Pats Ink 2022 First-Round Selection Cole Temple

Regina, Sask. — The Regina Pats Hockey Club are proud to announce the signing of 2022 first-round pick Cole Temple to WHL Standard Player Agreement.

“[Regina was] probably the team I talked to the most,” Cole Temple said. “It’s a great feeling and I’m very excited to get things going, but the job has just started. The story is just beginning, so I’m excited for what the future holds and what happens next.”

Temple, 15, was selected fifth overall in the 2022 WHL Prospects Draft after the Pats traded the sixth and 54th overall selections to the Swift Current Broncos in exchange for the fifth overall pick and a 2024 fourth-round pick.

“I was at school in one of my classes,” Temple said of his draft experience. “A bunch of my friends came in the room and we were all watching it on our laptops. Then when we heard the trade with Regina, and that they got fifth overall, I kinda had a feeling Regina would take me because they sounded interested. My name got called and we all just started jumping, laughing and smiling. It was a good experience, it was awesome.”

The Brandon, Man. product led the U15 Winnipeg AAA Hockey League in points (108), while finishing second in goals (58) and third in assists (50) this season with the Brandon Wheat Kings U15 AAA team. The 5-foot-9, 151 lb. forward also produced 30 points (15G-15A) in just 11 playoff games, leading his team to the league championship. Next season, he is set to play with the U-18 Wheat Kings.

“I love to score goals, and I’ve always been that kind of guy,” he added. “In front of the net gives you the best chance to score and I’ve always went to the net. I just want to work hard, get better and stronger every day. I just want to push myself to get better.”

Regina Pats Head Coach and GM John Paddock said he didn’t think they would have the opportunity to draft Temple, given the Pats were originally selecting sixth overall. The Pats then decided to move up in the draft.

“It’s exciting for the organization moving ahead,” Paddock said. “He’s someone our scouts identified as one of the top players in the draft a few months ago. We didn’t really think there was any chance we would end up with him. We thought he would be gone before we were picking at six, but we were able to do something, so it’s exciting for everybody.”

Paddock also added that Temple reminds him of former Pats great Sam Steel, who Regina drafted second overall in 2013 before totaling 338 points (123G-215A) in 258 career games with the club.

“My comparison in my own mind is Sam Steel,” Paddock added. “I think there are a lot of those things in him as far as skating ability and playmaking. They’re both that kind of player. One was taken at two and the other at five, but if we were picking at two, we would have taken him. He’s going to be a very good player in this league.”

The connection to the Temple family between Paddock and Director of Scouting Dale McMullin runs deep, as Cole’s grandfather Ted was a goaltender for the Brandon Wheat Kings, the same club that both Paddock and McMullin played for.

“For his mom and dad to be there, and his grandfather to come in and take a picture with him was a very nice touch,” he said.

The Regina Pats are excited to officially welcome Cole and his family to the organization and to the community of Regina.