Maddox Schultz is living up to high expectations on the national stage.

The 15-year-old star had his second hat trick in three games as the Regina Pat Canadians beat the Elgin Middlesex Canadians 6-2 on Wednesday at the Telus Cup national under-18 championship in Chilliwack, B.C.

Schultz, a Regina native, leads the tournament in scoring with six goals and three assists in three games for the Pat Canadians (3-0). He was named MVP of the Saskatchewan Male U18 AAA Hockey League this season, helping the Pat Canadians advance to the national tournament for the first time since 2017.

Schultz, who turned 15 last month, was considered a strong candidate to apply for major-junior exceptional-player status, which would have allowed him to play an entire season in the WHL next year (drafted players usually must wait a full year for a full season).

But Schultz and his family have opted to enter the league under the new Western Canadian Development Model, which allows a player to play up to 34 regular-season WHL games if they have played up in age in minor hockey.

Schultz likely will get to stay at home to play in the junior ranks after the Regina Pats won the WHL Draft Lottery earlier this month. The WHL Prospects Draft is May 7.

Chicago Blackhawks star Connor Bedard, a former Pat, and defenceman Landon DuPont, who recently completed a strong first season with the Everett Silvertips, are the only players to have been granted exceptional-player status in the WHL.

The top four teams in the six-team Telus Cup round-robin advance to the semifinals on Saturday. The final is Sunday.

The Pat Canadians are looking to capture a fifth national title. They haven’t won since 1999.