Daxon Rudolph – McKeen's Hockey

2026 NHL DRAFT: DETAILED SCOUTING REPORT – Daxon Rudolph, D, Prince Albert Raiders (WHL)

Kyle Dalla Zanna — Thu, 09 Apr 2026 13:00:40 +0000

Daxon Rudolph

2026 NHL Draft Eligible

Position: D, Shoots: R

H/W: 6-foot-2”, 206 pounds

Date of Birth: 2008-03-06

Daxon Rudolph has been a household name in the Western Hockey League ever since the Prince Albert Raiders selected the right-shot defenceman with the first overall pick in the 2023 WHL Prospects draft, ahead of several other notable D from western Canada that will be called early on in this year’s NHL Draft such as Keaton Verhoeff, Ryan Lin, and Carson Carels. The big blueliner has already represented Canada internationally at three different tournaments, with gold medals at the Under-17 World Hockey Championship and the U18 World Championship (playing as an underager) and a bronze medal at the Hlinka Gretzky Cup last summer. He was also selected to play at the CHL/NTDP Prospects Challenge last November and will appear at WHL All-Star Game.

In his rookie season with the Raiders, Rudolph collected 41 points (plus an additional 12 points in 11 playoff games), ranking third among all 2008-born WHL blueliners behind Lin and Verhoeff. This season, Rudolph has emerged as the number-one defender on one of the WHL’s strongest teams and currently sits third in scoring among all WHL defencemen league-wide, fueled in large part by a 13-game point streak from late December to early January in which he recorded 24 points.

The production this season may indicate he is an offensive defenceman, but he is equally as reliable in his own zone. He has the size that NHL teams look for in a defender and is a powerful skater. He disrupts passing lanes, blocks shots, and maintains an active stick to deliver timely poke checks and stick tie-ups. He’s a north-south puck-moving defender that can lead play up ice with his powerful skating. Although he’s not the most dynamic or creative defender, he flashes high-end passing in the offensive zone and often looks for give-and-goes when breaking pucks out or playing in transition.

As a 6-foot-2 right-shot D with his toolkit, Rudolph has a lot of things going in his favour, and NHL teams should be all over this type of defender. He may have a safer projection than other defenders with similar production at this level, but he has one of the higher floors in this year’s class. It’s easy to envision him as a second pair guy that can play on both special teams' units as he continues to develop his game. He could be a go-to offensive guy if a team gives him the opportunity but could also serve as an insulator for a more dynamic offensive defender. His motor and pace are not ideal at this stage of development, and his game can be a bit vanilla at times, but coaches won’t have trouble putting him out on the ice at any point in a game as his game evolves just because he plays a reliable defensive game and can create offence from the backend. The one thing he’ll need to improve is capturing that “hard to play against” identity to his game, as he lacks that physical engagement scouts look for in a defender with his frame, and he’ll also need to clean up his decision making on breakouts.

Skating

The word “powerful” is the first word that comes to mind when analyzing his mobility. He’s not the quickest, or the shiftiest, but his fluid stride and long extensions enable him to cover a lot of open ice when advancing play, and he can shift his weight to escape pressure on breakouts. He uses crossovers efficiently when he’s defending to close gaps and kill plays, but I’d like him to work these into his attacking patterns more often, where his routes are very linear. He gets the puck where it needs to be when carrying up ice and has the strength and power to not get knocked off easily. Along the blueline, Rudolph uses quick pivots to fake out and maneuver around pressure, often pairing with activation or downhill carries along the walls, but because he’s not an elite skater, his recoveries are not the most explosive. There are moments when he can get caught on his heels when defending speed or adapting to a quick counterattack. Overall, he has the mobility teams look for in a 6’2” defender and it shouldn’t hold him back from a projection standpoint.

https://www.mckeenshockey.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/04/SKATING-1-Rudolph-End-to-end-rush-Skating.mp4

A play from early on this season highlights his north-south mobility. He doesn’t collect a ton of speed on this end-to-end carry, but he’s able to weave his way through the entire team and drive straight to the net for a great individual effort.

https://www.mckeenshockey.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/04/SKATING-2-Rudolph-Explosive-Give-and-go-Goal-Skating.mp4

Watch how Rudolph explodes off this breakout pass, creating separation from his man on the entry, and accelerating towards the net before snapping the return pass without breaking stride for a give-and-go goal.

https://www.mckeenshockey.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/04/SKATING-3-Rudolph-Pinch-Pivot-Ankle-Break-Skating.mp4

Rudolph pinches down the far wall and breaks a defender’s ankles with a quick pivot before working the puck up high.

https://www.mckeenshockey.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/04/SKATING-4-Rudolph-Pair-of-Crossover-Stops-Skating.mp4

A pair of defensive stops from the CHL/NTDP Prospects Challenge highlighting his crossover skating.

https://www.mckeenshockey.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/04/SKATING-5-Rudolph-Crossover-Pivot-Wide-point-shot-Skating.mp4

Rudolph makes a strong pivot and takes a few steps towards the outside before letting a shot go from the far wall.

https://www.mckeenshockey.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/04/SKATING-6-Rudolph-Penalty-Skating.mp4

Rudolph gets caught defending on his heels during this quick counterattack and tries to compensate by extending his stick, leading to a penalty.

Grade: 55

Shot

Already surpassing the 20-goal mark just over halfway through this season, Rudolph ranks third in the league among all defenders this season (behind Jonas Woo and Bryce Pickford). He sits just outside the top five in total shots on goal for all WHL defenders and is well ahead of any other draft-eligible defenceman in this statistic.

While most high-scoring defensemen are known for a big, booming one-timer, Rudolph leans more on his hard, wrist shot to find the back of the net. Rudolph opts more for accuracy than a big, powerful release, as he can pick corners with ease and is adept at finding lanes through traffic with his snappy release.

The Raiders primarily position Rudolph on the left flank instead of quarterbacking his unit (for those who are curious, the top of the zone is occupied by 16-year-old Brock Cripps) and he tends to lean more on his one-timer there. The slapshot itself doesn’t have a ton of velocity and often lands low or square to the goalie’s midsection, but he also uses it for redirections. He’s not prone to forcing shots from the point but because he is a high-volume shooter, he does have his fair share of blocked shot attempts.

https://www.mckeenshockey.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/04/SHOT-1-Rudolph-High-Slot-Wristers-Shot.mp4

A pair of nearly identical goals, as Rudolph walks down the high slot and fires a bullet of a wrister labelled for the top shelf.

https://www.mckeenshockey.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/04/SHOT-2-Rudolph-Slappers-Shot.mp4

A pair of slap shots from Rudolph, both denied by the goalie.

