EDMONTON – There’s a dichotomy at play when it comes to 16-year-old Regina Pats forwards Maddox Schultz and Liam Pue.
They’re already quite familiar with the WHL because their skill and track record of playing against older competition in minor hockey allowed them to be half-time players last season.
But since the league considers them rookies – they were affiliate players in 2025-26 under the Western Canadian Development Model – Schultz and Pue do the tasks first-year players are expected to do like picking up pucks after practice.
“We haven’t really talked about it much, but boys still throw around the word ‘rookie’ to describe me,” Schultz said.
Make no mistake, though, they’re rookies in distinction only.
Schultz and Pue are atypical 16-year-olds on the ice. They’re future NHL starts in the making and are already leaned on heavily by their junior team at such a young age.
David Bell was named Pats coach in June. He took the job because of the direction the team is heading with Schultz and Pue at the forefront.
“They are obviously the two focal points of it,” he said.
It’s something Schultz takes pride in as the Regina-raised kid who used to watch Pats squads fronted by Sam Steel and Connor Bedard.
“I’ve always wanted to lead this team,” he said.
On the ice is one thing. When the skates aren’t laced up is another.
Schultz’s and Pue’s lives aren’t like most other kids their age. That’s evident by the fact they take school classes in the afternoons at the rink after practice when the team isn’t on the road.
Bell makes sure to be mindful that he’s working with kids – by definition and at heart – by having daily check-ins with Schultz and Pue.
“They’re still teenage boys, plus they’re two of the best hockey players in the world at their age,” he said.
That youthful exuberance was so apparent when Schultz’s eyes caught someone famous after the Pats morning skate ahead of their game against the Edmonton Oil Kings last week. Our conversation quickly got sidetracked.
“Louie DeBrusk just walked by and I’m a huge Oilers fan,” Schultz said, gushing over the colour commentator. “So, I’m lost.”
Schultz caught up with Pue a couple minutes later, and they rushed over to main rink and stood starry-eyed by the glass to watch the NHL’s Oilers practice.
Of course, it was only two months earlier that the two forwards dominated on the very same ice for Canada at the under-18 Hlinka Gretzky Cup. They were Canada’s two youngest players, yet Schultz led the tournament in scoring and Pue was first in goals in a gold-medal effort.
“It was definitely a shock to do what me and Maddox did in that tournament,” Pue said.
“It’s hard to put into words what that tournament meant to me,” Schultz added.
Bell took in the tournament live with thoughts dancing of how their performances could translate to the WHL in their first full-time season.
“It was really special to watch, the chemistry they had,” Bell said.
Still, the brakes are being tapped a bit.
For one thing, Schultz and Pue are adjusting to life as regular WHLers, though, there certainly is the benefit of not having to shuffle back and forth between AAA Pat Canadians.
That's what they did last year after being selected first and third, respectively, by the Pats in the 2025 WHL draft.
“You feel like it’s a steady schedule and you don’t play that any games – even though you do,” Pue said. “We played 90-plus games last year. It’s nice that you have one team, one group.
“You’re with the guys every day now, so it’s a lot easier to build relationships.”
Bell is cognizant about putting them in positions to succeed, too.
Pue is an elite scorer that has drawn comparisons to Steven Stamkos, not only for his wicked shot but for his ability to play both centre and wing. He wants to play the wing right now – “You can play on the wing with good players in your middle, and Maddox is a great complement to that,” Pue said – and Bell, plans on accommodating.
The coach sees some Tyler Toffoli traits in Pue and believes there will be some benefits to letting him round out his defensive game along the boards rather than up the middle.
Schultz, meanwhile, is a dynamic centre whose attention to detail and questions for Bell make him seem “16 going on 25.” It’s no wonder Schultz was named an alternate captain.
Those sound like two players Bell can just trot out together without worry. Not so. He plans on splitting them up when required on the road to avoid hard matchups with 19- and 20-year-old centres and defencemen.
“They’re still two 16-year-olds,” Bell said.
That they are.
They don’t play it.
Pue had his first WHL hat trick in Calgary on Sunday, helping the Pats hand the Hitmen their first loss of the season. He’s up to four goals and seven points in five games.
Schultz chipped in with a helper and has three assists in four contests, having missed the season opener with an injury.
“We’ve done pretty good so far at the start of the season,” Pue said. “But we’re going to keep progressing as the games go on.”
They might not play like 16-year-old, but they certainly do act their age.
Schultz was having a blast at the morning skate in Edmonton, smacking his stick against the glass and hollering cheers when teammates did something impressive.
“It’s a new year playing on a new team,” Schultz said. “It’s just exciting times.”
Naturally, he and Pue were then two of the last players off the ice after they did their rookie duties together.
“There’s been so many players before us that have gone through it solo,” Schultz said. “To have someone to always support you and be by your side and always have your back, it’s amazing.
“I’ll always have his back. He’ll always have mine. It’s a great friendship we’re building. Hopefully it continues forever.”
