Fans of the Philadelphia Flyers were excited to finally see top pick Nolan Patrick lace up his skates and take to the ice today, but they will have to wait at least a little longer. According to GM Ron Hextall, Patrick is dealing with “an infection in his face” and will not skate today.
Patrick signed his entry-level contract just a few days ago, and is expected to compete for an NHL roster spot right away at this fall’s training camp. The second-overall pick has one of the more polished games of anyone selected this year and could likely step into a sheltered role with success. He’ll have to put his injury history behind him though, as he missed much of this season because of sports hernia surgery, only to go under the knife again just before the draft.
Those injuries already cost Patrick the top draft slot, as the New Jersey Devils went with Nico Hischier at #1 instead. The Flyers’ happy to even be picking that high after winning a lottery selection, jumped all over the long-touted WHL centerman who has NHL bloodlines and the size to compete. His future lies in the top six of the Philadelphia lineup, but how long it takes him to get there is still uncertain.