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The Regina Pat Canadians will look to make their claim as the top male U18 AAA hockey team in the country.
The Saskatchewan Male U18 AAA Hockey League champions will start their Telus Cup tournament Monday against the host Fraser Valley Thunderbirds. Puck drop is set for 8 p.m.
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“It’s been a great season. It’s a special year. It’s one you were hoping for and it has been special,” head coach Ryan Hodgins told The Green Zone earlier this month.
After finishing the regular season as the league’s top team, the Pat Canadians went on win the three playoff series they played — going 9-1 over that stretch.
In the final series against the Moose Jaw Winmar Warriors, around 1,600 people packed the Co-Operators Centre to watch the two games in Regina.
“It was awesome. We’ve had great support all season and it has been outstanding. In the playoffs, they just upped it even more and the boys were excited. It’s nice to see people out and the rink packed and just full of good people and supporting the team. It was really nice to see,” Hodgins said.
The team then went to Kenora, Ont., for the Telus Cup West Regionals, going undefeated in four games to punch their ticket to the Canadian male U18 AAA hockey championship tournament.
“With these players, they are pieces of the puzzle and these guys have bought into different roles and team-first attitude, the whole group of them. All the guys on the team have a role and they’ve really accepted and bought into team-first. I think that’s a big part of our success.
“You have the goal-scorers, you have the penalty-killers, you have the guys who are great and decent in our D-zone. It’s just the whole group buying in and the whole group has bought in and their number one priority is to win hockey games,” Hodgins said.
The Pat Canadians dealt with a bunch of turnovers with their team, with 12 players being rookies this season. Hodgins said that turnover rate means they are doing something right.
“This league is a developmental league and that’s our goal from our program is to develop players and move player son to the next level they want to reach. That’s our number one priority. These guys are always looking to get tot he next level,” he said.
“It’s a big turnover. That’s a positive thing when we look at our program that we have a lot of players turning over and moving on.”
One of those rookies has been phenom Maddox Schultz. The 15-year-old, who was 14 for a majority of the season, led the league with 93 points in the regular season and then also set the pace with 22 points in the playoffs.
Schultz is expected to be the first overall pick in the WHL Draft in May. The Regina Pats won the draft lottery, giving the club a chance to select Schultz who is from The Queen City.
“He’s exciting to watch — dynamic, explosive — he’s a total package. He’s a very special player and a great kid,” Hodgins said.
“I’m impressed with him. He has handled (the attention) very well. The big thing with Maddox is his modesty is crazy. He is so modest. He is a team guy first which makes it big. He deserves all the attention he has gotten and he has handled it well. He’s had a great support cast with his family and his teammates. He has handled it very well and he’s a real focused player. He doesn’t lose focus very often. He has handled the attention very well.”
Hodgins also believes Schultz’s parents have played a big part in how he has handled the pressure and attention that has followed him.
“They are unbelievable people. With Maddox and the way he handles things, the apple doesn’t fall far away from the tree. He is the way he is because of his parents,” he said.
“With his modesty, they are just good all-around people. They understand the team sport and are very educated in high-level sport with themselves being high-level sport (coaches). They are good people and have done a great job with Maddox.”
Now the attention of the team turns to the Telus Cup — their first time at the tournament since 2017 and one it hasn’t won since 1999.
“Our coaching staff is a committed crew and working hard. We’ve got video going and we’re doing as much as we can watching video and prepping and come up with a game plan. Our staff is very committed and they are working hard right now,” Hodgins said.
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