Riley Patterson – 2024 NHL Draft Prospect Profile

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Riley Patterson

2023-24 team: Barrie Colts (OHL)
Date of Birth: March 22, 2006
Place of Birth: Burlington, ON, Canada
Ht: 6-foot Wt: 194 pounds
Shoots: Right
Position: Center
Draft Eligibility: 2024 first-year eligible

Rankings

One of the biggest risers from the NHL Central Scouting rankings at the halfway point to the end-of-season rankings, Riley Patterson took his game to another level as the season progressed. The former Michigan State commit made quite an impact on the ice for the Barrie Colts in his rookie season. It did start off slow for him, but he was able to get his feet underneath him and get his game going as time went on.

Riley Patterson Barrie Colts
Riley Patterson, Barrie Colts (Terry Wilson / OHL Images)

One of the reasons Patterson seemingly struggled to start the season was that he could not give himself and his teammates space to make plays. However, as he became more accustomed to the Ontario Hockey League (OHL) level of play, his high-level hockey IQ kicked in more and more. As his offensive game picked up, he was able to showcase a relentless work ethic at both ends of the ice while also showing his offensive prowess with a strong shot and good passing skills. With some added confidence and experience throughout the season, Patterson got more involved in the special teams play for the Colts as well, adding 14 points on the powerplay.

Related: THW’s 2024 NHL Draft Guide

One area where his game did not lack at the beginning of the season was his defensive play. While he does not stand super tall at 6 feet, Patterson makes use of the length he does have to put himself in a good position and take away passing lanes and chances for his opponents. While he does play a strong defensive game, becoming a little bit more active in the physicality aspect of the game and adding some “grit” would help add an extra layer to his game.

Other Draft Profiles

Riley Patterson – NHL Draft Projection

With the uptick in play as the season progressed, Patterson has obviously found himself climbing up the boards of teams heading into June’s draft. With the skillset, work ethic, and willingness to hone his game, he could find himself getting picked in the middle rounds of the draft, likely in the fourth round.

Quotables

“His tenacity and urgency to be involved in the play stood out in this viewing. I like the work he put in while on the forecheck to cause turnovers and help regain possession for his team. He seems to be a bit of a puck-hound that frustrates opponents. Patterson is able to find and create space with his hands and vision.” – Mike Kennedy, Future Considerations

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“Patterson is one of his coach’s go-to men, he is very reliable on both sides of the puck. He has a great ability to maintain control of the puck as he moves through the neutral zone. He is hard on the puck, which makes it incredibly hard to take the puck from him.” – Spencer Lazary, THW

Strengths

  • He has a strong work ethic that will make whoever coaches him at the next level a huge fan of him.
  • He possesses a strong hockey IQ at both ends of the ice and good vision with the puck.
  • He has shown a willingness to go to the dirty areas of the ice to help make a play on the puck.
  • Defensively, he shows a good understanding and mindset on where he needs to position himself and limits chances for his opponents.

Under Construction – Improvements to Make

  • While he goes to the dirty areas, adding more grit and physicality to his game would help him in those situations and plays.
  • He does not have a singular aspect of his game that jumps off the screen, so adding more to any certain aspect of it will help define his true role and ceiling at the next level.

NHL Potential

If Patterson can build on a strong second half of his rookie season in the OHL and develop his game even further, there is a chance that he could eventually become a middle-to-bottom-six player in an NHL lineup. With his skillset, he could also become a player on either special teams unit for the organization he ends up with.

Risk-Reward Analysis

Risk: 2/5, Reward: 4/5

Fantasy Hockey Potential

Offense: 5.5/10, Defense: 4.5/10

Awards/Achievements

With Patterson picking his play up in the second half of the season, he earned himself OHL Rookie of the Month honors in back-to-back months, winning the award for the months of January and February.

Riley Patterson Stats

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