like nothing more than to bring a championship home.
“I can’t even imagine what the city would be like if we won,” said Rudolph. “The support we’ve already been getting thus far, it’s been incredible, and the rink just keeps getting louder and louder.
“It’s a very old rink and pretty small compared to most but, boy, does she ever get loud. That’s one of the loudest, if not the loudest rink in the league. I think this city would go crazy and I can’t even picture it in my mind right now. It’s something I want to see for sure.”
Rudolph was ranked at No. 8 on TSN Director of Scouting Craig Button’s March draft list as June’s draft rapidly approaches. As a projected lottery pick, he recognized that there would be more demands on his time this season, whether it be meetings with NHL teams, scouts, or media.
Rudolph has been around many players who have been through the draft before through his time with the Raiders and Team Canada, but credits Vancouver Canucks prospect and current Raiders teammate Braeden Cootes as someone he can go to if he has questions about the process.
“He’s been through a lot of the same stuff I have,” said Rudolph. “He was a high WHL draft pick and played in a lot of like the CHL-USA Prospects Challenge and Hockey Canada events. We’re roommates on the road, and he’s someone I’ve talked to quite a bit about the draft.
“We’re really good buddies and he’s always willing to give me an answer and share his experiences, which is very fortunate for myself.”
Despite a lot of attention around his draft season, Rudolph says he hasn’t changed much about his routines to prepare. He isn’t trying to pay too much attention on the outside noise and wants to focus on his game on a day-to-day basis.
“I just focus on where my feet are,” said Rudolph. “I honestly don’t really feel [the process] has put a whole lot more pressure on me. I just try to focus on my game and not worry too much.”
