By now I think most fans would agree that Nolan Patrick- to this point- hasn’t been able to live up to the hype that came with being drafted 2nd overall back in 2017 when the Flyers were both extremely lucky enough and elated to shoot up 11 spots (via the draft lottery) to be able to make that selection.
Philadelphia then thought that they had been gifted with what would turn out to be their next face of the franchise- a player who would then help them to get back to their rightful spot on top of the Eastern Conference. But what they actually ended up with was an injury-prone player whose poor play this season has forced the Flyers to relegate him to the team’s 4th line.
Nolan Patrick (who stands at 6’2 and 198 pounds) once drew draft-day comparisons to the great Anaheim Ducks legend Ryan Getzlaf because of his size, skill, and leadership qualities that he possessed while playing for the Western Hockey League’s (WHL) Brandon Wheat Kings. Now, Patrick does not even show us a glimpse of his former self anymore. Way back in the 2015-16 season with the Wheat Kings he scored 41 goals and 61 assists, for 102 points in the regular season. All while maintaining an astonishing plus 51 average. While his efforts were good enough to score a 1.41 point per game (PPG) average, he was able to beat that come playoff time that season when he carried Brandon to a WHL championship netting 13 goals and 17 assists for 30 points while maintaining a plus 19 in the post season. For his efforts he was named the WHL’s playoff MVP that year.
With these kinds of astounding numbers, it seemed like a no-brainer for the Flyers to take this game changer (who was named the CHL’s top prospect that year) off the board after the New Jersey Devils decided to select the Switzerland-born Nico Hischier from the Halifax Mooseheads instead, with the number one overall selection.
What the Flyers deliberately chose to ignore though, when selecting Patrick, was his medical records: Within his medical charts there are injuries dating back to his time before he even was called up to the Wheat Kings that were concerning. This decision has proven to be quite an abomination so far. In fact, Patrick’s injury history before being drafted was so extensive that it included a shoulder injury in the ‘13-‘14 season, an upper body injury (possible concussion) in 2014-15, and a sports hernia in 2016 which Nolan was able to play through but later had to have surgery to repair once he was drafted to the NHL by the Flyers. This type of injury proneness should have been a forewarning for the Flyers of what was to come but management didn’t see it that way. This trend would continue once in the Pros. With the highlight so far being when Patrick was forced to miss the entire 2019-2020 season due to a migraine disorder which most likely resulted from acquiring yet another concussion.
Not wanting to give up on this once-promising prospect just yet, the Flyers did the right thing this past season by re-signing the then-restricted free agent to a one-year “prove it” type deal worth just $874,125, with the hopes that Nolan would come out this year and prove his naysayers wrong and improve upon his less-than-impressive career highs of just 13 goals and 31 points. Yet again, this decision by Philadelphia would not turn out quite as they may have hoped: Patrick managed to score only 4 goals and 5 assists for 9 points in 52 GP this season. His efforts and point production failed in comparison to even Flyers’ rookie Wade Allison who (while playing in just 14 games this season after being called up from the Lehigh Valley Phantoms) was able to total 7 points. Furthermore, and perhaps the most alarming aspect of Patrick’s game this past season, was his plus minus rating in which he posted a team worst -30 on the year. To put that into perspective just how horrendous Nolan’s play in his own end was this season, his average left him tied for 2nd worst in the entire league in this category! Leaving only the Buffalo Sabers Rasmus Dahlin as the only player in the league with a worse average (-36!).
While his play lately does not help this restricted free agent’s chances this off season, his age might. It will be hard for the team to move on from this still young 22-year-old player. Patrick just finished his 4th season in the NHL when some other highly touted players his age like Flyers prospects Morgan Frost and Isaac Ratcliffe have still yet to even advance their game enough to deserve a chance to play at the NHL level on a consistent basis. But does that mean that the Flyers should just up and re-sign Patrick and thus bestow a roster spot once again to him just because of his draft stock? At what point should the team’s general manager Chuck Fletcher and head coach Alain Vigneault (who are on the hotseat themselves after this disappointing season) move on from this once-great talent? You have to remember that neither of them has a tie to Patrick. They both came in after the previous administration had already drafted him.
In fact, when asked about Nolan Patrick’s play this season and his future moving forward in the team’s exit press conference that happened on 5-11-2021, neither had many words of admiration for Patrick, with Fletcher saying, “Well a positive thing was that Patrick was able to get through the season.” Vigneault stated, “It was no doubt a challenging year for Patrick.” These comments lead this writer to believe that these two were recalling back to what their mothers had instilled in them growing up, saying if you don’t have anything nice to say, then don’t say anything at all.
Unlike Oskar Lindblom- who is still not fully 100% after his courageous battle with cancer and thus is deserving of a free pass for his drop in production this year, Patrick’s situation should be viewed a bit differently this offseason. Patrick claims that he is indeed “Back to 100% health now” but should we believe him? Patrick, in this credentialed writer’s mind, is not the same happy kid that I met when I was still just a fan right after he was drafted. Today Nolan seems a bit different, very melancholy, reserved, and now a man of very few words when interviewed. Actually, he reminds this long-time Flyers fan of other former Flyers who acted much of the same way once diagnosed with concussion-like symptoms: Eric Lindros, Keith Primeau, Chris Pronger, and Ian Laperrière. Therefore, it might be in the team’s best interest to proceed with extreme caution if they are going to look to re-sign him. Some players can make a full recovery after being diagnosed and some will continue to feel the effects for the rest of their life (leaving them but a shell of their former self’s). If the Flyers want to fight their way back into the playoffs next season they will need to get better defensively and improving upon their bottom six forwards. This may mean that the Flyers should look outside of the organization in which to do so (as Chuck Fletcher has already alluded to wanting to do this off season in the previously mentioned press conference that happened just a few short days ago). With that being said, if this means that the team then decides to bite the bullet and looks to trade Patrick’s rights in a package deal this off season in order to bring in a much bigger piece that could help now, they may be inclined to do so. Or if they even decide to ship him out for a few broken sticks and a couple of chewed up mouthpieces in order to create an open roster spot to sign an unrestricted free agent that they think may be a better fit for the organization moving forward then so be it! Philadelphia may regret it in the end if Patrick goes elsewhere and does well, but the organization can’t base their decisions solely on the “what if’s”. They must do what is right for the team now, and sadly, that just may mean moving on from the young Nolan Patrick.
Wish the kid well, but let’s face it, he is a bust. Throw in the injuries and it is time to send him packing.
TK in my mind as well can go with him.
It is starting to seem that way for sure. Thanks for the read!
He had plenty of opportunity but never showed a burning desire to be all he could be. I’d have to get what I could and move on. That would probably ensure his blooming as a top line forward.
That is the way that it usually works for the Flyers. Thanks for the read!
Doesn’t really matter – if we keep him, he’ll continue to flounder. If we let him go, he’ll be hoisting the Stanley Cup in a few years – happens with most of the former Flyers.
I thought AV would fix things, but he seems to make them worse. CG and JV and JVR can all go – none has the desire to win. They all make the same canned BS statements after losses, but none really cares because they get their big fat paycheck whether they win or lose.
I hate Crosby, but at least he cares and you know he tries to be the best he can be – can’t say that for any Flyers.
Thanks for the read! I hear you it is frustrating. Why the Flyers have endlessly changed coaches and goalies over the years and not thought to shakeup the core group when some of them have been here now 14 years and have not managed win it all is beyond me.