"I Want To Win The Memorial Cup": Canucks Prospect Riley Patterson Has Eyes Set On Championship Trophy

Waiting in the stands at Sphere in Las Vegas during the 2024 NHL Draft was a mixed bag of emotions for Riley Patterson. The 18-year-old — who had his family beside him — says he was excited and nervous waiting for a team to call his name.

“You’re just hearing all those teams name off names, and every time you want it to be yours,” Patterson said. “To finally get called after a little bit of waiting was a huge release and just instant excitement to go to such a great organization.”

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The Vancouver Canucks were the organization to select Patterson. Coming off their first playoff berth since 2020, the Canucks allotment of picks was far sparser than in recent years.

Vancouver shipped off their 2024 first-round selection to the Calgary Flames and other assets for Elias Lindholm last season. And an assortment of other trades left the Canucks with just two picks in the draft's first five rounds. With the 28th selection in the fourth round, Vancouver chose the Barrie Colts forward, who was coming off a 29-goal, 62-point rookie campaign.

“It was a dream come true,” Patterson said. “Being in Vegas and hearing my name called was something that I dreamt of forever and imagined so many times. But in the moment with my family and friends felt amazing. It’s something I will remember for my lifetime.”

Patterson admits he didn’t catch too many Canucks games growing up. Born in Burlington, Ont., the forward says Vancouver games would always come on when he was going to bed.

However, when NHL teams asked him for a player comparison, a Canuck would typically come up.

“I mentioned J.T. Miller,” Patterson said. “His power forward ability, but also his ability to put the puck in the net. He scored 100-plus points in a season, so I definitely looked up to him.

"Brock Boeser, too."

Shortly after hearing his name called, Patterson was on a plane to Vancouver. He stayed by Rogers Arena, skated at the University of British Columbia’s campus, and got acquainted with the city he hopes to call home at some point in his young career.

“Looking out the window on those drives, I was looking at the scenery and the city," Patterson said. "On our day off, we went around the city. It's beautiful in the summertime.”

Back In Barrie

This season, Patterson picked up where he left off in Barrie. He’s flirting with a point-per-game pace and using the heightened confidence that comes with being a year old to make more creative plays with the puck. Patterson says everything feels familiar now that he’s in his second season.

“The hard times have been, I wouldn’t say, easier to handle, but I understand how to handle them,” Patterson said. “You understand what's coming and the work required to be successful in this league.”

The Colts sit atop the OHL Eastern Conference and third across the league. Patterson co-leads his time in scoring with 40 points alongside 20-year-old Dalyn Wakely.

“For me, it’s just continuing to focus on details of the game and continue to play the way I have been,” Patterson said. “A lot of physicality, a lot of competitiveness — forechecking, playing right in the defensive zone and capitalizing on my chances — we have a great team and great players. No matter who I'm playing with we can create offence."

“That’s where I love to be — the offensive zone and creating offence," Patterson continued. "If I have the puck on my stick and I'm shooting and creating plays for my teammates, that's when I'm playing my best.”

So while Canucks development and training camps loom in the not-too-far future, Patterson is focused on taking things one day at a time.

“Being drafted, you always think of it,” Patterson said. “But right now, I'm focused on the day-to-day and what I can do to be the best person on and off the ice.

“I want to win the Memorial Cup and league championship.”

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