Murray Wood: Who's hot... and who's not
Every Friday, Murray Wood takes a look back at the week's news and decides who's hot... and who's not.
Daxon Rudolph was the top defenceman chosen in the 2026 NHL Draft. (Natalie Shaver, CHL/Submitted)
Being drafted in the host city has it’s perks. Sabres forward Josh Doan and Buffalo Bills offensive lineman Dion Dawkins were on stage to hype up the crowd to start the draft and announce the Sabres first pick, and when it came time to welcome Rudolph to the stage, they also brought out Bills Hall of Fame running back Thurman Thomas to announce the pick.
Rudolph said it was an overwhelming moment to experience in the city he’ll one day play in.
Rudolph will not be returning to the Raiders this upcoming season as he heads to the NCAA with hopes that he’ll spend one year in college before heading up into the NHL.
He celebrated his fourth overall selection with his family and his Raiders billet family, who all made the trip to Buffalo with him.
Goalie Orsulak drafted to Detroit
With the 79th overall pick in the third round, the Detroit Red Wings selected Raiders goaltender Michal Orsulak.
Coming into the draft, Orsulak was named the second best goaltender in North America on NHL Central Scouting’s final list, only behind U.S.-born goaltender Brady Knowling. Orsulak was drafted ahead of Knowling.
In a trade on Day 1 of the draft, the Red Wings traded prospect goaltender and former Edmonton Oil Kings goaltender Sebastian Cossa to Utah in order to acquire a first round pick. The Red Wings used that 23rd overall pick to take Kamloops Blazers forward JP Hurlburt, and then used the third round selection on Orsulak to fill the goaltender spot left vacant by Cossa.
Orsulak is now the second highest drafted Raiders goaltender of all time, only behind Evan Lindsay who was pick 32nd overall by the Ottawa Senators in 1997.
Regina athlete Jonah Sivertson is ranked 53rd among North American skaters by NHL Central Scouting for the 2026 NHL Draft. (Mark Peterson/Prince Albert Raiders)
Forward Sivertson heading to Vegas
With the 113th overall pick in the fourth round of the draft, the Vegas Golden Knights selected Raiders forward Jonah Sivertson.
Sivertson was ranked 53rd among all skaters in North America on the NHL Central Scouting list.
Montreal had possession of the 113th overall pick when it came time to make the selection, but the Vegas Golden Knights traded picks 117 and 223 to Montreal to move up and select Sivertson.
Sivertson is the second player in Raiders history to be selected in the 113th overall slot. Jeff Lank was taken, ironically by Montreal, back in 1993.
Other players with links to Saskatchewan WHL clubs or the province that were selected in the draft include Saskatoon Blades winger Zach Olsen (Maple Leafs), defenceman Brayden Klimpke (Montreal Canadiens) and forward Cooper Williams (Maple Leafs), along with Red Deer Rebels captain and forward Beckett Hamilton, who hails from Humboldt and was selected by the Colorado Avalanche.
— with files from CKOM News
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