Former Pats, Raiders goaltender Paddock thriving in switch to Canada West volleyball
By: Cami Kepke | Western Hockey League
Abbotsford, B.C.- As the son of former Canadian Olympic volleyball player Russell Paddock and nephew of NHL player and longtime hockey executive John Paddock, Max Paddock tried to balance his two sporting passions for as long as he could.
The Brandon, Man. product would hurry to volleyball practices after high school classes and scarf down a meal while he headed to the rink afterward, mustering the last of his energy to complete his homework at night.
But a golden opportunity to join the Regina Pats full-time in 2017 when he was 17 years old saw Paddock commit full-time to hockey in one of the most exciting seasons in the squad’s recent history.
“I was able to step in and I did well and that kind of just solidified hockey for me,” Paddock said. “At Christmas time, I think that we were about .500. We weren’t even in a playoff spot and then we made some trades after that turned things around. From that moment on it was just a roller coaster of the season.”
After going 19-7-1-1 in his first full season, Paddock was forced to watch from the stands as the Pats fell to the eventual WHL Champion Swift Current Broncos in an exhausting seven-game series.
The loss was a gut punch, but Regina was already slated to host the 2018 Memorial Cup in a matter of weeks- and 47 days after their elimination, the Pats hit the ice once again at the Brandt Centre, this time, led by Paddock.
Heroic performances from Paddock and Pats Captain Sam Steel would see Regina down the Hamilton Bulldogs, earn sweet revenge against the Broncos, and make it all the way to the Memorial Cup final for the first time since 1974, where they fell to the Acadie-Bathurst Titan.
“It was crazy,” Paddock recalled. “It was so loud. There were times when I couldn’t even hear myself think.
Even though we didn’t win, just being able to come together as a team for that one common goal is something so special. A lot of those guys on that team are still some of my closest friends and we made- it’s always such a corny saying- but we made memories on that team that last a lifetime. Truly.”
Paddock made a tournament-high 185 stops over five games and was recognized as a member of the Memorial Cup All-Star Team.
He wouldn’t make it back to the big dance after that unforgettable introduction to the league but would suit up for nearly 150 games with the Pats and Prince Albert Raiders.
But after graduating from major junior and making a cross-country move to pursue university hockey, Paddock admits the game had lost some of its shine.
When his hometown friend Reece Wilson, a libero for the University of Fraser Valley Cascades, invited Paddock to join several Canada West volleyball players in a summer training game, his passion for the sport came rushing back.
“I thought ‘Whatever, I’ll throw on a pair of shoes and have some fun’,” Paddock recalled. “Two hours later, I was like, ‘Why did I ever stop playing volleyball?”
Making a Canda West team after nearly seven years away from the game felt like a long shot, but Paddock was able to crack the Fraser Valley Cascades roster and join Wilson in Abbotsford.
Just like he did with the Pats, Paddock was able to seize an opportunity and run with it.
After spending his first campaign with the Cascades as a serving substitute and chipping in as a back-row defender, Paddock won the starting setting job in his second season, blending his volleyball and hockey skills.
“Especially as a goalie, you’re kind of reacting with your hands at times- kind of like making a glove save,” The now-23-year-old explained. “When the ball goes on the other side, I kind of envision that like in hockey when the puck goes down to the other end. You have this little split second to kind of reset, you know, if you made a bad set or whatever, you have this moment to let it go and focus on the next play.”
Paddock’s campaign with the Cascades has been cut short by a fractured finger, but he’s still looking forward to the future.
He’s using his WHL Scholarship to complete his Kinesiology degree and hopes to pursue a Master’s Degree in Sports Science.
The balancing act of his high school days has also returned, with Paddock finding a new passion in coaching the 15U Junior Cascades Volleyball Club and working in goalie development with the Western Canadian Hockey Academy.
While he doesn’t feel any pressure to pick one side once and for all, Paddock does hope his efforts will leave both sports better than he found them- with another generation building memories and a love of the game.
“It was just so rewarding to see them grow and develop,” Paddock said of his first turn behind the bench. “That kind of changed my thought process totally on school and what I want to do. I’m hoping to get into coaching or something of that nature just because of how rewarding it felt watching these kids enjoy the game and do what they love and get better throughout the year and show progress. The club season is only about three months and they gain so much skill and they’re having experiences that will last their lifetime.”
