Regina Pats select local phenom Maddox Schultz with first pick in WHL Prospects Draft

Regina Pats General Manager Alan Millar joined CTV Morning Live the day after selecting Maddox Schultz 1st overall then trading to add Liam Pue at 3.

For the second time in five years – the Regina Pats have landed a budding superstar, drafting local product Maddox Schultz first overall in the 2025 WHL Prospects Draft Wednesday afternoon.

The 15-year-old phenom has received national recognition throughout the past year and cemented himself as the best player in the 2025 draft while at the Telus Cup in April. Schultz led the tournament in goals (9), assists (11), and points (20) - recoding two hat-tricks and the overtime winner in the gold medal game that crowned the Regina Pat Canadians Male U18 AAA national champions for the first time since 1999.

He was then named tournament MVP.

Schultz dominated the SMAAAHL regular season as well, recording a league leading 43 goals, 50 assists and 93 points in 44 games, at 14-years-old. That helped the Pat Canadians to a league best 35-7-2 record.

He added 22 points in 10 playoff games, leading the Pat Canadians to a league championship and was then vital in a perfect sweep of the western regional tournament for the Pat Canadians, giving them a spot in the Telus Cup.

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Schultz elected not to pursue exceptional status with the Canadian Hockey League that would allow him to play full-time for the Pats next season at 15, however, thanks to new league rules he will be eligible to play up to 34 WHL games in the 2025-26 season.

The Pats last selected first overall in 2020, when they drafted now Chicago Blackhawks star Connor Bedard. Schultz learned earlier in the week that he would become a Pat thanks to a video from Bedard and messages from other team alumni Jordan Eberle and Sam Steel.

Like 2020, the Pats won the right to draft Schultz first overall through the WHL Draft Lottery in April, they had the second-best odds of landing the first overall pick at 23.8 per cent, behind only the Edmonton Oil Kings who owned the Moose Jaw Warriors first round selection via trade.

Shortly after drafting Schultz, Pats’ general manager Alan Millar swung a deal with the Kelowna Rockets to acquire the third overall pick in the draft. The Pats then used the pick to draft Langley, B.C.’s Liam Pue, who was also expected to be taken high in the 2025 draft.

To get Pue the Pats sent the 2025 26th overall pick, as well as its first round selections in 2026 and 2027 to the Rockets.

Pue played the 2024-25 season with the Langley Hockey Academy’s U18 team, recording 30 goals and 20 assists in 29 regular season games before adding 12 more points in six playoff games, including 10 goals.

Rounds two through 15 of the draft will take place on Thursday.

Follow along with the 2025 WHL Prospects Draft here.