Goalie Paddock hopes NHL taking notice
Paddock’s play in Memorial Cup made being drafted by NHL team a possibility
Max Paddock’s whirlwind season isn’t quite over yet.
The Regina Pats goaltender is hoping his improbable ascent from little-known backup to Memorial Cup all-star will culminate at the 2018 NHL draft, which runs June 22-23 in Dallas.
Although there’s no guarantee he’ll be selected, Paddock clearly forced NHL talent evaluators to take notice with an outstanding rookie season that ended Sunday when he was named second star in the Memorial Cup final — a 3-0 loss to the Acadie-Bathurst Titan.
“It’s crazy to think that’s a possibility,” said Paddock, 17. “I would have never thought I would be in this position to potentially get drafted. I have my fingers crossed right now hoping for the best.”
Paddock wasn’t even on the NHL radar until Ryan Kubic was injured on Feb. 9, forcing the Pats to throw their young backup into the fire. He ended up playing 16 of Regina’s final 20 regular season games, staking his claim to the No. 1 job with a 13-2-1 record, 2.33 goals-against average and .920 save percentage.
“I never thought I would get the opportunity that I got; it’s hard to put into words,” he said. “For sure it’s crazy to go from not even being sure if you’re going to make the team … and then getting thrown into a bunch of games and holding my own. I couldn’t picture it happening in a better way.”
Paddock was unable to dress for a first-round WHL playoff series against the Swift Current Broncos after suffering a freak injury in practice. Regina lost that series in seven games but it got a second chance six weeks later as the host team in the Memorial Cup.
The Pats were on their hiatus when Central Scouting released its final rankings for the 2018 NHL draft. Paddock made his first appearance on the list at No. 3 among draft-eligible WHL goaltenders and 22nd overall in North America.
His ranking would certainly have improved had it been released after the Memorial Cup in Regina, where he became a national sensation. Paddock was named a tournament all-star while backstopping Regina to the championship final.
“It’s the biggest stage I’ve played on,” said Paddock, who posted a 3-1 record, 3.65 GAA and .902 save percentage — numbers that were inflated by his team’s lone round robin loss (8-6 versus AcadieBathurst).
“(The Memorial Cup) was the best experience, whether it’s in hockey or just in life, learning how to handle the media stuff and being able to focus. It’s for sure a memory that will last a lifetime.”
Paddock’s remarkable rookie season could have a storybook ending if he’s drafted. That said, he knows from experience it’s not the be-all, end-all after waiting until the 10th round of the 2015 WHL bantam draft to be selected by the Pats.
“It doesn’t matter where you go or if you go,” he said. “It’s what you do after the draft that matters. Whether I get drafted or don’t get drafted, I’ll be motivated to get to the next level.”
The Pats have already been approached by multiple NHL teams, one of which sent a scout to watch Paddock at the Memorial Cup. Another club’s goalie consultant reached out this week to head coach/GM John Paddock, who is Max’s uncle.
“The Memorial Cup helped him for sure,” said John Paddock, who added it’s “very comforting” to know his team appears to be set between the pipes for at least the next two seasons.
“He has to continue to strive to be the best goalie in our division or conference or league or whatever he gets to down the road. But he has shown on a big stage that he’s more than capable.”
Note: Pats RW Emil Oksanen signed a two-year pro contract with SaiPa of the Finnish elite league (Liiga).