Grade: 52.5

Skills

Rudolph won't blow you away with puck skills or deception, but he can pull some interesting moves off from time to time that’ll make you think there’s more to his on-puck game that’s yet to be unlocked. His hands are not the quickest, and because he’s largely a north-south carrier, you won’t catch him trying to stickhandle his way through the entire team with the goal of finding himself on the highlight reels every night, but there are flashes of him using his hands to beat defenders off the rush and he works the occasional shot fake when walking the blueline. Because he plays such a give-and-go heavy game, he does a great job controlling passes that don’t land in his hip pocket when he’s in motion.

https://www.mckeenshockey.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/04/SKILLS-1-Rudolph-Splits-D-Goal-Skills.mp4

This goal encapsulates the ceiling of Rudolph’s skills game, as he recognizes a gap between the two middle defenders and attacks right to the net finishing with a slick backhand over a sprawling goalie.

https://www.mckeenshockey.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/04/SKILLS-2-Rudolph-Give-and-go-Skate-to-stick-recpetion-Skills.mp4

Rudolph orchestrates a give-and-go up the middle in transition, and caps it off with a nifty skate-to-stick reception on the return pass without breaking stride.

https://www.mckeenshockey.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/04/SKILLS-3-Rudolph-Toedrag-Shot-Attempt-Skills.mp4

Rudolph pinches down the wall, evades a hit, and tries to toe-drag around a second defender but his shot hits a stick and trickles wide.

Grade: 55

Smarts

Rudolph is a smart defender and an above-average distributor. In transition, he rarely passes up opportunities to join the attack if he’s not leading the play up ice. He initiates most of the breakouts on his pairing and loves working give-and-goes into his exits and entries. He carries pucks up ice effectively and has sequences where he goes blueline-to-blueline and makes it look easy.

His ability to identify passing options on breakouts is one of his biggest areas of improvement, as he can cough pucks up ice under minimal pressure or try for more difficult passing options when safer ones are available.

Though there isn’t a ton of skill and creativity in his game, Rudolph flashes some of the best offensive zone playmaking out of any defender in the draft. His ability to find seams and recognize passing lanes through layers of defensive coverage can be downright otherworldly. Outside of his playmaking, he aggressively pinches down the boards to extend zone time and knows when to activate with and without the puck to create scoring opportunities.Despite not playing with the physical edge you’d look for in a 6-foot-2, 200-plus pound defender, Rudolph makes up for it with his habits and positioning behind his own blueline. His ability to steer attackers to the perimeter and seal carriers along the boards to kill possessions make him one of the stronger rush defenders in this draft class. He controls his gap well in 1-on-1 situations and maintains an active stick to deny attackers from driving the middle and knock pucks out. His lack of physicality can work in his favour at times as you’ll never catch him taking himself out of the play by chasing a big hit along the walls or stepping to throw a big check in an overzealous manner.

https://www.mckeenshockey.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/04/SMARTS-1-Rudolph-Activations-Powers-Through-Stick-Sense.mp4

A pair of goals that highlight flashes of an activation game inside the offensive zone. On the first, he powers through stick contact to get to the circle and uses the screen to score in the short side corner. On the second one, the play is nearly identical except he finishes inside the far post.

https://www.mckeenshockey.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/04/SMARTS-2-Rudolph-Weak-side-Pinch-Goal-Sense.mp4

Another smart read with the weakside activation before finishing with a nifty move to the backhand.

https://www.mckeenshockey.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/04/SMARTS-3-Rudolph-Cross-slot-Seam-Pass-Sense.mp4

https://www.mckeenshockey.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/04/SMARTS-4-Rudolph-1-on-4-Entry-Seam-Pass-Sense.mp4

The next two videos show Rudolph's vision in the offensive zone. In the first one, he sends a rink-wide pass to the opposite circle to assist the opening goal in Game 2 of the Prospects Challenge. The second clip is off the zone entry where he draws nearly the entire team before finding a seam between two sticks to set up a scoring chance.

https://www.mckeenshockey.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/04/SMARTS-5-Rudolph-Back-Door-Pass-Sense.mp4

Rudolph picks up an assist after spotting a wide-open teammate at the net front and connecting a pinpoint accurate back door pass for the tap-in.

https://www.mckeenshockey.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/04/SMARTS-6-Rudolph-Retrieval-Give-and-go-Exit-Sense.mp4

Rudolph works a give-and-go into this zone exit before skating the length of the ice, leading to a scoring chance for his teammate.

https://www.mckeenshockey.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/04/SMARTS-7-Rudolph-Give-and-go-Sense.mp4

Rudolph starts the give-and-go at centre ice and gets behind the defence for the return pass to create a high-danger scoring chance.

https://www.mckeenshockey.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/04/SMARTS-8-Rudolph-Overskate-on-2-on-1-Sense.mp4

A bad look for Rudolph here while defending the 2-on-1, as he slides completely out of position and fails to take away the passing lane here. He struggles to recover on the subsequent scramble in front and it leads to a goal against.

https://www.mckeenshockey.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/04/SMARTS-9-Rudolph-Disastrous-Start-Sense.mp4

By far the most disastrous start I’ve seen from Rudolph in over a dozen viewings. Three egregious passing decisions under zero or minimal pressure all leading to defensive zone turnovers in the opening four minutes.

Grade: 55

Physicality/Compete

If you’re expecting a throwback defenceman that delivers crushing open-ice hits when watching Daxon Rudolph play, you’re going to be left disappointed. Despite having the frame for this style of play, Rudolph rarely throws his weight around in open ice, as the most prominent elements of his defensive game are his timing and positioning. His physical game revolves around proactive contact to establish body positioning on retrievals and sealing attackers along the boards when defending the rush. Around the net front, Rudolph is a solid defender, as he does a good job eliminating threats and getting in front of opponents looking for rebounds.

He displays a good work ethic from shift to shift, but there does seem to be a lack of intensity or urgency when he’s defending. Rudolph does not operate with a ton of pace and his motor doesn’t stand out. The lack of aggression in his game makes him look soft at times, and there have been sequences where smaller checks outrace him to loose pucks or take advantage of Rudolph’s higher centre of gravity to shield pucks and keep him on their backside, which can be frustrating considering Rudolph’s has the frame and could afford to leverage it and play harder pressure in these situations. Showing more willingness to step up on guys or ride opponents up into the walls or the end boards would make him a much more enticing defender.

The grade that will be assigned to Rudolph for this category leans more on his projection than any other grade to him because of how much runway he has to develop physically. As a 200-plus pound defender who has yet to turn 18 years old, it’s evident that he has the frame to be a force at higher levels. If he’s able to elevate his motor and add more physical engagement to his game while maintaining the same habits and positioning that make up his defensive identity, he could be a very difficult defender to play against.

https://www.mckeenshockey.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/04/PHYSICAL-1-Rudolph-Cuts-Through-Hands-PC.mp4

These are the kinds of plays you’ll see from Rudolph when defending in-zone, he cuts through his opponent’s hands to separate him from the puck and Team CHL is able to get the puck out. A smart, clean, efficient stop here.

https://www.mckeenshockey.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/04/PHYSICAL-2-Rudolph-Reverse-Hit-PC.mp4

Rudolph throws a nice reverse hit to establish positioning on this DZ retrieval and fends off some contact on his backside before rimming the puck to an outlet to begin the breakout.

https://www.mckeenshockey.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/04/PHYSICAL-3-Rudolph-Needs-to-Be-Stronger-Here-PC.mp4

This play exposes the soft side of Rudolph’s physical game. He tries to drop the shoulder but then gets bumped out of this puck battle against a 5’8” forechecker, who immediately centers the puck for a high-danger chance.

Grade: 55

Total OFP: 54.75

A note on the 20-80 scale used above. We look at five attributes (skating, shooting, puck skills, hockey IQ and physicality) for skaters and six for goalies (athleticism/quickness, compete/temperament, vision/play reading, technique/style, rebound control and puck handling). Each individual attribute is graded along the 20-80 scales, which includes half-grades. The idea is that a projection of 50 in a given attribute meant that our observer believed that the player could get to roughly NHL average at that attribute at maturity.

