REGINA -- Throughout the years, Regina Pats general manager Alan Millar has had to make a lot of tough hockey decisions, especially when it came to selecting players in the Western Hockey League Prospects Draft.
This was not one of those times.
And on Wednesday afternoon, one of the worst kept secrets in all of hockey became reality.
Maddox Schultz is a member of the Regina Pats.
The Pats made the Regina product and standout Regina Pat Canadians forward the first-overall pick in the 2025 WHL Prospects Draft on Wednesday night, capping an incredibly stellar youth hockey journey that ended with a Telus Cup national championship a few short weeks ago.
Here's what the Draft moment looked like.
Feels good!
— Regina Pats (@WHLPats)
Millar had played his cards close to his chest ever since Regina won the WHL Draft Lottery back in April, but there was little question who the Pats had their eye on right from the beginning -- and for good reason.
Schultz had been on many a scout’s radar for several years, beginning when he started putting up gaudy numbers as a pre-teen player lighting up Saskatchewan rinks.
As a 12-year-old, Schultz had 23 goals and 63 points for the Regina Pat Blues in the Sask AA U15 Hockey League, and the season after, interest began to climb to a fervour when he racked up 63 goals and 134 points for the provincial champion Blues.
One year later, and it was Maddox Mania time.
Starting the season as a 14-year-old in the Sask Male U18 AAA Hockey League, Schultz would put up 43 goals and 93 points in 44 games to easily win the league scoring race. He then added another nine goals and 22 points in 10 playoff games, culminating with Regina defeating the Moose Jaw WINMAR Warriors in the league final.
After winning the West Regional in commanding fashion, Schultz and the Pat Cs were off to the Telus Cup, where he put his stamp on his incredible campaign -- nine goals and 20 points in seven games, including the overtime winner in the championship final as Regina won their fifth national title.
Schultz would be named the Telus Cup most valuable player and top forward.
The Pats weren’t done there when it came to early first round picks, as they made a blockbuster deal to move up to the third spot and select another exceptional status player in forward Liam Pue. You can read about that and reactions to Schultz going first overall .
