After missing an entire regular season and postseason, Nolan Patrick will play center in Whitey’s World Scrimmage today at 1:10pm CT. His migraine condition eliminated him from playing hockey in 2019-2020, but could this be the initial sign that Patrick is on his road back?
Whitey’s world is a project hosted by former Lehigh Valley Phantoms Center Ryan White, who currently plays for the AHL’s Manitoba Moose.
There are a few different ways to look at his participation in today’s scrimmage in Brandon, Manitoba, Canada. It is just a pick-up hockey game featuring some of Manitoba’s top WHL and NHL players. Even as just a pick-up scrimmage, this is already a giant stride from Nolan Patrick’s ability to participate with the Philadelphia Flyers. For that, we all should be happy that he feels comfortable enough to get back out on the ice.
Lacing up the skates, getting a grip on the stick, and feeling the game will be a jolt of confidence for Nolan Patrick. In any form of hockey, Patrick needs to get back on the bike after falling off. If anyone knows his health, it’s Patrick and his neurological specialists. Philadelphia Flyers fans should be excited to see that he’s comfortable enough to return to hockey.
On the other hand, this is a scrimmage, and stranger things have happened. What if he plays in this scrimmage and takes a hit? That would be more than enough to make the Philadelphia Flyers front office cringe. The risk is always present in any form of hockey.
The Philadelphia Flyers organization may be fully aware that Nolan Patrick is participating in this scrimmage. If both parties agreed that he is healthy enough to play in a non-competitive game, then the narrative could be turning for the better with Patrick in Philadelphia. For those who are interested in watching, tune into Ryan White’s (whiteysworld50) Instagram Live for footage of the scrimmage.
Nolan Patrick is a restricted free agent. A 10.2(c) player, which means that he will not receive a qualifying offer from any other team. He’s exclusive to the Philadelphia Flyers for contract negotiations. If you accentuate the positives, Patrick seems to start his road back to the 2020-2021 NHL season with today’s scrimmage. As a 10.2(c) player, Nolan Patrick could return to the Flyers if they make a qualifying offer.
Photo by Andy Lewis/Icon Sportswire
