Lacombe's Daxon Rudolph has been named a nominee for the Western Hockey League's Rookie of the Year.
The WHL unveiled the list of nominees for the Jim Piggott Memorial Trophy for the 2024-25 season on Thursday, April 3.
Rudolph, 17, made a splash in his first WHL season, scoring seven goals and 34 assists for 41 points in 64 games with the Prince Albert Raiders. The first overall pick in the 2023 WHL Prospects Draft finished fourth in points among rookie defencemen and fifth among all rookies in assists.
From Jan. 1 to Jan. 26, the six-foot-one, 195-pound rearguard went on a 12-game point streak that saw him net two goals and 13 assists. He potted a career-best five points (one goal and four assists) in a victory over Moose Jaw on Feb. 17 and another game-winner against the Warriors in the final week of the regular season to help the Raiders clinch the East Division title.
In November, he helped Canada White win gold at the 2024 U17 World Challenge in Sarnia, Ont.
Rudolph, who is eligible for the 2026 NHL Draft, was named WHL Rookie of the Month for January in addition to one weekly award win in late February.
Six players are nominated for the Jim Piggott Memorial Trophy — three from the Eastern Conference and three fro the Western Conference.
Alongside Rudolph, the Eastern Conference nominees are Edmonton Oil Kings forward Lukas Sawchyn and Saskatoon Blades forward Cooper Williams.
Sawchyn, a Grande Prairie native, recorded 15 goals and 40 assists in 66 games with the Oil Kings, while Calgary-born Williams finished the season with 57 points, which was good for second in scoring among all WHL rookies.
Everett Silvertips defenceman Landon Dupont, Vancouver Giants defenceman Ryan Lin and Victoria Royals defenceman Keaton Verhoeff were the nominees from the Western Conference.
DuPont paced all WHL rookies with 60 points in 64 games. A Calgary native, DuPont is the first defenceman and second player in WHL history to be granted exceptional status to compete in the league full-time as a 15-year-old.
Lin bagged five goals and 48 assists for 53 points in 60 games, sitting sixth on the team in points and second in helpers. Verhoeff scored 21 goals this season, which set a Royals franchise record for single-season goals by a defenceman.
Winners of the 2025 WHL Awards will be announced from April 22 through May 7.