2026 NHL DRAFT – MID-SEASON RANKING – TOP 64 with Honourable Mentions – Closing gap between top prospects

Brock Otten — Sat, 31 Jan 2026 18:59:16 +0000

ST. PAUL, MINNESOTA - JANUARY 4: Sweden's Ivar Stenberg #15 looks on during a stoppage in play against Finland during Semifinal Round action at the 2026 IIHF World Junior Championship at Grand Casino Arena on January 4, 2026 in St. Paul, Minnesota, USA. (Photo by Micheline Veluvolu/IIHF)

With the World Juniors firmly in the rear-view mirror and many “junior” leagues past the halfway point of their seasons, it is time to update and expand the McKeen’s Hockey 2026 draft rankings. This time around we are bringing you a top 64, in addition to several honourable mentions.

While many in the industry seem to be wavering on the concept of Gavin McKenna being the top player available, he remains at the top of our list. We understand the apprehensiveness, but we also believe that McKenna still possesses the highest upside of any player available this year; plus, his performance in the NCAA has ticked up post WJC’s. However, we also believe that the gap is razor thin at this point between McKenna and several of the players we have ranked behind him. In particular, Ivar Stenberg received a fair amount of support from our team to be ranked ahead of McKenna.

While the race for first overall will be fascinating as June approaches, the debate over the top defenseman available will rage even more intensely. Verhoeff remains ranked first in this grouping, but there are arguments to be made that any of Reid, Smits, or Carels could be or should be the top defenseman selected. One thing is for certain; it is a good year to be drafting in the top five if your organization needs a quality young defender.

Caleb Malhotra, Oscar Hemming, Alexander Command, Wyatt Cullen, and Maddox Dagenais are among our highest climbers compared to the previous ranking. Malhotra suddenly finds himself competing for an OHL scoring title, showing tremendous improvement as an offensive play driver over the course of the last few months. The Oscar Hemming saga finally reached a conclusion after he joined Boston College at the end of December. While the offensive production has been only mediocre, his impact on the ice has been incredibly impressive as a freshman power forward; it’s cliche but he’s passing the eye test on a consistent basis. Command has been terrific for both Sweden internationally and in the J20 league, and he plays a competitive and fast paced game from the center position. Wyatt Cullen hasn’t played a lot this year, but when he has, he’s been outstanding for the NTDP. Lastly, Dagenais is finally putting everything together for the Quebec Remparts, as the former first overall pick in the QMJHL draft is becoming more confident in being able to utilize his physical gifts.

Our largest “fallers” were Xavier Villeneuve, Mathis Preston, Ryan Roobroeck, and Beckham Edwards. While we respect Villeneuve’s offensive upside as one of the draft’s most dynamic playmakers, we also wonder how much his game has truly grown in the last calendar year as one of this draft’s oldest first time eligible players. The offensive production just hasn’t been at an elite level the last few months. Can a trade to Vancouver (WHL) help Mathis Preston find more consistency and urgency in his game? Roobroeck’s offensive production has definitely improved over the last few months, but like Villeneuve, we wonder how much his game has truly improved this year as a third year junior player. Lastly, Beckham Edwards is a power skating forward with a goal scorer’s touch, but, the offensive consistency has been majorly lacking this year and it brings to light concerns over his projection and ceiling.

What about the goalies? Initially, our team wasn’t enamored with the talent level for the position this year, however, some performances over the last few months have helped to change our mind. We have three goaltenders ranked inside of our top 64, with Tobias Trejbal of Youngstown (USHL) sitting at the top of that list. Trejbal has been outstanding in the USHL this year and the UMass commit has the size and athleticism combination to make him a potential NHL starting netminder.

You can expect our next update towards the end of March as we expand to a top 100 ranking.

