Seven games into the Western Hockey League season, Regina Pats' head coach Brad Herauf likes the production from his two 15 year olds, Maddox Schultz and Liam Pue.
"I think everyone's probably going to point to points and goals. I think that the role that both were playing in our team, Maddox, you could say, is centering our number one line, and Liam's been our second line right winger. Everyone thinks that the last time we had 15 year olds in here it was during the bubble. These guys weren't going to school, they were playing home games all the time. A lot of the things that these boys are going through now, driving to PA, going to school, all the outside things that really pull you away from hockey, these kids are having to face right now," Herauf said.
"I've been very happy with what they brought to our hockey club so far. I think it's completely unnecessary that we put extra pressure on these kids with goals, with points, or even comparing them to other people. I think Connor [Bedard] is a different person than Maddox, and he's a different person than Liam. Maddox and Liam are different people. We want that commonality of what the last great 15-year-old did. But in the end, they're human beings, and they're different people. Maddox brings a different skill set than Connor does."
Bedard, currently playing with the Chicago Blackhawks, and Tanner Howe, with Pittsburgh Penguins, were both 15 years old in the WHL bubble for the 2020-2021 season and played for Regina. In 15 games, Bedard scored 12 goals and recorded 16 assists. Howe scored one goal and one assist in eight games. Schultz has contributed four assists in seven games, while Pue has scored one goal and earned two assists in six games.
Both Schultz and Pue are splitting time between the Pats and the Pat Canadians due to the Western Canadian Development Model. That rule allows Schultz and Pue, who got permission to play in U18 as underage players in the previous season, to play 34 games in the WHL as 15 year olds. This season for the Pat Canadians, Schultz has scored eight goals and added three assists in four games, Pue has contributed eight assists during the same span.
Meanwhile, both Schultz and Pue have been selected to represent the Canada White team in the 2025 World Under-17 Hockey Challenge.
"It means a lot. Watching the best players in Canada wear that leaf with pride and do what they do with it, it's really special," Schultz explained. "For me to throw that jersey on now, it's going to be really cool."
Like Schultz, Pue was excited to have the honour of representing Canada.
"It's pretty amazing. It's pretty surreal," Pue said. "You never really think you'll have the opportunity to do it, and you get to do it alongside Maddox on the same team, it's pretty special."
Herauf explains how he broke the news to Schultz and Pue about their selection for the team.
"It's one of the great parts of this job when you get to deliver news like that to these kids. It's joy and maybe a sense of relief because I know that there was something on their radar for both of them," Hearuf said. "It's one of the great things of seeing that twinkle in their eye and that happiness comes over them. It's really good to be a part of it."
Next up for the Pats is a trip to Prince Albert to take on the Raiders Friday. Dante De Caria has the pre-game show at 6:30 p.m. and the game call at 7 p.m.
