Patterson is in his first season with the IceDogs after playing two seasons with the Barrie Colts. He knew things would be different with a new organization. Still, the IceDogs have been so supportive, giving Patterson opportunities to expand his game, and their belief in the young forward is paying off.
He currently sits in fourth for OHL scoring, with 49 points (22g-27a) in 35 games. He has had multi-point efforts in 46% of his games this season, and the move to centre has helped him open up his game.
“I played centre my first year in junior and grew up playing the position, so it was good to play wing for a bit and learn that position because I feel I can be a very adaptable player,” said Patterson. “I love playing down the middle, and Niagara’s coaching staff has put the trust in me to play the position. I feel like I’ve done a pretty good job right now.”
Aside from his scoring prowess, Patterson has been happy with how he has been able to raise his pace in his third OHL season. He likes how the game feels to him, with or without the puck on his stick, and he is trying to continue driving his feet to make plays happen at both ends of the rink.