Welcome to this edition of The Hockey News’ WHL 2025-26 preview series. Leading up to opening night of the 2025-26 season, THN’s WHL team will preview each Western Hockey League organization and provide a prediction on how each team will perform during the campaign. Today’s edition is a stop in the Queen City to take a look at the Regina Pats.
Last season, Regina missed the playoffs posting a 16-44-5-3 record while making several trades to improve the team for the future, selling off the likes of Tanner Howe, Corbin and Jaxsin Vaughan, Sam Oremba, Aleksey Chichkin and Anthony Wilson. Regina will look to take the next step in their rebuild and punch a ticket to the WHL playoffs in 2025-26.
Key Departures:
D John Babcock, F Braxton Whitehead
Babcock and Whitehead aged out of the WHL ranks following last season.
Key Arrivals:
F Shea Rollason, F Maddox Schultz, F Liam Pue, F Ellis Mieyette, F Dayce Derkatch
Rollason was acquired from the Everett Silvertips as part of the Zackary Shantz trade last season. Derkatch was acquired from the Prince Albert Raiders in exchange for a third round pick, he is the son of current Pats general manager and franchise great Dale Derkatch. Ellis Mieyette spent last year with the Drumheller Dragons in the Alberta Junior Hockey League posting 51 points (12g, 39a) in 48 games, he is committed to Lindenwood University.
Schultz and Pue will each spend 34 games with the Pats this season after being selected 1st and 3rd overall in the 2025 WHL Prospects Draft. The pair of 15-year-olds should provide a lot of excitement in Regina for many years to come.
2025-26 X-Factor:
Kelton Pyne. While Pyne’s record and save percentage stats don’t jump off the page, the 20-year-old netminder’s goals against average dropped from 4.30 in 2023-24 to 3.56 last season. If that trend continues, Pyne will be a major reason why the Pats will be in the playoff hunt as the season goes along.
2025-26 Prediction:
The Pats haven’t made the playoffs since the 2022-23 season when they fell to the Saskatoon Blades in the first round in Connor Bedard’s draft season. With a young roster and the steady veteran presence of Pyne in net, Regina should take the next step in their rebuild this season and be in the thick of the race for a playoff spot in 2025-26.
-Fifth in East Division, Ninth in Eastern Conference
Liam Pue (#13) of the Regina Pats skates with the puck during a pre-season game at the Art Hauser Centre earlier this month. (Photo by Mark Peterson Media - Prince Albert Raiders)Make sure you bookmark THN's WHL site and add us to your favourites on Google News for the latest news, exclusive interviews, breakdowns, and so much more. This article originally appeared on The Hockey News.
The Hockey News