Giants captain has advice for ailing Patrick
Too bad Nolan Patrick isn’t making the trek west. A faceto-face with Tyler Benson might have been beneficial.
The Brandon Wheat Kings continue their B.C. road trip Friday by taking on the Vancouver Giants at the Langley Events Centre (7:30 p.m., TSN 1040/Shaw TV). The Wheat Kings announced earlier this week that Patrick, their star centre and the projected No. 1 pick for the 2017 NHL Draft by many, wouldn’t be on the five-game jaunt through this province because of an upper body injury.
Patrick, 18, has suited up just six times this season for Brandon, the last coming Oct. 11. It’s a story that is all too familiar to Benson, 18, Vancouver’s top forward who missed 42 games in his draft campaign last season with injuries.
It’s a story all too familiar to hockey fans here, too. Giants backers were caught up in it a year ago. The Canucks faithful are keeping an eye on the 6-foot-3, 198-pound Patrick since their team could well end up in the draft lottery.
“It’s tough just being away from the game,” Benson said when asked about the Patrick situation. “I know how much he loves hockey. Being away from his teammates is difficult.
“I don’t think he should be worrying about the draft. People know what kind of player he can be. He’s played two years in this league already and he’s dominated. I think he should worry about making sure he’s 100 per cent when he comes back.”
The Edmonton Oilers made Benson the second pick of the second round last June, taking him 32nd overall. How much his time on the shelf affected his draft stock is open to debate; prospects website Future Considerations did have him going at No. 7 in its preliminary rankings while other pundits had him lower.
Benson had an operation in September 2015 to remove a cyst near his tailbone. He missed the first 10 games of the campaign and feels overcompensating for that injury led to an inflamed pubic bone that forced the Giants to shut him down again in December. He tried to reboot his season in February, but it lasted just two games before Benson and the team called it quits for 2015-16.
“I think we rushed back from the first injury, which caused the second injury,” Benson said. “You just want to make sure you are 100 per cent when you’re ready to go so you can start playing and nothing else can occur.
“I’d tell him to just be patient. It’s easier said than done, though. A lot easier.”
Brandon general manager Grant Armstrong won’t go into detail about what’s ailing Patrick. He did have off-season sports hernia surgery.
In 2014-15, Patrick became the first 16-year-old to score 30 goals in a WHL regular season since Brett Connolly in 2008-09 and the second since Patrick Marleau in 1995-96.
Last season, he had 102 points, including 41 goals, making him the first 17-year-old with the Wheat Kings to reach triple digits in points since Ray Allison and Brian Propp managed the feat in 1976-77.
He has four goals and five assists in his limited duty this season.
He was one of the 32 players named to Canada’s world junior selection camp earlier this week, although Hockey Canada head scout Ryan Jankowski told reporters Patrick’s status remains unclear.
The camp goes Dec. 10-14 in Boisbriand, Que.
Patrick told NHL.com Nov. 16 that he was skating on his own, but would be out of action for another two or three weeks.
Brandon made Patrick the fourth pick in the 2013 WHL bantam draft. Vancouver used the top pick on Benson. They had considered picking Patrick, according to various sources.
Most of the 2013 bantam draft class was eligible for last summer’s NHL Draft, but Patrick’s late birthday put him in June’s grouping.