RANK	PLAYER	POS	TEAM	HT/WT	DOB	GP	G	A	PTS	PIM
1	Gavin McKenna	LW	Penn State (NCAA)	5-11/170	12/20/2007	22	10	19	29	19
2	Ivar Stenberg	LW	Frolunda (SHL)	5-11/185	9/30/2007	29	7	21	28	6
3	Keaton Verhoeff	D	North Dakota (NCAA)	6-4/210	6/19/2008	22	6	11	17	23
4	Chase Reid	D	Soo Greyhounds (OHL)	6-2/185	12/30/2007	39	18	27	45	30
5	Alberts Smits	D	Jukurit (Fin-Liiga)	6-3/205	12/2/2007	34	6	7	13	12
6	Carson Carels	D	Prince George (WHL)	6-2/195	6/23/2008	37	12	28	40	42
7	Tynan Lawrence	C	Muskegon (USHL)	6-0/185	8/3/2008	13	10	7	17	6
8	Viggo Bjorck	C	Djurgardens (SHL)	5-9/175	3/12/2008	29	4	4	8	10
9	Caleb Malhotra	C	Brantford (OHL)	6-0/170	6/2/2008	45	23	38	61	37
10	Ethan Belchetz	LW	Windsor (OHL)	6-5/225	3/30/2008	43	29	16	45	35
11	Oscar Hemming	LW	Boston College (NCAA)	6-4/195	8/13/2008	6	0	3	3	8
12	Adam Novotny	LW	Peterborough (OHL)	6-1/205	11/13/2007	37	22	21	43	8
13	Ryan Lin	D	Vancouver (WHL)	5-11/175	4/18/2008	42	11	39	50	33
14	Daxon Rudolph	D	Prince Albert (WHL)	6-2/205	3/6/2008	45	21	33	54	42
15	Oliver Suvanto	C	Tappara (Fin-Liiga)	6-3/210	9/3/2008	34	2	5	7	14
16	Elton Hermansson	RW	MoDo Hockey (Allsvenskan)	6-1/180	2/5/2008	29	9	7	16	14
17	Ilia Morozov	C	Miami (NCAA)	6-3/195	8/3/2008	24	7	7	14	25
18	Xavier Villeneuve	D	Blainville-Boisbriand (QMJHL)	5-11/160	9/29/2007	35	6	30	36	35
19	Malte Gustafsson	D	HV 71 (SHL)	6-4/200	6/11/2008	16	0	3	3	2
20	Juho Piiparinen	D	Tappara (Fin-Liiga)	6-2/200	8/10/2008	28	0	3	3	8
21	Alexander Command	C	Orebro (Swe U20)	6-1/185	6/16/2008	24	13	22	35	30
22	Wyatt Cullen	LW	USN U18 (USDP)	5-11/175	9/8/2008	17	3	11	14	2
23	JP Hurlbert	LW	Kamloops (WHL)	6-0/185	4/11/2008	45	31	41	72	26
24	Nikita Klepov	RW	Saginaw (OHL)	6-0/180	6/27/2008	45	28	32	60	27
25	Mathis Preston	RW	Spokane (WHL)	5-11/175	7/21/2008	36	14	18	32	32
26	Jaxon Cover	LW	London (OHL)	6-2/175	2/13/2008	45	14	20	34	40
27	William Hakansson	D	Lulea (SHL)	6-4/205	10/8/2007	22	0	2	2	8
28	Giorgos Pantelas	D	Brandon (WHL)	6-2/215	4/24/2008	45	2	18	20	30
29	Brooks Rogowski	C	Oshawa (OHL)	6-6/225	6/28/2008	31	7	18	25	10
30	Maddox Dagenais	C	Quebec (QMJHL)	6-3/195	3/27/2008	43	20	17	37	23
31	Tomas Chrenko	C	HK Nitra (Slovakia)	5-11/170	11/2/2007	33	6	16	22	6
32	Marcus Nordmark	LW	Djurgardens (Swe U20)	6-1/180	5/4/2008	21	10	20	30	42
33	Egor Shilov	C	Victoriaville (QMJHL)	6-1/180	4/30/2008	42	22	37	59	23
34	Ryan Roobroeck	C	Niagara (OHL)	6-3/215	9/25/2007	45	27	26	53	26
35	Jakub Vanecek	D	Tri-City (WHL)	6-1/190	2/25/2008	36	10	15	25	16
36	Pierce Mbuyi	LW	Owen Sound (OHL)	5-10/160	4/17/2008	45	23	27	50	65
37	Jack Hextall	C	Youngstown (USHL)	6-0/190	3/23/2008	38	12	25	37	22
38	Thomas Vandenberg	C	Ottawa (OHL)	6-0/180	9/8/2008	37	17	17	34	14
39	Vladimir Dravecky	D	Brantford (OHL)	6-0/185	12/19/2007	37	7	16	23	20
40	Alessandro Di Iorio	RW	Sarnia (OHL)	6-0/190	3/17/2008	28	10	9	19	8
41	Vilho Vanhatalo	RW	Tappara (Fin-U20)	6-4/195	1/18/2008	29	10	8	18	14
42	Ryder Cali	C	North Bay (OHL)	6-1/210	9/6/2008	24	11	5	16	4
43	Tommy Bleyl	D	Moncton (QMJHL)	6-0/160	12/1/2007	42	7	44	51	22
44	Tobias Trejbal	G	Youngstown (USHL)	6-4/190	11/9/2007	27	20	5	2.04	0.924
45	Charlie Morrison	D	Quebec (QMJHL)	6-3/195	10/12/2007	24	2	4	6	23
46	Oscar Holmertz	C	Linkopings (Swe U20)	6-0/190	3/21/2008	25	7	14	21	2
47	Nikita Scherbakov	D	Salavat Yulayev Ufa (KHL)	6-5/190	10/23/2007	7	0	0	0	4
48	Victor Plante	LW	USN U18 (USDP)	5-9/165	3/10/2008	34	16	13	29	55
49	Adam Goljer	D	HK Dukla Trencin (Slovakia)	6-3/195	6/7/2008	33	4	6	10	26
50	Luke Schairer	D	USN U18 (USDP)	6-3/195	1/30/2008	36	0	9	9	55
51	Niklas Aaram-Olsen	RW	Orebro (Swe U20)	6-0/185	4/19/2008	22	17	15	32	12
52	Gleb Pugachyov	C	Chaika Nizhny Novgorod (MHL)	6-3/200	3/25/2008	27	8	13	21	20
53	Simas Ignatavicius	C	Geneva-Servette (Sui-NL)	6-3/195	10/22/2007	44	5	6	11	41
54	Lars Steiner	RW	Rouyn Noranda (QMJHL)	5-10/175	11/12/2007	24	12	12	24	26
55	Dmitri Borichev	G	Loko-76 Yaroslavl (MHL)	6-3/200	6/19/2008	17	8	6	1.79	0.942
56	Adam Andersson	C	Leksands (Swe U20)	6-3/200	7/2/2008	23	2	13	15	22
57	Alexander Bilecki	D	Kitchener (OHL)	6-1/180	5/9/2008	44	7	15	22	24
58	Axel Elofsson	D	Orebro (Swe U20)	5-10/165	6/3/2008	26	7	24	31	18
59	Xavier Wendt	G	Tri-City (WHL)	6-1/165	1/24/2008	28	17	9	2.42	0.929
60	Adam Valentini	LW	Michigan (NCAA)	5-11/185	4/11/2008	24	6	13	19	40
61	Beckham Edwards	C	Sarnia (OHL)	6-1/180	1/6/2008	45	14	17	31	14
62	Samu Alalauri	D	Pelicans (Fin-U20)	6-2/200	5/31/2008	32	6	17	23	4
63	Ben MacBeath	D	Calgary (WHL)	6-2/185	3/4/2008	43	6	27	33	12
64	Liam Ruck	RW	Medicine Hat (WHL)	6-0/175	2/21/2008	46	27	37	64	26
HM	Simon Katolicky	LW	Tappara (Fin-U20)	6-4/195	7/24/2008	24	5	9	14	16
HM	Timofei Runtso	D	Victoria (WHL)	6-2/185	7/6/2007	45	7	26	33	22
HM	Layne Gallacher	C	Brantford (OHL)	6-1/180	2/16/2008	21	5	7	12	2
HM	Landon Amrhein	LW	Calgary (WHL)	6-4/190	4/6/2008	39	7	16	23	6
HM	Filip Ruzicka	G	Brandon (WHL)	6-7/230	3/24/2008	27	19	7	2.97	0.908
HM	Wiggo Sorensson	C	Boro/Vetlanda (Swe Div 2)	5-11/180	4/15/2008	24	13	16	29	2
HM	Viktor Fyodorov	C	Torpedo-Gorky NN (VHL)	5-10/175	2/21/2008	27	2	5	7	6
HM	Landon Nycz	D	Massachusetts (NCAA)	6-2/200	10/4/2007	24	1	1	2	0
HM	Brady Knowling	G	USN U18 (USDP)	6-5/200	3/9/2008	17	6	8	3.60	0.880
HM	Casey Mutryn	RW	USN U18 (USDP)	6-3/200	7/5/2008	36	7	18	25	32
HM	Tobias Tvrznik	G	Wenatchee (WHL)	6-4/180	7/29/2007	31	13	15	2.89	0.919
HM	Jonas Lagerberg Hoen	RW	Leksands (Swe U20)	6-2/175	10/24/2007	9	9	7	16	33
HM	Olivers Murnieks	C	Saint John (QMJHL)	6-1/190	7/31/2008	29	6	12	18	14
HM	Colin Fitzgerald	C	Pbo-Soo (OHL)	6-2/210	4/1/2008	44	13	12	25	48
HM	Adam Nemec	LW	Sudbury (OHL)	6-1/175	10/18/2007	8	4	6	10	0
HM	Chase Harrington	LW	Spokane (WHL)	6-0/195	10/30/2007	44	17	23	40	73

2026 NHL DRAFT – MID-SEASON RANKING – TOP 32 – Closing gap between top prospects

Brock Otten — Sat, 31 Jan 2026 18:56:46 +0000

You can expect our next update towards the end of March as we expand to a top 100 ranking.

