The 2019-20 season has been an extremely frustrating one for Philadelphia Flyers forward Nolan Patrick. The 21-year-old has been sidelined all season due to migraines which were caused by a concussion. With nothing new being reported on his condition for a while now, it seemed as though Patrick may be in danger of missing the entire season. There was some good news on Wednesday, though.
-
Patrick joined his teammates today as a full participant in practice for the first time since the migraines began. Even more encouraging is that he was spotted in a regular jersey rather than a non-contact that many players wear while recovering from an injury. It is also being reported he is wearing a tinted visor to help him with his condition.
This is huge news for the Flyers. Although Patrick hasn't hit his true potential yet, he has still been a solid secondary scorer for the Flyers in his first two NHL seasons, putting up 13 goals both years. Patrick, who was taken second overall in 2017, could very soon become a key offensive threat for the Flyers.
There is no word currently on when the Flyers expect Patrick to return to the lineup, but they could certainly use him soon. As of today, the team sits in the second wild card spot in the Eastern Conference, but are only two points ahead of both the Carolina Hurricanes and the Toronto Maple Leafs. With some of their top guns not producing like expected, especially Jakub Voracek and Claude Giroux, the Flyers could desperately use Patrick in the lineup to add some more offense. With concussion issues it seems like there is never a clear timeline, but the fact he is back practicing is certainly a step in the right direction.
