Schultz and Pue provide solid one-two punch for Regina Pats

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Maddox Schultz and Liam Pue should be a solid one-two punch for the Regina Pats.

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Or maybe it’s a one-three punch.

After selecting Schultz with the first overall pick in Wednesday night’s WHL prospects draft, the Pats made a blockbuster trade to obtain the third overall pick where they selected Pue, giving Regina the top two forward prospects available.

“What we’ve done the last two trade deadlines during the year, that was part of adding the young players, building the draft capital and looking towards having a day like today,” Pats general manager Alan Millar said on Wednesday night after giving up a second-round pick in 2025 and first rounders in 2026 and 2027 to get Pue.

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“When we knew Liam was going to be available at three and that pick was available, we went to work.”

Pue, a 15-year-old Langley, B.C. product who played U18 last year, led B.C.’s Junior Prospects Hockey League (JPHL) with 30 goals in 29 games while also chipping in 20 assists as an underager.

Schultz, 15, led the Saskatchewan Male Under-18 AAA League in scoring and was named league MVP before guiding his team to a Telus Cup national championship, where the Regina product was also named MVP.

Millar compared the drafting of Schultz and Pue to what the Winnipeg Ice did in 2019 when they selected Matthew Savoie and Conor Geekie with the first two picks in the draft. The duo helped Winnipeg to back-to-back first place finishes in the East Division before both being selected in the first round of the 2022 NHL entry draft.

“We still have a lot of work to do but we’re building a foundation of very good young players and very good people,” said Millar.

While neither Schultz nor Pue sought the exceptional status route to play in the WHL full-time as 15-year-olds, both are permitted to play up to 34 games next year since both earned an exemption to play under-18 last year despite still being eligible for under-15.

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What the playing time will look like next year for Schultz and Pue is to be determined, according to Millar. Under the Western Canadian Development Model, the guidelines say teams are only permitted to dress one 15-year-old per game, but exceptions have been made in the past.

“We’ve got some work to do to just understand fully what the 34-game affiliation looks like in terms of how we deploy the players in that system,” said Millar. “In terms of where the players are playing, when they spend time with our team, we’ve got some work to do.

“We’ve got some work to do with the WHL, and we’ve got and sit down with Liam and his family and talk about next steps and where he’s going to play next year and put together the schedule in terms of how these young guys are going to get into our lineup.

“We’re going to want to work with them and their families in terms of making sure that we’re doing the right things in terms of their development and that there’s a balance to how much time that they’re playing and when they’re practising with us, when they’re playing for the under-18 teams.”

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If they do get into the lineup together with the Pats as 15-year-olds — before becoming full-time WHLers in 2026-27 as 16-year-olds — many are hoping Schultz and Pue will play together on the same line, although the two centremen will have to decide who plays wing.

“I actually have thought about that and everyone keeps on telling me to play them (together),” said Herauf. “So I guess we’ll try, to start, to play them together.

“But however it shakes down from there will obviously be determined by their play and stuff. It’s just really exciting to have players of that talent level, and usually when they’re that good — playing left (wing), right (wing), centre, they can adapt to each other.

“I think the real cool thing is that one shoots left, one shoots right, so, you’re always passing on the forehand to each other.”

What will also help the chemistry between the two is their pre-existing relationship, having been on the ice together at prospect camps over the years since they share the same agency, Newport Sports.

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“We’ve been to a couple camps together, so we’ve really bonded over this last year,” said Schultz. “He’s a great guy and our connection is just going to keep growing.

“I thought he would be on a different team than me. But it’s cool that Pats traded up and got him.

“I made a call to him after he was picked, and he was just super stoked and really excited to get things going.”

“He called me right after I got picked and we were just both almost in shock,” added Pue “We’re both just so happy that we get this opportunity to play together on the same team and maybe on the same line, you never know.

“I think I’m a pretty offensive forward who likes to be creative with offensive zone. And, I mean, with Maddox along my side there, I think we can do some pretty amazing stuff on the ice together.”

Quotable

Along with adding Schultz and Pue, the Pats had a third first-round pick, 23rd overall, where they selected forward Logan Henry from the B.C.’s Burnaby Winter Club U15 prep program.

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Following the completion of the first round, Pats assistant general manager Dale Derkatch provided his assessment of the three players.

