Nolan Patrick's promising hockey career, once filled with immense potential, has been significantly hampered by a series of injuries, leading to his retirement at the age of 25. Patrick, born on September 19, 1998, in Winnipeg, Manitoba, was considered a top prospect leading up to the 2017 NHL Entry Draft.
Patrick's early career showed great promise. He played for the Winnipeg Hawks Bantam AAA, where he recorded 75 points in 19 games. He was later drafted by the Brandon Wheat Kings, where he continued to excel, earning the Most Goals Scored by a Rookie award and Rookie of the Year in his debut season. He also represented Team Canada on five separate occasions, winning a gold medal at the Hlinka Gretzky Cup in 2015-16. However, even in his junior career, injuries were a recurring theme, including a sports hernia that caused him to miss games.
Drafted second overall by the Philadelphia Flyers in 2017, high expectations surrounded Patrick as he entered the NHL. He recorded 30 points in his first season and 31 points in his second. Despite a reasonable start to his NHL career, Patrick's time with the Flyers was marred by health issues. In the 2019 off-season, he began experiencing headaches, eventually diagnosed as a migraine disorder that sidelined him for the entire 2019-20 season. Although it was clarified that the migraines were not believed to be related to hockey and ran in his family, this marked a turning point in his career.
After returning to play 52 games in the 2020-21 season, where he posted nine points, Patrick was traded to the Vegas Golden Knights in a three-team deal in July 2021. The Golden Knights hoped that a change of scenery and a reunion with his old friend Kelly McCrimmon would rejuvenate his career. Patrick signed a two-year, $2.4 million deal with Vegas.
Unfortunately, Patrick's injury struggles continued in Vegas. He managed to play only 25 games during the 2021-22 season, scoring two goals and five assists before an upper-body injury ended his season prematurely. He did not play since October 22, 2022. He missed all 82 regular season games, as well as 22 playoff games due to an upper body injury.
On December 20, 2023, Nolan Patrick announced his retirement from professional hockey at the age of 25. His career, which once held so much promise, was ultimately defined by the injuries that prevented him from reaching his full potential. While his on-ice career has ended, Patrick is embarking on a new path as a coach.
