Click here to sign up for our free daily newsletter.
The Raiders announced a trade with the Calgary Hitmen earlier this week as well as the recall of 15-year-old defenceman Brock Cripps. (Prince Albert Raiders)
Rudolph and Boychuk gone for u17

Roster moves for Raiders ahead of matchup with Regina

Oct 29, 2024 | 1:23 PM

With the Prince Albert Raiders set for a rematch on Wednesday of their first game of the season with Regina Pats, the Raiders have been forced to make a few moves on their roster. With two players heading to the U17 World Hockey Challenge, the Raiders are making a call up along with a trade addition.

First off, the Raiders will be without Daxon Rudolph and Riley Boychuk for at least the next four games. The two sixteen year olds are off to Sarnia, Ontario where they will play for Team Canada White at the U17 World Hockey Challenge starting with a pre-tournament game on Friday, November 1 against the United States.

Rudolph, Boychuk, and the rest of Team Canada White will then open the tournament on Sunday, November 3 when they take on the Czechia, and they’ll finish their round robin play against Sweden on Tuesday, November 5. If Team Canada White finishes in either second or third in their pool of three, they will play a quarterfinal matchup on Thursday, November 7. If they finish in first of their pool, they will head right to the semi finals on Friday, November 8. No matter what, they will play on the final day on Saturday, November 9 with games for gold, bronze, and fifth.

Moving on to the additions, the Raiders have picked up eighteen-year-old defenceman Brandon Osbourne from the Calgary Hitmen in exchange for a conditional sixth round pick in the 2025 WHL Draft. Osborne has played three games this season for the Calgary Hitmen.

He split last year between the Hitmen with two assists in 28 games, and with the Ridge Meadows Flames of the Pacific Junior Hockey League, where he earned 2G-6A-8P in 16 games from the blue line, just east of his home in Pitt Meadows, B.C.

In addition to Osborne, the Raiders have recalled 15-year-old defenceman and second overall pick Brock Cripps from the St. George’s School U18 Prep team in the Canadian Sport School Hockey League, and his team sits 6-5 on the season. Cripps is sitting tied for fourth in scoring amongst defenceman in the league with 2G-10A-12P.

Cripps also played in three preseason games for the Raiders this year, and he looked great in that time. He managed just one assist for the Raiders in those three games.

Also recently recalled for the Raiders is seventeen-year-old forward Dayce Derkatch who the Raiders brought back from the Regina Pat Canadians in the Saskatchewan Male U18 AAA Hockey League. Derkatch played his first game of the season with the Raiders during Friday’s win over the Seattle Thunderbirds. Through the rest of the season, Derkatch has played nine games this season in Regina, scoring 4G-7A-11P in that time.

Derkatch saw a small stint with the Raiders last year as well where he played in two games as a sixteen-year-old. Also last year, he posted 18G-29A-47P in 44 games last season.

Nick.Nielsen@pattisonmedia.com