Daxon Rudolph and Carson Carels will wear the "C" at the 2026 WHL Prospects Game.
The WHL has announced the leadership groups for the 2026 WHL Prospects Game. The inaugural event will take place on February 18 at the Langley Events Centre. The WHL Prospects Game is a chance to showcase 2026 NHL draft-eligible players not just to fans, but scouts and teams.
Leading Team West will be defenceman Carson Carels of the Prince George Cougars. The 17-year-old is the highest-ranked WHL skater, as he was listed third by NHL Central Scouting for North American skaters. This season, Carels has 47 points in 40 games and represented Canada at the 2026 World Junior Ice Hockey Championships.
Joining Carels on the leadership group will be Vancouver Giants defenceman Ryan Lin, Kamloops Blazers forward JP Hurlbert, and Tri-City Americans defenceman Jakub Vanecek. Hurlbert is ranked 10th by NHL Central Scouting among North American skaters, while Lin was ranked 13th. As for Vanecek, he is ranked 21st.
As for Team East, they will be led by Prince Albert Raiders defenceman Daxon Rudolph. The 17-year-old comes into the event ranked sixth by NHL Central Scouting for North American skaters. This season, Rudolph has scored 21 goals while recording 56 points in 49 games.
Rudolph will be joined in the leadership group by Calgary Hitmen defenceman Ben MacBeath as well as Medicine Hat Tigers forwards Liam and Markus Ruck. MacBeath is having a strong season and is ranked 20th among North American skaters. As for the Rucks, Liam is ranked 26th while Markus comes in at 31st among North American skaters.
Carson Carels of the Prince George Cougars (Photo Credit: James Doyle/Prince George Cougars/WHL)Make sure you bookmark THN's WHL site and add us to your favourites on Google News for the latest news, exclusive interviews, breakdowns, and so much more. This article originally appeared on The Hockey News.
Latest From THN’s Western Hockey League Site:
For action-packed issues, access to the entire magazine archive and a free issue, subscribe to The Hockey News at THN.com/free. Get the latest news and trending stories by subscribing to our newsletter here. And share your thoughts by commenting below the article on THN.com or creating your own post in our community forum.
The Hockey News