No-quit Nolan played through hernia

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This article was published 23/09/2016 (3276 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

Nolan Patrick is back on the ice, a place he normally feels most comfortable.

The Brandon Wheat Kings star centre isn’t at the top of his game yet, although he’s a full 10 weeks into his recovery and rehab from off-season sports hernia surgery. But he’s feeling pretty good, all things considered.

“I am getting close (to returning)” said Patrick via telephone Thursday. “It should be soon now.”

Patrick, the presumptive No. 1 pick in next summer’s NHL Draft, is crucial to the Wheat Kings’ hopes of repeating as Western Hockey League champions.

A former WHL rookie of the year and last spring’s WHL playoff MVP, the 6-3, 195-pounder is a gifted scorer and playmaker. He received medical clearance earlier this week to resume contact drills and tonight, with Brandon’s regular-season opener looming in Moose Jaw against the Warriors, he’s got a decision to make. Play now, or wait.

“I’ve got a pretty good idea (of what will happen),” said Patrick, who turned 18 on Sept. 19. “I’m going to make the decision tomorrow with my coaching staff.”

Patrick was injured in Brandon’s 4-2 win over the Red Deer Rebels in Game 4 of the WHL’s Eastern Conference final April 27. He registered two assists in that game and then, two nights later, fired a hat trick and added two helpers as the Wheat Kings clinched a berth in the league final with a 5-2 win in Game 5.

How’s that for playing hurt?

He apparently hid the pain in his abdomen exceptionally well.

“He was definitely a difference-maker for us in the playoffs,” said Wheat Kings head coach David Anning, an assistant coach with the team last season. “Especially the Red Deer series and the Seattle (league championship) series. He raised his game. I didn’t know he was hurt at all.”

Patrick admits he had no sense of how serious the injury was but had no interest in sitting out.

“I was in quite a bit of pain,” he said. “It happened in Game 4 of the Red Deer series. Then, I kinda played through it during the league final. It’s kinda tough to say no to playing.”

After the season was over, Patrick took a two-week break before returning to off-season workouts. When the injury showed no improvement, he consulted with doctors who diagnosed the problem and said a surgical repair was necessary.

For some, it’s the sort of situation that triggers a debate about how much is too much.

If you factor his games for Canada at the under-18 Ivan Hlinka Memorial Tournament, the WHL regular-season and playoffs and the Memorial Cup, Patrick suited up for 102 games in 2015-16. That would be a heavy total for most pro players, but Patrick remains undeterred by the workload.

“I think the WHL, the CHL, is the best road to get you ready for pro,” the Winnipegger said. “Injuries happen. I’m not gonna say the season should be shorter just because I went down with an injury… players on my team, Duncan Campbell and Mackoy Erkamps, played exactly the same number of games I did and they’re perfectly fine. I think the schedule’s fine…

“I’m not going to change anything… It wasn’t like I went flying into the corner and hurt myself by doing something stupid. It’s just overuse.”

Anning said if anyone can manage a heavy workload, it’s Patrick. He trusts his star to know his limits but acknowledged the debate about the effects of lengthy seasons on players.

“It’s a fair question,” said Anning. “I think obviously those higher-end talents have a lof of games based on regular season, based on pre-season and playoff runs, world junior (tournaments). It’s definitely a lot of hockey, a lot of high-end, high-calilbre hockey…

“So it can be draining physically. A guy like Patrick, he’s a professional on and off the ice. I think he handles it quite well… I think he’s capable of handling those games.”

The young phenom has another, massive challenge in 2016-17. He’ll have to endure a full season of scrutiny as the most-dissected, critiqued NHL prospect around.

“It’s tough to avoid with social media these days,” said Patrick. “You can’t hide but it’s not really on my mind right now. My focus is getting healthy and getting back with the team.”

NOTES: Wheat Kings defenceman Kale Clague, a second-round draft pick of the Los Angeles Kings last summer, suffered a lower-body injury and left the ice during an NHL pre-season game Wednesday night. Anning did not believe the injury was serious… The Wheat Kings return home after tonight’s game to host the Warriors in their home opener Saturday night at Westman Place.

mike.sawatzky@freepress.mb.ca

Twitter @sawa14