Bishop's College School Bourget College BWC Academy Calgary International Hockey Academy CIH Academy Champions Hockey Academy CDA Hockey Academy Delta Hockey Academy Edge School King Heights Academy Mount Academy North Shore Warriors Northern Alberta Xtreme Notre Dame Hounds Hockey OHA Edmonton Okanagan Hockey Academy Okanagan Hockey Ontario Ontario Hockey Academy Pacific Coast Hockey Academy Pilot Mound Hockey Academy Prairie Hockey Academy Rink Hockey Academy Kelowna Rink Hockey Academy Winnipeg Shawnigan Lake School South Alberta Hockey Academy STAR Hockey Academy St. George's School St. Mary's Academy Ulysse Academie Wenatchee Wild Hockey Academy Yale Hockey Academy

Gillespie, Rudolph Selected 1st Overall in WHL Drafts

For the second straight year, and seventh time out of the last nine, a Canadian Sport School Hockey League (CSSHL) student-athlete was selected first overall at the Western Hockey League (WHL) Prospects Draft.

Daxon Rudolph (Northern Alberta Xtreme) became the seventh CSSHL student-athlete in league history to be selected first overall joining Gavin McKenna (RINK Hockey Academy Kelowna & South Alberta Hockey Academy/2022), Connor Bedard (West Van Academy/2020), Matthew Savoie (Northern Alberta Xtreme & RINK Hockey Academy Winnipeg/2019), Dylan Guenther (Northern Alberta Xtreme/2018), Kaiden Guhle (OHA Edmonton/2017), and Ty Smith (Delta Hockey Academy/2015).

2023 would also mark the first time in the U.S. Priority Draft’s four year history that a current CSSHL student-athlete was selected first overall as the Spokane Chiefs selected Brody Gillespie (RINK Hockey Academy Kelowna). Former Okanagan Hockey Academy (OHA) student-athlete Blake Fiddler was the first player selected at the 2022 U.S. Priority Draft.

Along with Gillespie, RHA Kelowna teammate Cruz Waltze (2nd overall/Victoria Royals) and Yale Hockey Academy netminder Aiden Eskit (4th overall/Swift Current Broncos) were also selected in the U.S. Priority Draft.

By the Numbers

Program Breakdown:
Northern Alberta Xtreme (NAX) – 11
RINK Hockey Academy Kelowna – 10 (+ 2 US Draft)
Edge School – 9
Okanagan Hockey Academy (OHA) – 9
Delta Hockey Academy – 8
RINK Hockey Academy Winnipeg – 8
Yale Hockey Academy – 8 (+ US Draft)
St. George’s School – 6
OHA Edmonton – 5
BWC Academy – 4
Pilot Mound Hockey Academy – 3
Notre Dame – 2
Pacific Coast Hockey Academy (PCHA) – 1

WHL Prospects Draft Round Breakdown:
First Round: 12/22
Second Round: 8/22
Third Round: 10/22
Fourth Round: 11/22
Fifth Round: 9/22
Sixth Round: 8/22
Seventh Round: 6/22
Eighth Round: 6/22
Ninth Round: 5/21
Tenth Round: 3/17
Eleventh Round: 4/10
Twelfth Round: 2/5
Thirteenth Round: 0/1
Total: 84/230

WHL U.S. Priority Draft

RoundOverallWHL TeamPlayerPositionCSSHL Team
11Spokane ChiefsBrody GillespieFRHA Kelowna
12Victoria RoyalsCruz WaltzeFRHA Kelowna
14Swift Current BroncosAiden EskitGYale Hockey Academy