RANK	PLAYER	POS	TEAM	HT/WT	DOB	GP	G	A	PTS	PIM
1	Gavin McKenna	LW	Penn State (NCAA)	5-11/170	12/20/2007	22	10	19	29	19
2	Ivar Stenberg	LW	Frolunda (SHL)	5-11/185	9/30/2007	29	7	21	28	6
3	Keaton Verhoeff	D	North Dakota (NCAA)	6-4/210	6/19/2008	22	6	11	17	23
4	Chase Reid	D	Soo Greyhounds (OHL)	6-2/185	12/30/2007	39	18	27	45	30
5	Alberts Smits	D	Jukurit (Fin-Liiga)	6-3/205	12/2/2007	34	6	7	13	12
6	Carson Carels	D	Prince George (WHL)	6-2/195	6/23/2008	37	12	28	40	42
7	Tynan Lawrence	C	Muskegon (USHL)	6-0/185	8/3/2008	13	10	7	17	6
8	Viggo Bjorck	C	Djurgardens (SHL)	5-9/175	3/12/2008	29	4	4	8	10
9	Caleb Malhotra	C	Brantford (OHL)	6-0/170	6/2/2008	45	23	38	61	37
10	Ethan Belchetz	LW	Windsor (OHL)	6-5/225	3/30/2008	43	29	16	45	35
11	Oscar Hemming	LW	Boston College (NCAA)	6-4/195	8/13/2008	6	0	3	3	8
12	Adam Novotny	LW	Peterborough (OHL)	6-1/205	11/13/2007	37	22	21	43	8
13	Ryan Lin	D	Vancouver (WHL)	5-11/175	4/18/2008	42	11	39	50	33
14	Daxon Rudolph	D	Prince Albert (WHL)	6-2/205	3/6/2008	45	21	33	54	42
15	Oliver Suvanto	C	Tappara (Fin-Liiga)	6-3/210	9/3/2008	34	2	5	7	14
16	Elton Hermansson	RW	MoDo Hockey (Allsvenskan)	6-1/180	2/5/2008	29	9	7	16	14
17	Ilia Morozov	C	Miami (NCAA)	6-3/195	8/3/2008	24	7	7	14	25
18	Xavier Villeneuve	D	Blainville-Boisbriand (QMJHL)	5-11/160	9/29/2007	35	6	30	36	35
19	Malte Gustafsson	D	HV 71 (SHL)	6-4/200	6/11/2008	16	0	3	3	2
20	Juho Piiparinen	D	Tappara (Fin-Liiga)	6-2/200	8/10/2008	28	0	3	3	8
21	Alexander Command	C	Orebro (Swe U20)	6-1/185	6/16/2008	24	13	22	35	30
22	Wyatt Cullen	LW	USN U18 (USDP)	5-11/175	9/8/2008	17	3	11	14	2
23	JP Hurlbert	LW	Kamloops (WHL)	6-0/185	4/11/2008	45	31	41	72	26
24	Nikita Klepov	RW	Saginaw (OHL)	6-0/180	6/27/2008	45	28	32	60	27
25	Mathis Preston	RW	Spokane (WHL)	5-11/175	7/21/2008	36	14	18	32	32
26	Jaxon Cover	LW	London (OHL)	6-2/175	2/13/2008	45	14	20	34	40
27	William Hakansson	D	Lulea (SHL)	6-4/205	10/8/2007	22	0	2	2	8
28	Giorgos Pantelas	D	Brandon (WHL)	6-2/215	4/24/2008	45	2	18	20	30
29	Brooks Rogowski	C	Oshawa (OHL)	6-6/225	6/28/2008	31	7	18	25	10
30	Maddox Dagenais	C	Quebec (QMJHL)	6-3/195	3/27/2008	43	20	17	37	23
31	Tomas Chrenko	C	HK Nitra (Slovakia)	5-11/170	11/2/2007	33	6	16	22	6
32	Marcus Nordmark	LW	Djurgardens (Swe U20)	6-1/180	5/4/2008	21	10	20	30	42

2026 NHL DRAFT: PRE-WJC TOP 32 DRAFT RANKINGS

Brock Otten — Thu, 20 Nov 2025 20:38:40 +0000

KANATA, ONTARIO - JANUARY 2: Canada's Gavin McKenna #9 shoots the puck during warm-up prior to Quarterfinal Round action against Czechia at the 2025 IIHF World Junior Championship at Canadian Tire Centre on January 2, 2025 in Kanata, Ontario, Canada. (Photo by Andr Ringuette/IIHF)

It is time for the first ranking of the season for McKeen’s Hockey; this is our preliminary Top 32 with a few honorable mentions.

Gavin McKenna occupies the top spot after a strong start with Penn State. He’s the top scoring freshman in the NCAA, with his creativity and skill translating rather seamlessly to the college level thus far. That said, we’d be lying if we didn’t have concerns over the lack of development in his overall game, in combination with his smaller frame. Does that leave the door open for someone later this season to emerge as a first overall candidate?

The way we see it, the next grouping has a tier of four players, all who could be equally as effective as pros in comparison to McKenna. Keaton Verhoeff has had an equally strong start in the NCAA, producing offensively for North Dakota and playing big minutes on the back end. Ivar Stenberg has been producing at a clip historically similar to other Swedish stars in the SHL. Ethan Belchetz is a potential unicorn with a size and skill package that all NHL teams crave. Lastly Tynan Lawrence is an intelligent and mature two-way center who projects as an NHL captain who can play in any situation. All four are drastically different players, but who have separated themselves from the pack in a second tier close behind McKenna.

Six intriguing defenders are part of the next grouping, all positioning themselves to be in contention to be the second-best defender behind Verhoeff. Xavier Villeneuve, Chase Reid, Daxon Rudolph, and Ryan Lin are all offensive standouts with varying levels of defensive ability. While Albert Smits and Carson Carels are more two-way defenders who project as minute eaters. Smits, in particular, is quickly becoming a staff favourite at McKeen’s. The Latvian defender’s rapid progression into a Liiga (Finland) standout has him rocketing up draft boards.

Another interesting name worth discussing is Oscar Hemming, who has yet to play this season due to a contract dispute with his Finnish club. His transfer to the Kitchener Rangers of the OHL was blocked. His signing with the BCHL was voided thanks to IIHF suspension threats. He is now apparently looking at other options like the NCAA as he awaits closure involving his court case in Finland over the dispute. Hemming was outstanding as a power winger at the summer’s Hlinka/Gretzky, so it’s a real shame that his development has been halted. Hopefully he can get back on the ice soon. As of now, we felt his upside was too significant to leave off this list despite the unique circumstances.

You can expect our next list after the World Junior Championships, where we will expand our ranking to a Top 64.

