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Nolan Patrick a ‘name to watch,’ could ‘ask for a fresh start somewhere else’ this summer

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Nolan Patrick, Philadelphia Flyers

The Philadelphia Flyers are at a crossroads after failing to meet expectations this season. Nolan Patrick is one of a few players that could be on the move.

Nolan Patrick has failed to live up to expectations since being drafted with the No. 2 overall pick in the 2017 NHL Draft. His ceiling of a top-six center may still be there, but he’s been playing at a fourth-line level.

We had Nolan Patrick on our list of Flyers that may have played their last game with the team. He was in rumors a bit around the trade deadline and could use a fresh start.

Farewell to these Flyers? Five players that may have played their last game as a Flyer

Nolan Patrick will be a name to watch this summer as he could ask for a fresh start, Frank Seravalli said on TSN’s Insider Trading on Thursday night.

“It’s certainly possible,” Seravalli said of Patrick getting a fresh start somewhere. Seravalli reported that Patrick is on his third agent, and “they’re going through the feeling out process to digest this season and everything that happened in his return to the ice.”

“A little bit disappointing in terms of production,” Seravalli said.

Patrick had just nine points in 52 games this season. While it was good to see him healthy and playing games, there wasn’t much production there.

“I think you could certainly see Nolan Patrick on the list of players this summer who ask for a fresh start elsewhere. However, they’re not there yet,” Seravalli said.

While it’s possible that Patrick may want a fresh start elsewhere, the Flyers aren’t ready to give up on the No. 2 overall pick just yet.

“And to be fair, the Philadelphia Flyers on their end think that Nolan Patrick is still a player that’s just scratching the surface. They’d like to see him get a full summer of training under his belt and come to camp healthy for the first time in a while,” he continued.

That lines up with what the mindset the Flyers front office is after this season. Chuck Fletcher, Alain Vigneault, and Dave Scott all spoke about wanting a normal offseason and normal season.

“We’ll see how that unfolds, but Patrick is a name to watch this offseason as a restricted free agent,” Seravalli concluded.

The Flyers are at an interesting crossroads with Patrick. He has tons of potential but has only shown rare flashes of it on the ice.

Chuck Fletcher: Flyers will be ‘creative’ to ‘upgrade everywhere’ in crucial offseason

Trading Patrick this offseason would undoubtedly be selling low on him. However, if Patrick flops again next season, what little value he may have will disappear.

“I do think there’s some things that could be improved just by being healthy and having a normal summer,” Chuck Fletcher said of Nolan Patrick on Tuesday. “I think we’ll have a better feel where Nolan’s at into next year. Our expectation is that he has a great summer, gets a little stronger, and gets a little more explosive. Comes into camp in a type of condition that he wasn’t able to achieve this year. That, in turn, will allow him to play the game at a higher level.”

Fletcher and Co. will have to come to a decision on Patrick’s future.

Alain Vigneault talkin’ ’bout practice, wanting a ‘normal season,’ and letting ‘everyone down’

The Flyers don’t have a ton of time to wait for him to develop. Claude Giroux and the rest of the current core see their potential championship window closing. On the other hand, giving up on Patrick early could come back to haunt them. Trading him before he even had a full offseason of training and potentially seeing him blossom elsewhere would hurt, especially if they don’t get much back for him.

In all likelihood, Patrick will be back with the Flyers next season. However, it’ll be interesting to see if anything comes to fruition this summer.


Photo: Heather Barry Images

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Ryan is a proud graduate of Monmouth University. He has covered the Philadelphia Flyers for the better part of a decade at various outlets, including Sons of Penn and Broad Street Hockey. Ryan has also worked for NHL.com and NBC Sports Regional Networks. Whether it's a GIF, quick stat, analysis, or long-form column, he's got you covered.

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