WHL Prospects Draft

RoundOverallWHL TeamPlayerPositionCSSHL Team
11Prince Albert RaidersDaxon RudolphDNAX
13Spokane ChiefsMathis PrestonFOHA
14Victoria RoyalsKeaton VerhoeffDRHA Kelowna
16Vancouver GiantsRyan LinDDelta Hockey Academy
19Medicine Hat TigersLiam RuckFOHA
110Everett SilvertipsBrek LiskeDNAX
111Calgary HitmenNoah KosickFPCHA
112Edmonton Oil KingsJoe IginlaFRHA Kelowna
113Tri-City AmericansCruz PavaoFEdge School
115Prince George CougarsCarson CarelsDPMHA
119Brandon Wheat KingsGiorgos PantelasDRHA Kelowna
121Medicine Hat TigersMarkus RuckFOHA
226Kelowna RocketsEli BarrettFSt. George’s School
229Saskatoon BladesZachery OlsenFEdge School
230Swift Current BroncosSawyer DingmanFNAX
231Calgary HitmenEric TuGSt. George’s School
235Edmonton Oil KingsParker SnellGNAX
236Lethbridge HurricanesGavin LesiukFOHA
237Prince George CougarsKayden LemireFOHA Edmonton
239Portland WinterhawksJordan DuguayFNAX
345Edmonton Oil KingsJoshua LeeDDelta Hockey Academy
348Kelowna RocketsKanjyu GojsicFSt. George’s School
349Prince Albert RaidersSteele BassGRHA Kelowna
350Kelowna RocketsJacob HendersonDYale Hockey Academy
352Swift Current BroncosDaxon YerexDRHA Winnipeg
353Medicine Hat TigersKoray BozkayaDYale Hockey Academy
357Edmonton Oil KingsCage SmithFRHA Kelowna
359Portland WinterhawksOwen ChapmanFNAX
362Victoria RoyalsCole PreluskyGEdge School
363Prince George CougarsPatrick SopiarzFOHA Edmonton
469Victoria RoyalsOwen McCarthyDRHA Kelowna
470Saskatoon BladesNathan GuentherDNAX
473Lethbridge HurricanesWilliam ScottDOHA
474Swift Current BroncosNathan GrayDDelta Hockey Academy
475Red Deer RebelsNickolas KovichFDelta Hockey Academy
477Calgary HitmenKoy FunkFRHA Winnipeg
478Regina PatsZachary LansardFRHA Winnipeg
481Victoria RoyalsHarshaan KailaFSt. George’s School
482Moose Jaw WarriorsTyson SchamehornFOHA
484Saskatoon BladesMatthew DowdallFYale Hockey Academy
486Everett SilvertipsLukas LimaFDelta Hockey Academy
589Seattle Thunderbirds Tracen AshleyDEdge School
594Brandon Wheat KingsRyan BoyceFEdge School
595Brandon Wheat KingsKnox BenderaFNAX
596Regina Pats Jett DeschampsDRHA Winnipeg
599Calgary HitmenLogan LepinskiDBWC Academy
5100Red Deer RebelsPeyton ShoreGRHA Winnipeg
5101Tri-City Americans Brock HeideckerDRHA Kelowna
5104Victoria RoyalsNolan StewartFNAX
5110Winnipeg IceRadislav DimitrovDOHA Edmonton
6113Victoria RoyalsKadyn O’BrienFOHA
6114Everett SilvertipsOwen CooperFEdge School
6117Vancouver GiantsKai AndersonFBWC Academy
6119Medicine Hat TigersBrayden Ryan-MackayFYale Hockey Academy
6127Medicine Hat TigersRiley SteenDOHA
6130Kamloops BlazersTy BonkowskiFBWC Academy
6131Saskatoon BladesBenjamin BowtellFRHA Kelowna
6132Winnipeg IceNathaniel DanielsonFDelta Hockey Academy
7135Winnipeg IceNathan BarclayDDelta Hockey Academy
7136Kelowna RocketsBen MacBeathDYale Hockey Academy
7137Kamloops BlazersNoah ChadiDOHA Edmonton
7142Brandon Wheat KingsMaddox GandhaFRHA Kelowna
7152Kamloops BlazersLucas BennFSt. George’s School
7153Seattle ThunderbirdsBrendan RudolphFEdge School
8157Victoria RoyalsWilliam RenDBWC Academy
8166Prince Albert RaidersDarius HordalDNAX
8167Edmonton Oil KingsSeth CastronuovoFYale Hockey Academy
8169Prince George CougarsRyan PedersenDNotre Dame
8173Regina PatsMaddox MalmquistFRHA Winnipeg
8174Kamloops BlazersRyker SwansonFYale Hockey Academy
9181Moose Jaw WarriorsBenson HirstDPMHA
9183Vancouver GiantsMax MalinouskyFDelta Hockey Academy
9185Medicine Hat TigersLiam ChartrandFPMHA
9194Red Deer RebelsNate YellowagaDEdge School
9197Seattle ThunderbirdsKeegan BaileyFOHA
10214Moose Jaw WarriorsWilliam ChabotDNotre Dame
10216Red Deer RebelsNolan SchmidtFOHA Edmonton
10218Kamloops BlazersTheo SalikhovFRHA Kelowna
11223Victoria RoyalsHenry LiuDSt. George’s School
11228Swift Current Broncos Jayden OleskiwFYale Hockey Academy
11233Tri-City AmericansWyatt KelmanDRHA Winnipeg
11238Red Deer RebelsSaul AstillDNAX
12250Swift Current Broncos Joshua ShaganyaDRHA Winnipeg
12258Moose Jaw WarriorsDylan DeetsDEdge School