RANK	PLAYER	POS	TEAM	HT/WT	DOB	GP	G	A	PTS	PIM
1	Gavin McKenna	LW	Penn State (NCAA)	5-11/170	20-Dec-07	14	4	11	15	4
2	Keaton Verhoeff	D	North Dakota (NCAA)	6-4/210	19-Jun-08	12	4	4	8	4
3	Ivar Stenberg	LW	Frolunda (SHL)	5-11/185	30-Sep-07	19	4	11	15	0
4	Ethan Belchetz	LW	Windsor (OHL)	6-5/225	30-Mar-08	21	16	11	27	20
5	Tynan Lawrence	C	Muskegon (USHL)	6-0/185	3-Aug-08	2	1	1	2	4
6	Xavier Villeneuve	D	Blainville-Boisbriand (QMJHL)	5-11/160	29-Sep-07	21	5	20	25	25
7	Chase Reid	D	Soo Greyhounds (OHL)	6-2/185	30-Dec-07	24	9	18	27	20
8	Alberts Smits	D	Jukurit (Fin-Liiga)	6-3/205	2-Dec-07	21	6	5	11	10
9	Mathis Preston	RW	Spokane (WHL)	5-11/175	21-Jul-08	19	8	9	17	16
10	Daxon Rudolph	D	Prince Albert (WHL)	6-2/205	6-Mar-08	20	6	10	16	16
11	Ryan Lin	D	Vancouver (WHL)	5-11/175	18-Apr-08	21	3	21	24	14
12	Viggo Bjorck	C	Djurgardens (SHL)	5-9/175	12-Mar-08	17	2	4	6	4
13	Elton Hermansson	RW	MoDo Hockey (Allsvenskan)	6-1/180	5-Feb-08	10	4	3	7	10
14	Carson Carels	D	Prince George (WHL)	6-2/195	23-Jun-08	21	5	16	21	18
15	Ryan Roobroeck	C	Niagara (OHL)	6-3/215	25-Sep-07	20	11	10	21	10
16	Adam Novotny	LW	Peterborough (OHL)	6-1/205	13-Nov-07	21	11	10	21	4
17	Oliver Suvanto	C	Tappara (Fin-Liiga)	6-3/210	3-Sep-08	22	2	3	5	10
18	Nikita Klepov	RW	Saginaw (OHL)	6-0/180	27-Jun-08	22	14	18	32	12
19	Malte Gustafsson	D	HV 71 (Swe J20)	6-4/200	11-Jun-08	13	3	6	9	12
20	Giorgos Pantelas	D	Brandon (WHL)	6-2/215	24-Apr-08	20	2	13	15	18
21	Brooks Rogowski	C	Oshawa (OHL)	6-6/225	28-Jun-08	19	5	10	15	6
22	Caleb Malhotra	C	Brantford (OHL)	6-0/170	2-Jun-08	21	8	17	25	16
23	William Hakansson	D	Lulea (SHL)	6-4/205	8-Oct-07	20	0	2	2	8
24	JP Hurlbert	LW	Kamloops (WHL)	6-0/185	11-Apr-08	23	16	24	40	10
25	Juho Piiparinen	D	Tappara (Fin-Liiga)	6-2/200	10-Aug-08	18	0	2	2	4
26	Egor Shilov	C	Victoriaville (QMJHL)	6-1/180	30-Apr-08	21	11	20	31	12
27	Oscar Hemming	LW	Sherwood Park (AJHL)	6-4/195	13-Aug-08	-	-	-	-	-
28	Ilia Morozov	C	Miami (NCAA)	6-3/195	3-Aug-08	10	6	5	11	21
29	Beckham Edwards	C	Sarnia (OHL)	6-1/180	6-Jan-08	21	9	10	19	8
30	Jack Hextall	C	Youngstown (USHL)	6-0/190	23-Mar-08	19	6	9	15	8
31	Marcus Nordmark	LW	Djurgardens (Swe J20)	6-1/180	4-May-08	14	7	16	23	36
32	Tomas Chrenko	C	HK Nitra (Slovakia)	5-11/170	2-Nov-07	19	3	10	13	2
HM	Adam Valentini	LW	Michigan (NCAA)	5-11/185	11-Apr-08	14	4	9	13	14
HM	Luke Schairer	D	USN U18 (USDP)	6-3/195	30-Jan-08	20	0	5	5	39
HM	Jaxon Cover	LW	London (OHL)	6-2/175	13-Feb-08	20	5	11	16	16
HM	Olivers Murnieks	C	Saint John (QMJHL)	6-1/190	31-Jul-08	18	2	9	11	10
HM	Alexander Command	C	Orebro (Swe J20)	6-1/185	16-Jun-08	14	11	11	22	12
HM	Vilho Vanhatalo	RW	Tappara (Fin-U20)	6-4/195	18-Jan-08	19	9	6	15	6
HM	Yaroslav Fedoseyev	D	Traktor Chelyabinsk (KHL)	6-1/180	5-Nov-07	6	1	0	1	2

2026 NHL Draft: McKeen’s Early Season Favourites – WESTERN CANADA PART TWO – Joe Iginla, Markus Ruck, Mathis Preston, Noah Kosick, Ryan Lin, Daxon Rudolph

Adam Tate, Felix Sicard, Ben Misfeldt, Kyle Dalla Zanna — Mon, 10 Nov 2025 13:15:23 +0000

Ryan Lin. (Photo by Rob Wilton - Vancouver Giants)

Time for another series at McKeen’s from our scouting staff. The 2026 NHL Draft season is well under way and our scouts have been busy soaking in the action around the globe. Analyzing early season play can be difficult; perhaps even a bit of a ruse. Hot starts aren’t always sustainable and cold starts are not always indicative. However, players can still catch our attention in positive ways and that’s what this series intends to highlight.

This is WESTERN CANADA PART TWO

Adam Tate - Western Canada Regional Scout

Joe Iginla

Forward - Edmonton Oil Kings

5-foot-10, 174 pounds

Iginla’s start of his second full-time WHL season has gone almost exactly according to plan. The Edmonton Oil Kings winger has seen an increase in trust and playing time under a new coaching staff as a “do everything” forward. On a surging Oil Kings team, he’s asked to play on both special teams and is used up and down the lineup depending on where the coaches think he can best help the team that game. On the top two lines, he’s a very good support piece for the older players, and when used on the third line, he tends to drive that line.

Iginla’s game in the offensive zone is a nice mix of pressure, puck possession, and playmaking. He’s always hunting for the puck, winning board battles, and keeping the other team hemmed in their own zone. He uses a good mix of skating, physicality, and smarts to win board battles and keep opposing players from having time to make plays. His passing is very good, and he looks to set up his linemates regularly. Without the puck, he goes to the slot and isn’t afraid of the hard areas of the ice. His shot has improved quite a bit from last season and looks to be an emerging trait.

Iginla is sound defensively, much like his father and brother, Jarome and Tij. Iginla played some centre earlier in his career, and while he has switched to wing at this level, his coverage reads and instincts are still quite good based on his time in the middle. He regularly covers as the defensive F1 in the zone.

There are a couple of areas for improvement over the course of the season that scouts will want to see before considering where to select Iginla in the 2026 NHL Entry Draft. The main area would be to see continued improvement in his offence. Everything seems to be improving, but getting his counting stats up over a point per game will help solidify his status as a potential early round selection. It would also be good to see him be a bit more physical as he gets stronger.

VIDEOS

https://www.mckeenshockey.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/11/1-joe_iginla_goal.mp4

This first clip is a nice goal that shows off some of Iginla’s (#21 in white) skills. The clip starts in the Oil Kings end where Iginla positions himself well defensively. Once he sees that his team has a chance to clear the puck out of the zone, he takes a few strong steps to build up speed quickly. Once he and his linemate enter the offensive zone, Iginla presents himself as a passing option. From there he puts the puck past the goaltender with a hard and accurate wrist shot.

https://www.mckeenshockey.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/11/2-joe_iginla_assist.mp4

This next clip is from one of the Oil Kings last games and shows off Iginla’s ability to read the play and create scoring chances for his linemates. Starting up the ice after the puck has left the defensive zone, Iginla (#21 in blue) sees the opportunity to join the rush and skates hard to become a passing option. He already knows he’s going to pass before he receives the puck at the top of the faceoff circle, based on the defenceman’s positioning in front of him. From there it’s just a matter of putting the puck on Blake Fiddler’s stick for an easy goal.

https://www.mckeenshockey.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/11/3-joe_iginla_possession.mp4

Iginla’s (#21 in blue) ability to retrieve and possess the puck in the offensive zone is on display in this clip. He engages in a battle for the puck along the boards as he enters the zone. Using his skates, he’s able to stop the opposing player from getting the puck up the ice. He then uses body position to quickly take the puck up the boards and drive towards the net. While this play doesn’t result in much of a scoring chance, Iginla has used similar plays to get the puck into the slot or skate behind the net to create passing lanes.

https://www.mckeenshockey.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/11/4-joe_iginla_hit_dzcoverage.mp4

This last clip shows Iginla’s (#21 is white) emerging physical game and his strong defensive awareness. By taking out the player on the boards he eliminates the number of options that player had with the puck. With the puck forced down below the net, Iginla assumes good positioning within the zone.

