The 2017 2nd overall pick has looked invisible on the ice at times this season and the Philadelphia Flyers need more out of him to help turn this season around.
Nolan Patrick seemed primed for a breakout year for the Philadelphia Flyers to begin November. He had five points in five games to start the month and also had a two point performance to end October against the Anaheim Ducks. Patrick netted nine points in 14 games at that time but now, 25 games into his season, he has hit a major sophomore slump.
In the 11 games since the November 10th victory over the Chicago Blackhawks, Patrick has just one assist. He’s on pace for a 28 point 2018-19 campaign, which is two points less than his rookie total last year. Preseason expectations for Patrick were sky-high, especially with NHL Network naming him as their number one breakout player coming into the season. His scoring production isn’t good enough for a Top-Six line forward right now, but it’s not like he’s been a complete liability on the ice.
He’s tied sixth on the team in High Danger Chances For percentage (HDCF%) at all-strengths with 56.04%. The rest of his numbers in terms of scoring chances rank at the middle of the road among Flyers players who have played at least 100 minutes of time on ice. Patrick has been a decent player at all-strengths in terms of creating chances, but it’s his play at even strength that needs to improve to help push his game to the next level.
He ranks dead last on the team in Corsi-For percentage with 47.39% and second to last in Fenwick-For percentage with 47.85%. Possession metics aren’t everything, but you’d expect your second line center-man to out-possess the opposition when he’s on the ice. Carrying play less than the likes of Jori Lehtera and Andrew MacDonald this season is slightly concerning, and it’s something that Patrick must improve on.
The 20 year-old still creates a good amount chances at even-strength, though, sitting seventh on the team in HDCF% with 56.25%. Patrick finally broke his ten game pointless streak in the blowout loss against the Winnipeg Jets, as well. It’s very possible that converting on a scoring chance could ignite Patrick’s play and we’ve seen before he can dominate when he’s on his game. He’s just a young player. It can take them time to fully figure things out in the NHL, no matter their draft prominence.
Patrick is a key part to this Flyers team now and in the future. I definitely think he’ll figure it out, and will do so sooner rather than later. He’ll have an opportunity to nab a two point-streak in Wednesday’s game against the Calgary Flames and the Flyers will surely need him to do so in yet another tough matchup for the team.