Vancouver Canucks prospect sitting out and demanding a trade from his junior team
Training camps kicked off across the OHL this week, including in Barrie, Ont., where they’re missing a Vancouver Canucks prospect.
Riley Patterson, a fourth-round pick by the Canucks in the 2024 NHL Draft, has decided to sit out. The 6-foot-1 centre, who tied for scoring lead with the Barrie Colts last season, is holding out in an apparent attempt to force a trade to a new junior team.
“He wants a fresh start,” said Colts general manager Marty Williamson, per Peter Robinson of Barrie Today. “(No hard feelings), I still really like Riley.”
Patterson scored 59 points (25-34-59) in 64 OHL games last season, following a 62-point (29-33-62) campaign in 2023-24. That’s not the usual stat line of a disgruntled player.
Robinson noted that Patterson’s role on the team last season was affected by the addition of four new forwards, including fellow Canucks draft pick Anthony Romani.
“Premium ice time became harder to come by with more elite offensive players compared to a year earlier, when the Colts were rebuilding,” says Robinson.
Riley ‘through the legs’ Patterson scores his second of the scrimmage.
— Canucks Insider (@CanucksInsider) July 4, 2024
Needless to say, this is a bold move for Patterson, who turned 19 in March. The Burlington, Ont., native will surely look to turn pro after next season, and is still unsigned by the Canucks.
Patterson attended his first NHL training camp in Vancouver last year, calling it an “unreal experience.”
“I tried to ask as many questions as I could,” said the right-shot centre, per Chris Faber of Canucks.com. “The only way I can put it into words is to say that I enjoyed every second of it. There were times when I just sat and watched the other groups practice because I just wanted to watch how they carried themselves and pay attention to the small details.”