Maddox Schultz and Liam Pue just might have this connection thing down pat.
They had it last season while splitting time between the AAA Regina Pat Canadians and the WHL’s Regina Pats.
They certainly had it at the recent Hlinka Gretzky Cup, making good on pre-tournament expectations.
Schultz and Pue were Canada’s youngest players, the only two 2010s. The former co-led the event with 10 points, whereas the latter was right behind with nine points and topped all goal scorers with six. Not bad for five games’ work.
“We’ve been clicking lately and it’s been great to see,” Schultz said on the SportsCage. “We’ve been playing a lot together, both in the WHL and midget AAA. We’ve definitely built a strong bond off the ice, and it translates on the ice with the chemistry. It’s awesome.
“We work really well together. It showed in the tournament there.”
WHL opponents beware.
The duo played a half season with the Pats in 2025-26 as 15-year-olds under the Western Canadian Development Model but are due for full-time duty when the upcoming season starts next month.
Schultz adjusted well to major junior, recording 15 goals and 29 points in 34 games and garnered a bigger role for the stretch drive.
“That was a big development year for both me and Liam,” Schultz said. “I thought the team bounced back really well and eventually made playoffs. That was a big step for us. The biggest thing I learned was how fast the game is and how strong everybody is. Each and every night, you’ve got to be dialled in and ready to go because you know it’s going to be a battle.
“This year, we’re really excited and we’re looking to do something special here.”
The Regina-raised Schultz has been eagerly preparing this offseason for the 2026-27 WHL campaign.
He said he’s been lifting heavier weights, working on his shot almost daily under the tutelage of Trevor Lakness at TS Hockey Shooting, and dissecting videos of NHL stars like Nikita Kucherov and Macklin Celebrini “just to gain some information on how they play.”
He felt he gained more experience taking faceoffs at the Hlinka Gretzky tourney and wants to become elite in that facet, too.
“It’s definitely going to be a big year for the Pats and Regina,” the centre said. “I’m just trying to take that next step.”
Schultz has mixed in a bit of fun with all this summer training and studying. Golf and pickleball are hobbies, he said. But nothing’s quite as fun as winning.
Schultz was an alternate captain for Canada, which won the Hlinka Gretzky Cup on Aug. 8 with a convincing victory over the United States in the final.
“It was so fun in that tournament to go through it with that group of guys,” he said. “Right from the start, our coaching staff made it clear that our final goal was to win a gold medal. That’s what we did. Obviously, beating the Americans in the final is so special. They’re our biggest rivals. Beating them that badly, 8-1, is amazing for Canada. It was just a great tournament overall.”
Watch the full interview below.
