Vancouver Canucks prospect skips training camp in search of a fresh start

We are fast approaching one of the best times of the year: fresh ice, new faces and a clean slate for all hockey teams gearing up for the upcoming season.

For the Ontario Hockey League, that fresh slate kicked off on Monday, August 25th, with training camps opening their doors across the league.

But one player is notably absent from their respective camp, and it’s a player that Vancouver Canucks fans will recognize.

Riley Patterson, the Canucks’ 2024 fourth-rounder, is not in attendance as the Barrie Colts open their 2025 training camp.

According to a report from Barrie Today’s Peter Robinson, the 19-year-old forward has opted to skip the start of camp in hopes of triggering a trade to another OHL club.

Trade speculation has surrounded the Etobicoke native throughout the summer, but the Colts have yet to strike a deal. Now, it appears Patterson is taking matters into his own hands.

“He wants a fresh start,” Colts General Manager Marty Williamson told Barrie Today. “No hard feelings — I still really like Riley.”

Patterson was initially drafted 57th overall by the Flint Firebirds in the OHL Priority Draft before being dealt to Barrie. He has now spent two seasons with the Colts.

Despite being the team’s leading scorer since joining the club in the 2023-24 season, he has struggled to secure a consistent top-line role — something that’s become increasingly important as he eyes the next steps in his career.

In 132 regular-season games with Barrie, Patterson has tallied 121 points, including 54 goals and 67 assists — good for a 0.92 points-per-game pace. As a rookie, he made an immediate splash, leading all first-year OHLers with 29 goals and finishing second with 62 points. Despite that offensive output, he’s often found himself buried behind veterans or shuffled throughout the lineup.

While his production tampered ever-so-slightly, he still co-led the team in 2024-25 with 59 points (25 goals, 34 assists) in 64 games.

With new CHL rules allowing players to retain NCAA eligibility under certain conditions, speculation will naturally arise as a possibility.

However, there’s no indication at this time that Patterson is considering a collegiate path. According to the Barrie Today report, his focus remains firmly within the OHL — just with a different franchise.

This appears to be a simple case of wanting to showcase himself with an elevated role on a Memorial Cup-contending team. While rumours have indicated the Brantford Bulldogs as a potential destination, there are no immediate indications of where he may end up for the 2025-26 campaign.