Eklund: Should the Flyers send Nolan Patrick back to the W?

Throw him into the fire. I think he will be fine in the NHL this season. Not every 18yo has to be a huge impact player as a rookie. Start developing him into the star player he's going to be in the big leagues.

no

He's already built for the NHL and really doesn't have anything left to prove in juniors. Can't see why they'd send him back.

Can't we wait to see how camp and preseason go first maybe? He could get injured no matter where he plays...

Can't hurt to keep him up for 8 games and see how that pans out.

"Hexy says this often and while many other GMs may just "say this" Hexy means it. He will not hesitate to send Patrick back if he senses any mental hesitation in Nolan.

And it will arguably be the biggest prospect in recent memory returned to juniors..."

Ummm Sam Reinhart, coming off a 105 point season with the Ice was sent back by then Sabres GM Tim Murray for another junior season, after being picked 2nd overall. Just saying.

IMHO it can't hurt him to go back. He would get another season as the top dog and hopefully healthy. He could play in the Junior Worlds and might even be on the Olympic team since he would be on a slide year for his contract.

The other part of this is where do they Flyers intend to play him? Make the decision and live with it for at least an entire season. Don't bounce him around the way that Brayden Schenn was. If he is to be a wing, send him back to play as a wing for the year. Even if he is to be a center and he is going back, make sure he is kept at center.

The other question is....who moves to make room in the big picture either way?

"Hexy says this often and while many other GMs may just "say this" Hexy means it. He will not hesitate to send Patrick back if he senses any mental hesitation in Nolan.

And it will arguably be the biggest prospect in recent memory returned to juniors..."

Ummm Sam Reinhart, coming off a 105 point season with the Ice was sent back by then Sabres GM Tim Murray for another junior season, after being picked 2nd overall. Just saying.
- Sabres1523

ek doesn't really follow hockey.

d.strome with 129 points at #3OA was sent down too.

He's not going back to juniors. He's not going to be expected to play heavy minutes right away. The Flyers top 3 centers would be Giroux, Couturier, Patrick. He can be eased into bigger minutes as the season progresses. Not sure, other then if he has a terrible camp, there is any reason to send him back to Brandon

"Hexy says this often and while many other GMs may just "say this" Hexy means it. He will not hesitate to send Patrick back if he senses any mental hesitation in Nolan.

And it will arguably be the biggest prospect in recent memory returned to juniors..."

Ummm Sam Reinhart, coming off a 105 point season with the Ice was sent back by then Sabres GM Tim Murray for another junior season, after being picked 2nd overall. Just saying.
- Sabres1523

irrelevant

Get rid of the dumb CHL/AHL rules, and allow the prospects to go play in the AHL. It would make the AHL a lot more exciting, and give people a reason to support their club's farm team. The talent is not needed in the CHL, it's needed in the AHL.

ek doesn't really follow hockey.

d.strome with 129 points at #3OA was sent down too.
- Tumbleweed

Forgot about Strome

Get rid of the dumb CHL/AHL rules, and allow the prospects to go play in the AHL. It would make the AHL a lot more exciting, and give people a reason to support their club's farm team. The talent is not needed in the CHL, it's needed in the AHL.
- mixturebill

There should be exception cases.

But the reason the rule is there is because CHL teams are a business and need those stars to market.

But I think there should be exceptions for guys too advanced for juniors.

Forgot about Strome
- Sabres1523

Drouin is another one.

God I hope so.

Drouin is another one.
- prock

and marner.

He's an obvious bust and they should just cut their losses and release him now.

He's an obvious bust and they should just cut their losses and release him now.
- Doc_Sarcasm

lupul for nolan

Patrik Stefan revisited.

lupul for nolan
- Tumbleweed

Spooner for Nolan.

Patrick: "There sending me down Jonny!"

Drouin: "Can't help you there. Don't know what I would do."

There should be exception cases.

But the reason the rule is there is because CHL teams are a business and need those stars to market.

But I think there should be exceptions for guys too advanced for juniors.
- J35Bacher

That's the argument for keeping the players in the CHL, but I don't agree with it at all. Do you really think you need those names in the CHL to sell the league? I don't think you do... They've always got the next big star coming up as well. I think the league would survive just fine allowing those top prospects to go to the AHL. The AHL on the other hand doesn't have anybody to market. The AHL is a business too, why isn't the NHL worried about having those stars in the AHL to market that league? I just seems ass backwards to me.

yup, there needs to be some type of exception for the ahl, one per team per year or even every second year.

but back to Ek, slow day in the media? your answer will come in september when he is on the ice,