Markus Ruck

Forward - Medicine Hat Tigers

6-foot-0, 167 pounds

The Ruck twins, Markus and brother/linemate Liam, have become key pieces of the Tigers in their second full seasons with the team. With the likes of Gavin McKenna and Ryder Ritchie having moved on to the NCAA, and Oasiz Wiesblatt having graduated from the WHL, the Rucks have the opportunity to become first line players for the Tigers. But along with first line minutes comes first line match ups and while the Rucks have seen tougher competition this season, they’ve been more than up to the task, with Markus leading the team in scoring at the time of this writing.

Ruck is one of the best passers in the WHL this season and it’s easy to see how the pairing with his brother has benefited both players. Liam is the sniper to Markus’s playmaker. Liam outpaced Markus points-wise last year but they’re both getting points in equal measure this season. Markus’s ability to see the open passing lanes on the ice is high level and he helps key the Tigers power play from both sides of the offensive zone.

On the defensive side of the ice, Ruck does a good job supporting his defencemen as a centre. His positioning is good and he covers the net front well when the defencemen have to follow the puck behind the net or into the corners. While not overly physical, Ruck uses body position and his stick to maintain his spot on the ice and keep opposing players from being able to do much in front of the net.

Moving forward, scouts are going to want to see Ruck shoot the puck more and score a few more goals before they feel comfortable moving him up their draft rankings. His offensive game is a bit one-dimensional currently and he’ll need to shoot more to keep defences from keying on his passing.

VIDEOS

https://www.mckeenshockey.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/11/1-vmarkus_ruck_assist_pp.mp4

This first passing play shows Ruck (#26 in black) connecting with his brother for a goal. The give and go creates space for Ruck to take the puck under the red line. The defender flares out to try and slow him down but Ruck has already built up enough speed to force the defender back into position in front of the net. With the defender peeling back, Ruck knows there is room for a backhand pass to his brother for an easy goal.

https://www.mckeenshockey.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/11/2-markus_ruck_assist_pp_02.mp4

This play shows Ruck’s (#26 in black, at the far wall) awareness of the positioning his teammates have on the power play. With the defenders fronting the puck and not tying up the forwards at the crease, Ruck knows that if he can get the puck to his teammate on the far side of the net, they could get a shot attempt. Ruck sees the passing lane through the penalty kill box and the pass is right on the tape for an easy deflection goal.

https://www.mckeenshockey.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/11/3-markus_ruck_goal.mp4

While Ruck (#26 in white) doesn’t score many goals, few will be prettier than this one. This play starts with Ruck being disruptive on the puck, breaking up a couple of potential passes by the defenders. He then sees the opportunity to become a passing target as his defender loses coverage. Once he receives the pass, he puts it up high in tight on the goaltender.

Felix Sicard - North American Video Scout

Mathis Preston

Right wing - Spokane Chiefs

5-foot-10, 177 pounds

There are very few prospects in North America who can match Preston’s combination of skill, speed, and playmaking ability. The production has been at the level some would have hoped for him thus far, but look more closely, and all of the tools are still there.

Preston’s skating is well above average. He gets around the ice with ease and can turn on a dime thanks to some excellent edge work. His explosiveness already stands out, and he’s still got more room to add in that department.

What differentiates Preston from other great skaters, though, is that he can also make plays with the puck at high speed. Whether that’s a quick change of direction to free up a passing lane, a change of pace move to beat a defender, the puck seems like it’s on a string for him no matter what speed he’s going at.

Preston is also capable of making some high-end passing sequences. He can spot the back door option through layers and will try to find it. However, there are times when he does try to do things on his own a bit too much, but that can be corrected.

Lastly, he has a snappy, powerful shot, which looks like it could be a plus tool for him at the next level. Although there are still areas of his game that need rounding out, you will not find too many higher upside players than Preston so far.

VIDEOS

https://www.mckeenshockey.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/11/1-preston_-_fs_-_1st_period_27_30_-_27_38.mp4

Here, Preston is able to sidestep a defender at the point from a standstill position, quickly selling the wide drive, to then cut back inside. Once he’s attacking downhill, he lasers a perfect tape-to-tape pass backdoor. This play shows both his quick twitch one-on-one ability, as well as his vision.

https://www.mckeenshockey.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/11/2-preston_-_fs_-_1st_period_11_2_-_11_12.mp4

Here, Preston makes a nice play in the neutral zone to break up an opposing sequence. He then carries the puck into the offensive zone, and seeing that his two other teammates are covered, elects to delay and find the trailer. This demonstrates that he can scan the ice and make the simple play when need be.

https://www.mckeenshockey.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/11/3-preston_-_fs_-_3rd_period_11_32_-_11_40.mp4

Here, Preston receives a puck on his forehand while fairly stationary, and seamlessly pulls it back to his backhand around the defender, then elevating the puck behind the net to try a Michigan. This demonstrates his high-end skill, where he can make something out of nothing.

Ben Misfeldt - Video Scout

Noah Kosick

Centre - Swift Current Broncos

5-foot-11, 165 pounds

Noah Kosick had one of the hottest starts of any 2026 draft eligible from the WHL with points in all 10 of his first games and 17 in total. In just 10 games, he scored almost six times as many points as he did all last season for the Calgary Hitmen, where he was limited to a depth role. Kosick was only 5-foot-5” and 112 pounds when he was drafted to the WHL in May of 2023 and has grown to be 5-foot- 11” and 165 pounds now. With all that growth and likely more coming, this bodes really well for Kosick, who is still adapting to both his physical growth and WHL hockey. This is a player who has always been a lethal playmaker at every level before coming into the WHL, so it’s no surprise he is starting to do the same for the Broncos this season.

What has made Kosick stand out this season? He is showing he is an elite offensive player who is dynamic with his mobility and hands. He also has the creative playmaking mind to capitalize on any available time and space he has. His mind for the offensive game is excellent and finding ways to produce is an attribute that I always have time for. Kosick utilizes his skating and hands to create space, dangling cleanly around multiple WHL defenders so far this season. When in control of the puck, he is very patient and will delay until he finds his desired passing option. His shot is average as of right now, though he would benefit greatly from becoming more comfortable with his shot and turning into a dual threat option. All signs point to Kosick’s offensive game coming together in the WHL very quickly. Ultimately, his off puck game and physicality will determine the likelihood of an NHL future. There’s a lot of work to be done, but I’ll give him a pass because he’s only 40-something games into his WHL career and has always been an undersized player until relatively recently. The expectation will be that he realizes he can contribute to the game in other ways than simply creating scoring chances for teammates.

