Alumni Update: Steel, Fleury, Paddock, Klimchuk
Regina, Sask. – Regina Pats alumni Sam Steel, Cale Fleury, Max Paddock and Morgan Klimchuk made significant moves in their hockey careers and lives this week.
Sam Steel
The Minnesota Wild announced Tuesday that they have signed Pats alumnus Sam Steel to a one-year contract, worth $825,000. Steel, 24, collected 20 points (6G-14A) in 68 games with the Anaheim Ducks last season. The 5-foot-11, 184 lb. centre set career-highs in games played and blocked shots (27) and tied his career best in goals for the fourth consecutive season. The Ardrossan, Alta. product posted 65 points (24G-41A) over 197 NHL games with the Ducks over parts of four seasons. He led NHL rookies in faceoffs won (369) and faceoff percentage (50.3%) in 2019-20 (min. 400 faceoffs) and became the youngest Ducks player (21 years, 51 days) to record a hat trick at Vancouver on March 26, 2019.
The former Pats captain played for Regina for parts of five seasons from 2013-2018, recording 338 points (123G-215A) in 258 career WHL games, helping the Pats reach to the 2018 Memorial Cup, and later being named Memorial Cup MVP leading all players in scoring with 13 points (2G-11A) in five contests. The former Ducks 2016 first-round pick ranks seventh in Pats history in assists.
Cale Fleury
The Seattle Kraken announced Tuesday that they have resigned right-handed defenceman Cale Fleury to a one-year, two-way contract worth $750,000. Fleury, 23, posted 33 points (7G-26A) in 58 games for the Eastern Division-winning Charlotte Checkers last season, while also skating in nine NHL games with the Kraken. The Calgary, Alta. product totaled 41 points (6G-35A) in 51 games with the Pats during the 2017-18 season after being acquired from the Kootenay ICE.
Max Paddock
Former Pats goaltender Max Paddock announced on Monday that he will be switching sports, transferring to the University of the Fraser Valley from Acadia University and joining the Cascades men’s volleyball team. Paddock, 22, hails from Brandon, Man. and spent last season with Acadia’s hockey program where the former Pats goaltender posted a 3.17 goals-against average and .898 save percentage in nine games, going 2-6-0. Paddock played for the Pats from 2016-2020, most notably playing in 33 games in the 2017-18 season, recording a 2.90 goals-against average and a .903 save percentage, helping the Pats reach the Memorial Cup final as hosts.
Morgan Klimchuk
The WHL’s Victoria Royals announced Monday that they have hired former Pats forward Morgan Klimchuk as an assistant coach. Born in Regina, Sask. Klimchuk played for the Pats for parts of five seasons, amassing 217 points (98G-119A) in 228 games from 2011-2015. The 27-year-old was previously drafted out of the Pats organization by the Calgary Flames in the first-round in 2013 before going onto play parts of seven seasons of professional hockey split between the AHL and NHL.
