BRANDON — No matter where he looks, Nolan Patrick is reminded of what he could become.
The Brandon Wheat Kings forward is projected to be the top pick in this year’s NHL Entry Draft. But the pressure on Patrick isn’t just to live up to the expectations – it’s to also stay healthy.
“He had to work his way through it both physically and mentally to get back in the right frame of mind,” Wheat Kings head coach David Anning said.
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Patrick has been plagued with injuries his entire career. The Winnipegger broke his collarbone when he was 13 and again the following season. In his three-year WHL career, he’s missed roughly a quarter of the games. At one point last season, he was even playing with a hernia. This year, Patrick pulled the pin following five games due to an undisclosed injury.
“For me, it was the best thing to shut myself down to get healthy,” Patrick said.
“I wasn’t at the top of my game. Playing through the pain wasn’t much fun.”
Fortunately for Patrick, his stock hasn’t plunged. Talk about him going number one in the draft started two years ago.
“For every kid growing up, their goal is to make the NHL,” Patrick said. “That’s been mine since I was a young kid.”
If his name is called first, the dream becomes even more special. A Wheat King, let alone a Manitoban has never been the top NHL pick.
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