“Just is a great compliment to Schultz and Pue. He is a power forward who’s a strong skater. He’s fast, he competes, he works hard. But to go with that, the guy can score goals, he’s got nice hands, and he brings it and is a type of guy who’s willing and able to stick up for his teammates.

“So, I think let’s throw those three guys on the line and see what happens.”

“As good as he is as a hockey player, him as a person, is equally as good if not better. And when you’re looking to add elite talent and people to your organization, this is a leader. This is a guy who plays like a pro already.

“What coaches look for in hockey players, I’d say even up to the highest level, is consistency in play. And that’s what you’ll get from Maddox. You’ll go watch him play, he’ll play the same every game, regardless of if he scores three goals or he doesn’t get any. He plays a team game, a 200-foot game, and is a great leader by example, and someone obviously we’re tremendously excited to have in our organization.”

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“He can score. His shot is NHL ready; deadly shot. To go with that, he’s a powerful skater, and a big part, he plays hard. He’s a type of player, if you’re going to take some liberties with him, he’s ready to give it right back.

“He plays a hard game and a competitive game, which is something we’re looking here to build; a lot of compete.”

Other draft picks

Following the completion of round one on Wednesday night which saw the Pats add Schultz, Pue and Henry, the rest of the prospects draft was held with the Pats adding four more prospects to the system:

• Round 2, 27th overall: Cruz Nicolay, defenceman from Red Deer who played with the U15 AAA Red Deer Rebels last year
• Round 2, 46th overall: Charlie Leonard, defenceman from Calgary who played with the Delta Hockey Academy U15 prep team last season
• Round 4, 89th overall: Mahlon Wiley, forward from Yorkton who played with the Sask East Oilers U15 AA team last year
• Round 6, 120th overall: Dawson Sheehan, goalie from Beaumont, Alta. who played with the Northern Alberta Xtreme U15 prep team last season

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The Pats traded a sixth-round pick, 133rd overall, this year to Lethbridge in exchange for a 2028 sixth-round pick. The Pats also traded away their seventh-round pick this year to the Penticton Vees in exchange for a seventh-round pick in 2027 before also traded another seventh-round pick and an eighth-round pick to the Vees in exchange for a sixth-round pick in 2026. Regina passed on selections in rounds nine through 15.

Local products

While Schultz was the highest local product selected in the draft, a few more from Regina and southern Saskatchewan heard their name called on Day 2:

• Round 2, 28th overall: Spokane Chiefs select defenceman Ryker Doka (Regina)
• Round 2, 33rd overall: Wenatchee Wild select forward Riley Brown (Milestone)
• Round 2, 43rd overall: Saskatoon Blades select forward Braden Nowoselski (White City)
• Round 4, 78th overall: Edmonton Oil Kings select goalie Ben Meyer (Regina)
• Round 6, 117th overall: Moose Jaw Warriors select forward Nash Bullman (Regina)
• Round 7, 153rd overall: Brandon Wheat Kings select defenceman Logan Dosenberger (Regina)
• Round 8, 165th overall: Kelowna Rockets select defenceman Dylan Veroba (Yorkton)
• Round 8, 166th overall: Kamloops Blazers select defenceman Kai Lanigan (Regina)
• Round 8, 173rd overall: Portland Winterhawks select forward Alan Han (Regina)
• Round 12, 268th overall: Brandon Wheat Kings select forward Taren Anderson (Pilot Butte)

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U.S. priority draft

With the 12th overall selection in the WHL U.S. priority draft on Thursday morning, the Regina Pats selected forward Henry Buttweiler, a 2010-born Minnesota product.

Last season with the MN Blue Ox 14U AAA team, Buttweiler put up 40 points in 22 games while also suiting up for the Moorhead Bantam AA squad, where he had 107 points in 55 games. The Moorhead team is coached by former NHLer Matt Cullen, whose son Joseph is also on the team and was drafted 20th overall by the Victoria Royals.

In the second round, 36th overall, Regina drafted forward Tyler Kunz, a 6-foot-3, 180-pounder from North Dakota.

Last season with the Grand Forks Bantam AA squad, Kunz put up 90 points in 52 games, finishing second in team scoring.

tshire@postmedia.com

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