Nolan Patrick entered this 2020-21 season with a chip on his shoulder. He wanted to prove to his doubters that he could stay healthy, as well as, produce. Patrick has a world of talent and people have seen flashes of this throughout his two years of playing for the Flyers (2017-18, 2018-19), as he has accumulated 62 points in 156 games played, “See how camp goes and go from there,” Patrick said on the first day of training camp.
Patrick started off hot by accumulating two goals, and three assists in his first seven games played. However, he had trouble producing regularly for the rest of the season. He played sound defensively, as Patrick needed to step up on the defensive side of the puck, especially when the Flyers number one Center was on the shelf in Sean Couturier. Patrick won puck battles, skated hard, and was in the right spots defensively.
At times this young 22-year-old in Patrick appeared to be winded, this looking lethargic on the ice. This more than likely was from a conditioning aspect from not being able, and he may have not have been able to ramp up working out until a month before the season began (Thus playing in scrimmages). We have to remember the Flyers had to clear him for contact, and I’m sure they gave him a list of what he could and couldn’t do.
The good things Patrick did well this year was creating turnovers, and he also did not shy away from using his body to his advantage. Patrick appears to be in the right spots to pick off pucks, and moves players into the boards thus forcing a turnover. Patrick has also registered 45 hits this season, and blocked 18 shots. He takes away space, as his gap control has been impeccable on the defensive side of the puck. There was a reason he was in the lineup regularly throughout the course of the season.
Some of Patrick’s points do not happen if he does not head to tough areas in the slot where he knows he’s going to hit, and win puck battles. It really shows that he is healthy, and had put the migraine disorder in the rear view mirror. “Yeah for sure” Patrick said when asked if he struggled to produce because he thought about producing a lot.
“I’m a huge fan of Patty,” Claude Giroux said. “He’s got the whole skill set, big body, he competes every night. That’s the guy you want to go to battle with. So for me personally with Patty, I’m very excited to see him play and come to camp next year.”
“I think on a positive front, Nolan was able to physically get through this season.– Chuck Fletcher at exit interviews
“After missing the 18, 19, 20 months, whatever it was of not playing, I think it’s a positive that he was able to complete the season,” Fletcher said. “He took some big hits. He played. From that standpoint, that’s something he can build off of. He wasn’t fully cleared to play until just prior to camp. He’s one of those players that I’m not sure had a normal offseason. Personally, I believe there’s another level to his conditioning and strength he can get to as he can train. I think he wasn’t skating the same, particularly in back to back games. You could see a drop-off in his skating. I do think there’s some things that could be improved just by being healthy and having a normal summer. I think we’ll have a better feel where Nolan’s at into next year. Our expectation is that he has a great summer, gets a little stronger, and gets a little more explosive. Comes into camp in a type of condition that he wasn’t able to achieve this year. That in turn will allow him to play the game in a higher level.”
Yes, Patrick has hired his third agent since entering the NHL. He still would come at a cheap price for the Flyers. Patrick could re-sign for a $900,000-$1 million cap hit, which would be cheap for a third line center or winger, and one that plays sound defense. He knows he has to finish more, and that is an area that he hopefully improves upon next season. At this price listed above, it would not hinder the Flyers cap wise, and his trade value I’m sure is at his lowest right now. So what’s the upside in moving him? I guess one could argue the Flyers are nearing the 50 total contract threshold, although I’m not concerned about this coming season. Patrick could even be utilized as the 13th forward.
Whatever the case maybe for Patrick. It appears the Flyers know the importance of having a full offseason to train properly, and that maybe something Patrick could not do last offseason, due to obvious reasons.
At the end of the day the Flyers still believe in Patrick, “I didn’t know Nolan from before,” Flyers Head Coach Alain Vigneault said. “He didn’t play last year. The only thing that I can really say is that there’s no doubt that he had a challenging year. Positively, like Chuck mentioned, was the fact that he was able to play the whole year. Hopefully with a season under his belt and a normal summer of conditioning, training and skating, he comes back next year. He’s a good player for us. This year there’s no doubt was very challenging.”
Click here to shop for our latest sporting apparel for Flyers Nitty Gritty
MINUS 30!
Hextall drafted really poorly in case of Patrick, as any of next three players that went in that draft in Miro Heiskanen, Cale Makar and Elias Pettersson would have been a franchise changer! But now, we should put Patrick play year in AHL, just like we did in case of Scott Laughton, and put him true a skating rehersals, and maybe he can be use to us later, just like Laughton, who became a good asset for our corrent team! I strongly think, that is the only play in saving Patricks career!
Literally every GM in the league would have taken Patrick with the 2and pick. Which crystal ball were you using?
Pert(the poster above this one), it’s easy to be a Monday morning quarterback on Patrick. He has been a failure as an NHL player thus far, while other players drafted behind him, have been outstanding. I believe Nolan Patrick, coming off major core surgery, was rushed into the NHL. He should have gone back to junior hockey in Brandon to get his game back, without the pressure of being the 2nd pick in draft. Physically, he was just not prepared for pro hockey and he was not ready to play for the Flyers.
Nolan Patrick needs to play in the AHL for a few months, or even a year. Being out of the spotlight would allow him to regain his abundance of talent and ready himself for a solid NHL career. He ha s all the tools, but the physical and mental part of playing in the NHL are two areas that Patrick has to work on. What better place than in Allentown to get his game and head together. I like Nolan Patrick, but he needs time to succeed. -Gregg Lorenz, Bucks County Pa
I cant read this guy anymore. He needs remedial wnglish class!