Regina Pats win WHL Draft lottery, will select first overall in May

By MEDICINE HAT NEWS on April 11, 2025.

sports@medicinehatnews.com@MedicineHatNews

The Regina Pats will have their pick of the WHL prospect litter this May, with a hometown kid shining from the bunch.

The Pats were the winners of the WHL Draft lottery Thursday night, moving from second to first overall. The Edmonton Oil Kings, who held the Moose Jaw Warriors’ pick, had the best odds to win the lottery but will select second. The Kelowna Rockets have the third overall pick.

All six non-playoff teams had a chance to win the lottery, with only Edmonton, Regina and Kelowna eligible to pick first.

It’s the third time in franchise history the Pats will select first overall, the last in 2020 when they selected Connor Bedard with the No. 1 pick. The expansion Penticton Vees will pick fourth overall.

Regina product Maddox Schultz is considered as the top prospect for the upcoming WHL draft; the 15-year-old had 43 goals and 93 points in 44 games to win the Saskatchewan Male U18 AAA Hockey League scoring race as an underage player. He was also named league MVP and rookie of the year.

The first round of the 2025 WHL Prospects Draft is scheduled for May 7, with the rest of the draft to be held on May 8.

Medicine Hat does not hold a first-round pick in the 2025 draft as the Tigers traded that selection, along with four other draft picks and two skaters to the Saskatoon Blades in exchange for Tanner Molendyk and Misha Volotovskii.

The WHL also unveiled the draft selection for the U.S. Priority Draft, to be held May 8.

All six non-playoff teams and the eight teams eliminated in the first round of the WHL Playoffs were eligible to win the lottery for the first pick. The Brandon Wheat Kings won the lottery and will pick first, followed by Moose Jaw and Edmonton.

For the second year in a row, the Tigers hold the 16th overall pick.

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