By Kevin Durso, Sports Talk Philly editor 
Flyers rookie camp is a highly anticipated event because of the presence of one Nolan Patrick, the Flyers selection with the second overall pick. Patrick has hopes of making the NHL this season, as do Flyers fans.
The start of training camp, which for Patrick begins with rookie camp on Monday, provides the chance for him to prove himself and see what he can do.
For months, Patrick was touted as the top prospect in the 2017 NHL Draft. An injury-riddled season — due in large part to a misdiagnosed sports hernia which was repaired 10 days before the draft — coupled with a surge by Nico Hischier left him available with the second overall pick.
It is rare for the Flyers to be in such a position, not only at the top of a draft but with the ability to get a player who was, for so long, the overall consensus for the top pick.
Flyers GM Ron Hextall understands the hype surrounding Patrick as a top pick in the draft, but said last week that he will have to earn his spot on the NHL roster and that he will not be forced onto the roster.
“He’s got to come in and prove it,” Hextall said of Patrick. “I will not be disappointed if he doesn’t make our team. I don’t have any expectations on whether he will or he won’t. He’s got to come in and show us he makes us a better team.”
Having to prove you belong on an NHL roster is nothing new with Hextall and fans have come to expect that. But fans also have different expectations than the Flyers GM.
Patrick played 55 games in his rookie season with the Brandon Wheat Kings in 2014-15 and scored 30 goals and added 26 assists for 56 points. His status as consensus No. 1 pick came after a tremendous season in 2015-16 where he posted 41 goals and 61 assists for 102 points in 72 games. The Wheat Kings also claimed the WHL Championship for a berth in the Memorial Cup, with Patrick continuing his strong season with 13 goals and 17 assists for 30 points in 21 games.
Even in a difficult season last year, where he was limited to 33 games, Patrick still scored 20 goals and added 26 assists for 46 points.
Now almost three months removed from his offseason surgery, Patrick has been rehabbing, getting prepared for training camp and is completely cleared for all activity.
So now it’s time to see what he can do.
Flyers fans held their collective breath when their new prize prospect was to miss development camp following the surgery, thus shortening his summer for workouts and preparation for the NHL. The fact of the matter is that Patrick’s fate rests on him alone.
Patrick has been spending the last couple weeks with the Brandon Wheat Kings junior camp, a mandatory camp for the team. Patrick will get his chance to make the NHL through Flyers training camp, but until a spot on the roster is official for him, he is still a member of the Wheat Kings.
But Patrick's sights are set on making the Flyers.
"All the pieces are kind of falling together and now it’s just up to me to perform the way that I can and show them that I’m NHL ready," Patrick said to the Brandon Wheat Kings official website. "I’ll get a good couple of skates in this week and some workouts and keep up with that. Hopefully it all works out in Philly."
If Patrick is truly NHL ready, if he has nothing else to prove at the junior level, he should be able to prove himself rather quickly in NHL camp. The preseason games will serve as a showcase and he’ll have to prove he belongs, but for a kid who took it upon himself to take care of his health issues during the offseason, taking matters into his own hands on the ice shouldn’t be too tall a task for the teenager.
After not getting the chance to see Patrick on the ice during development camp, this is a long-awaited event for Flyers fans, who want to see the second overall pick start his journey toward making an NHL roster. And if Patrick can just do what he’s done for years at juniors, he can make the Flyers this season too.
