Regina Pats draft Maddox Schultz with No. 1 pick in WHL draft

Yahoo

08-05-2025

The Regina Pats have officially landed top prospect Maddox Schultz.
With the first overall selection in Wednesday night's Western Hockey League draft, the Pats selected Schultz, a 15-year-old Regina product who led the Saskatchewan Male Under-18 AAA League in scoring last season.
Along with posting 93 points in 44 regular season games to lead the league in scoring as an underage player, Schultz — the league's MVP and rookie of the year — recorded 22 points in 10 playoff games to lead the Pat Canadians to a league title.
From there, the 5-foot-10, 165-pounder led Regina to a West regional championship and Telus Cup berth, before scoring the winning goal in overtime of the national final. In the national championship, Schultz led all skaters with 20 points in seven games and was named tournament MVP despite being the youngest player in the event.
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While Schultz didn't apply for exceptional status to play in the WHL full-time as a 15-year-old next season, under the Western Canadian Development Model, he is still eligible to play 34 games with the Pats in 2025-26. It's also expected the young phenom Schultz will continue to play at the U18 level with the Pat Canadians.
'It's something you dream of,' Schultz told the WHL's draft livestream. 'Growing up watching this team play … it's a dream come true.
'I'm just really looking forward to getting started with the Pats.'
Moments after drafting Schultz first overall, the Pats made a trade acquiring the third overall pick from the Kelowna Rockets in exchange for a second-round pick, 26th overall, this year along with a 2026 first-round pick and a 2027 first-round pick.
And with the third pick, Regina drafted forward Liam Pue, a Langley, B.C. product who, like Schultz, was one of three players eligible in the draft who played at the U18 level last season.
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In 29 games with the Langley Hockey Academy U18 squad, Pue, 15, had 30 goals and 20 assists for 50 points to finish second in the Junior Prospects Hockey League (JPHL) scoring race.
'It's not everyday you get a chance to get two exceptional status players,' Pats assistant general manager Dale Derkatch told the livestream.
As Schultz, he's the third player in franchise history to be taken first overall joining Connor Bedard in 2020 and Colton Tuebert in 2005. And during the WHL's draft livestream, Bedard had a message for Schultz.
'You're going to be a special player and you'll love your time there,' Bedard said on video to Schultz. 'Tremendous organization to be part of and the fans will embrace you and it's going to be a blast.'
Additionally, the Pats also hold the 23rd overall pick in the first round after acquiring the selection from the Everett Silvertips.
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On Thursday, rounds two through 15 of the prospects draft will be held with Regina having two selections in the second round (27th and 46th) before picking again in the fourth (89th) and twice more in the sixth and seventh rounds. From there, the Pats hold single picks in rounds eighth through 15.
Expansion draft
While the Pats will add some new prospects to the roster this week, they also lost a player in the system as forward Corban Almen was selected by the Penticton Vees in Wednesday's expansion draft.
Almen, a 17-year-old Saskatoon product, played 12 games for the Pats last year before joining the BCHL's Vernon Vipers. He then ended the season back in Saskatchewan with the under-18 Saskatoon Blazers AAA squad. In 2023-24, Almen played 54 games and had 14 points in his rookie WHL season with the Pats.
The expansion Vees, who are joining the WHL after playing Jr. A in B.C., were able to select one player from each WHL club for a total of 22 picks. The Pats were able to protect up to 16 players aged 17 to 20 along with six players on the team's college list.
U.S. priority draft
On Thursday, prior to round two of the prospects draft commencing, the WHL will hold the U.S. priority draft with the Pats holding the 12th and 32nd overall selections.
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Players eligible for this draft including 2010-born prospects who have lived in the United States for two or more consecutive hockey seasons prior to 2025. Players must reside in Alaska, Arizona, California, Colorado, Hawaii, Idaho, Kansas, Minnesota, Montana, Nebraska, Nevada, New Mexico, North Dakota, Oklahoma, Oregon, South Dakota, Texas, Utah, Washington or Wyoming to be eligible.
CHL Import Draft
The Canadian Hockey League import draft is set for July 2nd and the implications will be heightened this year.
Beginning next season, CHL teams will be permitted to play an additional import player, moving the total allowed from two to three. With this change, the CHL has added an extra round to the draft this year as well.
The Pats will have the fourth overall pick this year in the first round, followed by the 68th overall pick in the second round and 129th overall pick in the third round.
And heading into the 2025-26 season, the Pats will have all three import spots open as last year's lone import, goaltender Ewan Huet, is turning pro next season and is not expected back in Regina.
In 2024, Regina drafted Czech forward Vaclav Nestrasil with the eighth overall pick. Last season, the 2025 NHL draft prospect played in the USHL and is committed to the University of Massachusetts for the 2026-27 season.
The Moose Jaw Warriors have the first overall pick in the CHL import draft.
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