Golden Knights center gets 2nd chance to prove he belongs in NHL

Golden Knights coach Pete DeBoer is bullish on the team’s offseason trade for center Nolan Patrick. He got a strong scouting report from Patrick’s former junior coach and didn’t have to go far to get it.

Knights general manager Kelly McCrimmon coached Patrick for three seasons with the Western Hockey League’s Brandon Wheat Kings before acquiring him in a three-team trade in July. The reunion is the organization’s latest attempt to revive a player’s career with a fresh start, and there’s hope the familiarity involved could make this one a success.

“(McCrimmon) knows the player,” DeBoer said. “And his excitement excites me.”

Patrick has almost everything scouts covet in a center.

Good size at 6 feet 2. Great vision. Smooth hands. Strong shot. There’s a reason he was selected second overall in the 2017 draft by the Philadelphia Flyers.

“Nolan’s ceiling is very high,” said David Anning, who succeeded McCrimmon as the Wheat Kings’ coach for Patrick’s last season at Brandon. “He has the ability to have a big impact on an NHL team.”

Injuries have derailed the 23-year-old’s career. He’s been dealing with them since he was a teenager.

Patrick broke his collarbone when he was 13. In his draft year, he missed 39 games because of a sports hernia and an upper-body injury. He sat out his third NHL season because of a migraine disorder.

His talent was obvious when he scored 61 points in 145 games in his first two seasons at ages 19 and 20. But when he came back from a year off and scored nine points in 52 games for the Flyers last season, they decided to move on.

“Things kind of went sour for him in Philly,” said Knights captain Mark Stone, who has worked out with Patrick in the summer. “It’s tough when you get in those ruts. I’ve been in them before. I’m fortunate to be able to get out of them. But I think for him he wasn’t necessarily given a great opportunity to get out of them.”

The Knights want to give Patrick that chance.

They can surround him with talented teammates and allow him to be a role player rather than a franchise changer. He has been on the third line and first power-play unit throughout camp, meaning his job entails defending well, providing secondary scoring and using his size in front of the net.

“I don’t feel too much pressure,” Patrick said. “I’m just excited to be here and excited to play with such a good team that has a chance to win.”

McCrimmon, who played in Brandon with Patrick’s father, Steve, hopes his former player will become the Knights’ latest success story. They’ve already turned around the careers of centers William Karlsson and Chandler Stephenson.

Both players were put in a position to succeed with talented wingers and a system that allowed them to flourish. It’s up to Patrick to follow their path.

“I don’t really care what people say about me or try to prove anything to anyone,” Patrick said. “I just want to play the way I can, and obviously last year I didn’t play as good as I can. I’m just trying to get back to the top of my game and contribute.”

Contact Ben Gotz at bgotz@reviewjournal.com. Follow @BenSGotz on Twitter.