Maddox Schultz is On His Way to 1st Overall in the 2028 NHL Draft – The Hockey Writers – NHL Prospects

The Hlinka Gretzky Cup is the unofficial start of NHL Draft season, and the 2027 NHL Draft is already promising to be an exciting class. Exceptional status defender Landon DuPont is the early favourite ahead of Brock England and Alexis Joseph, while Dima Zhilkin, Jonah Neuenschwander, Brock Cripps and Milan Sundstrom make up a very strong second tier of first-round talent.

However, after four games, it’s 16-year-old Maddox Schultz who leads all those players with his seven points. Although he was given exceptional status to play U18 games as a 14-year-old, he didn’t apply for it through the Western Hockey League (WHL), instead choosing to take his development slower. It’s hard to argue with his approach, as he’s easily been one of the most electric players at the Hlinka Gretzky Cup, and is on track to be the first name called at the 2028 Draft.

The Hype for Number One

The WHL has been a hotbed of talent in recent years. DuPont was granted exceptional status in 2024, and proceeded to set the record for the most points by a 15-year-old in league history, then helped the Everett Silvertips claim their first Ed Chynoweth Cup in 2025-26 with 23 points in 17 playoff games. In 2024-25, Gavin McKenna did the same for the Medicine Hat Tigers, with 38 points in just 16 playoff games, pushing the Tigers to their sixth WHL title. Connor Bedard, the first player granted exceptional status in the WHL, put up 143 points as a 17-year-old, the most at that age since 1982.

So where does Schultz fit in?

“He’s built like Crosby, he can score like Crosby, gets in tight around the net,” said Todd Ripplinger, who’s served as a WHL scout for over 30 years. “His shot is so, so hard and strong already for a 14-year-old, but his biggest attribute is his skating.”

Being compared to Sidney Crosby is incredibly high praise, but even though he’s still a long way away from his draft day, few are arguing against his place as the top pick.

“Schultz is the top prize as of now,” wrote Daily Faceoff’s Steven Ellis. “He’s so fast, strong, skilled and defensively responsible already. Schultz is the closest to becoming a legitimate star of the draft crop, and it’ll be fun to watch him play alongside Liam Pue over the next few years.”

Although Schultz didn’t apply for exceptional status, he was permitted to join the Regina Pats for 34 games last season because he had previously been granted the ability to play U18 hockey at 14 years old. In that brief showing, the first pick in the 2025 WHL Draft put up 15 goals and 29 points, which averages out to 58 points over a full season. That’s just eight points shy of Connor McDavid’s 15-year-old totals and better than both Michael Misa and Joe Veleno at the same age.

For the rest of the season, Schultz was tearing up AAA with the Regina Pat Canadians. In 2024-25, he led the league with 43 goals and 93 points in 44 games, then finished 16th in scoring in 2025-26 despite playing less than half as many games as anyone else above him. The only other player who came even close to his unbelievable 2.86 points per game was his teammate, Pue, who finished with 2.29.

Breaking Down Schultz’s Game

While Schultz is producing like an exceptional-status player, some have been hesitant to put him in the same category as the others. “I don’t think I’d say he’s going to be the next Connor Bedard,” admitted Ripplinger ahead of the 2025 WHL Draft, “but he’s more of a 200-foot player. He’s special, game-smart, a tremendous skater with great hockey sense.”

Bedard was a revelation when he arrived in Regina in 2020-21. In just 15 games in the pandemic-shortened season, the WHL’s first player with exceptional status had 12 goals and 28 points. That’s a 127-point scoring pace. He nearly reached that lofty total as a 16-year-old, finishing with 100 points in 62 games, then finished his junior career with an incredible 143-point season before going first overall to the Chicago Blackhawks. Living up to that is nearly impossible, and Schultz was wise not to pursue exceptional status, especially since he ended up with the same junior team.

However, that’s not to say that Schultz isn’t excellent at what he does. One of the best examples of his all-around skill set came on Feb 11, 2026, against the Saskatoon Blades. In a wild back-and-forth game, Schultz finished with his first WHL hat trick, including two game-tying goals and a game-winner.

Schultz’s game is built on speed. He charges into the attacking zone, and few players can catch him when he gets going, but he always remains aware of what’s going on around him. That makes him a great playmaker as well, and he can consistently put the puck right on the tape of his teammates, no matter where they are. But it’s Schultz’s shot that has made him one of the most hyped prospects coming out of the WHL, and with both power and accuracy, it’s already one of the tougher shots for a goalie to stop.

But what’s most impressive is his work ethic. Schultz is very strong on the forecheck and not afraid to charge into the corners or behind the net to fight for a puck against much bigger, older opponents. In the game against Saskatoon, he was always looking to pick off a weak pass, and he nearly did twice before finally getting one at the blueline, leading to one of his goals.

“He’s just an all-round, two-way complete player,” said TSN’s Craig Button. “There’s no area in the game where he’s not a factor. Simple as that. He’s young, and he’s a leader, and he’s dialled into the details.”

That combination of skill, effort, and confidence made him a surprising choice as one of Canada’s alternate captains for the Hlinka Gretzky, but he’s already proving the team made the right decision. He has taken more of a playmaking role, using his defensive sense to help create scoring chances. Switzerland saw just how good he is at that, as he somehow found Pue’s stick perfectly with a behind-the-back pass into net-front traffic.