Raiders defenceman Daxon Rudolph and goaltender Michal Orsulak have been named to the WHL's First All Star Team. (Image Credit: Mark Peterson/Prince Albert Raiders)

By Nick Nielsen

WHL All Stars

Rudolph, Orsulak named WHL First Team All Stars

Mar 31, 2026 | 1:21 PM

With Raiders goaltender Michal Orsulak earning the honours of Rookie of the Year with his team, and Daxon Rudolph earning a list of awards including the team’s MVP, the two are now being recognized by the league for their efforts. Both Rudolph and Orsulak have been named to the WHL’s Eastern Conference First Team All Star Team.

With limited spots available on the All Star teams, Raiders General Manager Curtis Hunt said having two of players recognized by management around the league serves as a compliment to the Raiders team as a whole.

“I’m a believer that when the group does well, the individuals do well as well, and those two guys have shone throughout the season. I think there could have been two more easily on our group that could have made it, but it’s a nice badge for those two kids individually and I think it’s a badge for the group entirely because, without team, we don’t have anything,” Hunt said.

Starting with Rudolph, there was no doubt that he would be a dominant force in the league this year after a solid rookie campaign. Stepping up this year as an assistant captain in just his second year as a Raider, he also been given that leadership role at the WHL Prospects Game.

“I think he just had a terrific season. To be recognized by the managers on our side is a nice accomplishment for him. He just keeps building his game. He’s been excellent in the first two games of this series even, but the All-Star team is an accumulation of a year’s work and Dax certainly has earned that.”

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Rudolph has been named WHL Player of the Week once this year on January 19 when he posted six points in three games. More often than not, it’s his offensive abilities that tend to draw the attention towards him.

This year though, Hunt believes Rudolph has stepped his defensive game up a ton, and that’s why he’s been so effective on the ice this year.

“The part we don’t think about too much is how he defends, and I think where he’s really grown his game is without the puck, defending, a little more bite around the net, a lot of that effort and attitude. I think he’s really built that part of his game. I think with Hockey Canada, they’ve always put him in that role, we’ve probably used him a lot more in that offensive role, and I think that has absolutely shone this year in all the events he’s been part of. But I think he’s taken that game without the puck to another level, the grit, the bite, and really made himself a complete defenceman.”

As for Orsulak, his breakout this year was a little less expected. Hunt and the rest of the Raiders didn’t know too much about Orsulak from the beginning. They had seen him have a great showing at the Hlinka-Gretzky Cup, but other than that they didn’t know much aside from the fact that his 6-5 frame covered the net well.

What the Raiders got, however, was a goaltender with the skill to backup his size, and an overall great person.

“His play has been fantastic, and the interesting thing about Michal is the person. As good as the goaltender he is, he’s just a great guy to have around the rink. But again, to be recognized by the managers on our side, and certainly his play has been fantastic and here in the postseason again, nothing short of spectacular, but he’s had a great year and I think he’s put himself in a real good spot here moving forward with next steps in his career, and that’s exciting for him.”

Orsulak’s biggest moment of the season so far came away from the Raiders when he helped Czechia to a silver medal at the World Juniors around the New Year, including a win over Canada. While that served as the moment the rest of the world saw just Orsulak is, Hunt saw the greatness that Orsulak had when he first showed up to camp, without his own pads and gear, and still managed to put on a show in pre-season.

“The World Juniors was pretty special. For him to beat Canada I think is a tremendous accomplishment. I know everybody circles that game anyways, but for me, it goes all the way back to training camp when all we had was a mask for him and we dug stuff out of cupboards and we found some wrong catching gloves because he does catch with his right hand, and he never complained. He got in the goal, he stopped everything we threw at him. He went through exhibition and we almost joked about ‘maybe we don’t give him his new stuff when he gets here’. But it was that attitude, and the effort, and I think it was that moment we knew we had a guy that just wanted to get better every day. And certainly he’s proven that.”

The Raiders are currently gearing up for Game 3 of their first round series against the Red Deer Rebels. The Raiders have a 2-0 series lead, Rudolph has five points in those two wins, and Orsulak has allowed just one goal.

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Nick.Nielsen@pattisonmedia.com