Riley Patterson ended his 2025-26 season by playing four games for the Abbotsford Canucks.
Vancouver Canucks prospect Riley Patterson had a pretty eventful 2025-26 season. After leading the Niagara IceDogs in scoring with 84 points in 60 games, the 20-year-old forward had the chance to make his AHL debut with the Abbotsford Canucks. Patterson would play four AHL games before the season ended, where he picked up his first career goal and assist.
Patterson is one of the more experienced players at Vancouver's Development Camp. The 2024 fourth-rounder attended in both 2024 and 2025, making this year's edition his third with the organization. Overall, Patterson enjoyed his time at camp as it gave him an opportunity to work with the development staff as well as meet his new teammates.
"It's been good, said Patterson. "Very good group of guys here. It's always fun to come back and see all of them after the season. You play against a lot of them, so it's fun to train with them and be with them for a week. It's a fun camp."
Development Camp can be intimidating for prospects. For prospects just drafted, the goal is to make a strong impression, while those who have been in the organization for a few seasons focus on showing how far they have developed since last year. When asked about any advice he had for some of the younger prospects, Patterson spoke about how important it is to gain as much knowledge as possible from these camps.
"I think just enjoy it. I think you can get caught up in trying to show off out there and show why you got drafted or whatever. But everyone's here for a reason. Unbelievable players. Unbelievable people. I think you just have to really enjoy it. The development people Vancouver has to offer are unbelievable, 1000s of games and great experience. Stanley Cup winners. So you have to take that in, really listen, and it goes a long way."
Over the past few years, the Canucks have accumulated quite a bit of talent from the OHL. Including Patterson, seven of the 25 players at this year's development camp played in the OHL last year. As Patterson explained, it is nice to be on the same side as his new teammates rather than facing them as he did throughout the season.
"Just playing against them, you kind of get to know them a little bit through those battles. So, when you see them, and you're in the same organization, it's pretty cool. You try to talk to everyone as well. We have a smaller group here this year, so it's great to be able to interact with everyone."
As mentioned, Patterson ended his 2025-26 campaign in the AHL. He was called up after putting up eight points in five playoff games with the IceDogs. While he was only in Abbotsford for a few weeks, Patterson learned a lot not just about how to be a pro on the ice, but off it as well.
"It's just so professional. You have to focus on all the small details of your game. It's just all the small stuff I used to focus on outside. All the other stuff, all the work in the gym, and the recovery, and all that. It's such a hard game out there. It's super fast, and everyone's older, stronger, so I had a ton of fun. I learned a ton, like just the everyday practices, and stuff like that. They taught me a ton."
Shifting to this year, Patterson said his goal is to turn pro full-time. He has already signed his entry-level contract and does not plan to head back to the OHL for what would be his final season of eligibility. Overall, Patterson is excited for his first year as a pro and has lofty expectations for himself come September.
"I'm gonna go to main camp and try to make the NHL. Last year was a good year in junior, and it's my goal. I want to stay up at the big club as long as I can and really open some eyes. I think there's a lot of opportunity. It's a young team, so you just got to go out and put your best foot forward every day."
Riley Patterson at Vancouver Canucks Development Camp (Photo Credit: Kaja Antic/The Hockey News)Patterson has turned into an intriguing prospect for the Canucks. He took a significant step forward last season and proved at the end of the year that he is ready to make the jump full-time to the pro level. Ultimately, Patterson will be a name to watch not just at training camp, but throughout the 2026-27 season.
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