‘Something you dream of’: Schultz excited to join hometown Pats after going first overall

WATCH: Maddox Schultz is excited to join the Regina Pats after going first overall in the WHL’s prospects draft. Donovan Maess has the story.

Regina product Maddox Schultz says being drafted by his hometown Pats fulfilled an aspiration of his.

“To wear this jersey is something you dream of,” he told CTV News Wednesday after going first overall in the 2025 Western Hockey League prospects draft.

“Being drafted to your hometown team, and first overall, is pretty cool,” Schultz added.

The Schultz family said they have spent years inside the Brandt Centre watching the Pats since Maddox was a boy.

Mother, Vicki, got emotional when reflecting on the journey her son has been on since falling in love with the sport as a boy.

“That’s all you want for your kids, for them to be happy,” she told reporters. “It’s just such a special thing. It’s all [Maddox] has ever wanted to do.”

“There are a lot of kids out there who have a dream and they want to accomplish, and I think Maddox would tell you this is a step in what he hopes will be a future for him,” his father David added. “But then to be able to play in this rink [where] he’s watched so many great players and we’ve had so many special moments in, we couldn’t be more excited.”

David looked back on the many memories his family had with the Pats over the years.

“At the intermission between periods, Maddox had his mini sticks, and him and his buddies went to take the knees right out of their tracksuits and then rushed back to sit in the stands to watch the Pats play,” he recalled. “Those are moments we have as a family.”

“Those are feels we’ve had in this building, and we’re going to get some new ones next year, and for the foreseeable future,” David added.

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Maddox said his parents have been his biggest supporters throughout his young hockey career.

“Those are the people I love [to go to] when I have a struggle,” he said. “They’ve followed me through my whole life so far, and we’re just getting started.”

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.

“It’s kind of just like a hybrid option,” Maddox explained. “Having the title of exceptional status is big shoes to fill. And obviously Connor [Bedard] being here and doing what he did and me being compared to him, I think our family just wasn’t ready for that.”

“I’m ecstatic,” Vicki said. “We’re just grateful to not have to be sending him away.”

David joked Maddox will still have to do chores around the house but is fortunate he will be staying in Regina.

“He’s 15,” David highlighted. “We have so much more parenting to do. And then as things come his way, it’s nice to be able to be in the car and drive and talk about it. What [Maddox] is happy with or what [he’d] like to do differently, what was the outcome and how would [he] change it and go forward? We’re not on a phone.”

“We feel really fortunate that’s our reality and it’s big for our family,” he added.