Florida Panthers 2026 Draft Targets: Daxon Rudolph

In continuation of our draft prospect profiles, today, we’ll be looking at a 6-foot-3, two-way defenseman in Daxon Rudolph.

To start this series, we first reviewed Alberts Smits’ game, claiming he is the most NHL-ready defenseman in the draft. Following Smits was Malte Gustafsson, a physical defensive defenseman with a 6-foot-4 frame.

Advertisement

Rudolph has a slightly different profile from Smits and Gustafsson. Rudolph brings a bit more finesse. He is a quick thinker and moves the puck on the breakout better than almost any player in this draft. Offensively, he isn’t afraid to jump into the play on the rush or cycle.

While his offensive game receives most of the praise, he is a sturdy defender who showcased his all-around game in the WHL playoffs recently.

In the WHL this season with the Prince Albert Raiders, the 2023 WHL first overall pick scored 28 goals and 78 points in 68 games. Both categories ranked third among defensemen in the WHL, trailing Bryce Pickford and Jonas Woo, both of whom played for the Medicine Hat Tigers.

Rudolph’s regular season was outstanding, but he took his game to another level in the playoffs, as the Raiders lost in the WHL finals. Rudolph tied for the league lead in points during the post-season, recording nine goals and 27 points in 19 games.

Florida Panthers 2026 NHL Draft Targets: Alberts Smits The Florida Panthers will make the ninth selection in the 2026 NHL draft, and for the next month before the June 26 draft, we are going to look at which players the Panthers could target. Today’s player preview is about defenseman Alberts Smits.

Advertisement

With his track record as a first overall pick in the WHL, as well as his outstanding point production from the blueline, it feels almost odd to see him projected in some cases to fall outside the top 10, but skating deficiencies are why defenders like Chase Reid, Carson Carels, Smits, and Keaton Verhoeff have been ranked ahead of him. While there is a chance he falls outside the top 10 and past the Panthers, there’s a chance he is selected before then by a team like the Seattle Kraken or the Winnipeg Jets.

The 18-year-old Rudolph is an incredibly smart player. He sees the game well on both sides of the puck. His vision allows him to make plays in the offensive zone and break up plays in the defensive zone.

Florida Panthers 2026 NHL Draft Targets: Malte Gustafsson As we continue to look at draft targets for the Florida Panthers with the ninth overall selection, today we ponder the idea of drafting big Swedish defender Malte Gustafsson.

Advertisement

With the puck in the o-zone, Rudolph is a threat to connect on give-and-gos, slide into the play unguarded, and rifle a heavy shot. In his own end with the puck, Rudolph makes heads-up passes and uses his feet to navigate forecheckers. While the concern is that it might not translate to the NHL, at the junior level he is more than capable of making those plays with his feet.

The native of Lacombe, Alta., will make the big jump to the NCAA next season, joining the mighty University of Denver. Despite the loaded blueline, Rudolph is expected to be the leader of the backend and bring the program back to the National Championship.

Rudolph was brought out to dinner by the Panthers, suggesting that, at the very least, the organization is interested in him. If Rudolph’s skating improves, we could be one of, if not the best, defensemen in the draft. It’s a big if, but Rudolph still possesses many traits that will make him a successful NHL player.

For action-packed issues, access to the entire magazine archive and a free issue, subscribe to The Hockey News at THN.com/free. Get the latest news and trending stories by subscribing to our newsletter here. And share your thoughts by commenting below the article on THN.com or creating your own post in our community forum.