All in all, his production will likely tail off significantly as the season progresses, but Kosick has put his name in the hat as a possible second or third round selection. There’s a lot to like with this player and heaps of upside. It’s impossible not to like the progression and physical growth he has shown.

VIDEOS

https://www.mckeenshockey.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/11/1-ben_-_noah_kosick_-_1st_period_28_55_-_29_9.mp4

An excellent display of Kosick’s puck skills. Nothing much comes out of it but you can see how smooth his hands are.

https://www.mckeenshockey.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/11/2-ben_-_noah_kosick_-_1st_period_22_21_-_22_40.mp4

This is my favourite clip of Kosick from this season. His skating is dynamic through the neutral zone, eventually cutting around the defenseman and delivering a perfect pass for a quality scoring chance.

https://www.mckeenshockey.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/11/3-ben_-_noah_kosick_-_2nd_period_16_25_-_16_44.mp4

This clip shows all of Kosick’s best attributes put together. Notice how he holds onto the puck until space opens up, which leads to a shot in a goal in this case.

https://drive.google.com/file/d/1qUtwt_IztJPs0Ff15L0X7xfqHshgog7Q/view?usp=share_link

Here’s an example of what Kosick needs to show more of – disrupting opponents and forcing a turnover.

Kyle Dalla Zanna - Western Canada Regional Scout

Ryan Lin

Defence – Vancouver Giants

5-foot-11, 176 pounds

In last summer’s NHL Draft, there were no defenceman below 6 feet tall selected in the NHL Draft. Not only will 5-foot-11 Ryan Lin change that in next year’s Draft, but it’s also quite possible that he could be selected early in the first round.

Selected sixth overall by the Vancouver Giants in the 2023 WHL Draft, the local product was immediately thrusted onto the top pair in his draft-minus-one season, where he amassed 53 points in 60 games and became the third defenceman in WHL history to pass the 50-point mark at age 16 or younger, succeeding exceptional talent Landon Dupont and Hall-of-famer Scott Niedermayer. With the departures of former captain Mazden Leslie (who was over a point-per-game last season) and San Jose Sharks draft pick Colton Roberts, and no significant additions over the offseason to compensate for this, it will be hard to understate how much value he brings to this Giants blueline this season.

While Lin’s early-season production may suggest he’s an offensive defenceman, he’s equally as reliable and effective behind his own blue line. You’ll be hard pressed to find a more clinical rush defender in this draft. Lin has the mobility and agility to mirror footwork, establish a controlled gap when defending 1-on-1. He angles wide on entries and seals puck carriers along the boards with acute timing to eliminate any potential scoring threats and has the wherewithal to initiate or lead a quick counterattack up ice. If he’s not serving as a one-man breakout from the back end, he will always find opportunities to support the attack in transition or activate off the blueline to create offence.

It's hard to find any holes in Ryan Lin’s game. He’s a complete player and plays with poise and maturity beyond his years, but his suboptimal height and lack of dynamic skill will leave scouts wondering how much of a significant contributor he could be on an NHL blueline.

VIDEOS

https://www.mckeenshockey.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/11/1-Lin-Detail-Oriented-Activation.mp4

This clip shows the full arsenal of Lin’s biggest strengths: skating, hockey sense, and detail-oriented activation habits. He makes a quick outlet pass off the wall to initiate the breakout, then sprints up the middle to join the rush and create a 3-on-1 and ties up the defender’s stick to buy time for the puck carrier. and give him a clear shooting lane.

https://www.mckeenshockey.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/11/2-Lin-Retrievals.mp4

Here are a couple sequences that showcase Lin’s advanced retrieval game. He shoulder checks to map the oncoming forechecker and lifts his stick just enough to help shield the puck on first touch, then he quickly pivots against the forechecker’s momentum to create space and slides the puck under a second forechecker’s stick to start the breakout. On the second, he chains a stick tie-up and proactive contact to establish body positioning. He delays, absorbs back pressure, and recognizes that his first outlet is closed off so he rims the puck against the near wall to open man to begin the breakout.

https://www.mckeenshockey.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/11/3-Lin-Physciality.mp4

A handful of sequences illustrating Lin’s ability to break up plays with his physicality, which can be overlooked on an undersized defender.

https://www.mckeenshockey.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/11/4a-Lin-200-Foot-Shift-Clip-1.mp4

https://www.mckeenshockey.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/11/4b-Lin-200-Foot-Shift-Clip-2.mp4

Two sequences that highlight Lin’s ability to impact play at both ends within a single shift. In the first one, he lays a textbook check to drop an attacker trying to cut inside and then activates up the middle-lane on the counterattack and sneaks in behind the puck-watching defence before finishing in tight. The second he pressures a down-low attacker into a turnover in his own end, and then makes a smart pinch at the other end to find an open pocket off the wall before driving the net and finishing on the rebound.

Daxon Rudolph

Defence – Prince Albert Raiders

6-foot-2, 203 pounds

Two years ago, the Prince Albert Raiders selected Daxon Rudolph with their first overall pick in the WHL Prospects Draft ahead of other top-end Western Canadian talents such as Mathis Preston and Keaton Verhoeff. Now, he’s looking to follow-up that accomplishment with another high selection in next year’s NHL draft.

Rudolph picked up 41 points in his rookie season, which was good for third among draft-minus-one defenders behind Verhoeff and Ryan Lin, but his stabilizing defensive presence is what makes him an appealing target for teams at the top of the Draft. In addition to having the size that NHL teams covet, he’s a powerful skater and possesses a myriad of tools and habits to be an effective play-killer at higher levels. He disrupts passing lanes, engages physically, blocks shots, and delivers timely poke checks and proactive stick tie-ups to knock pucks off attackers. It’s rare to find him completely out of position in his own end. When he has the puck, Rudolph flashes high-end ideas and confidence as a carrier, such as working give-and-goes in transition or rushing pucks end-to-end to generate offence on the rush, which leads to a belief that there could be more untapped offensively potential throughout the season. He’s what I call a very “moldable” prospect in that he could be developed into a variety of different roles at higher levels. The one area of improvement to keep an eye on is being more consistent with his decision-making, as there is a tendency to throw pucks away and make bad passes.

Rudolph possesses projectable tools all-around, and it’s easy to envision to see him patrolling an NHL blueline in a few years. If he can develop some more high-end skill and playmaking abilities and clean up his decision-making, it’s easy to see why a team would reach for him as one of the first defenders off the board next year.

VIDEOS

https://www.mckeenshockey.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/11/1-Rudolph-End-to-end-rush.mp4

While Rudolph isn’t known for his puck-rushing ability and advanced on-puck plays, he makes a nice end-to-end rush where he nearly finishes in tight.

https://www.mckeenshockey.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/11/2-Rudolph-Give-and-go.mp4

In the second clip, he leads the transition and works a give-and-go to gain the zone before deflecting the return from the top of the crease for a high-danger scoring chance.

https://www.mckeenshockey.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/11/3-Rudolph-Goal.mp4

Rudolph trails this entry and freezes the goalie with a heavy one-timer. He doesn’t have the heaviest release, but he is a high-volume shooter that can find lanes through traffic.

https://www.mckeenshockey.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/11/4-Rudolph-Backcheck.mp4

Rudolph leverages his long reach to make a nice recovery here, disrupting this scoring chance on the backcheck after his shot was blocked.