We are back with our 2025 mid-season edition of our CanucksArmy top 20 Vancouver Canucks prospect rankings.

If you are curious about our ranking criteria, check them out in our Honourable Mentions installment.

Number 9 is…

Team: Barrie Colts | Age: 18 | Position: Right Wing/Centre | Height: 6’1 | Weight: 182 lbs | Shoots: Right | Drafted: Fourth round, 125 overall, 2024 | Last year’s rank: 12

With Melvin Fernström now out of the picture, Riley Patterson represents the Vancouver Canucks’ highest-drafted prospect from the 2024 draft — which isn’t a fantastic endorsement of the club’s state of draft capital in recent years.

Nevertheless, Patterson has enjoyed a solid draft-plus-one season and is currently the top-scoring prospect in the entire (Vancouver) system.

At the time of this writing, he leads his Barrie Colts in goals (22), points (50) and plus/minus (plus-21). He is well on pace to break his rookie totals (62) from last year in each regard. That’s a rookie season in which he led the field in goals (29) and finished in points (62).

Now in his second season, he’s done well despite a relatively slow start. The points were there, but they just weren’t coming in bunches. Fast-forward to today, and he’s on a heater, putting up 17 points in 15 games for the calendar year (2025).

He’s not particularly elite in any area, but he plays an incredibly sound and responsible 200-yard game and is tasked with being an all-situations player for the Colts.

Patterson kills penalties, is on the power play, produces points, takes draws on special teams, and hovers around the 50% mark in that regard. Heck, he also plays a bit of a power game and doesn’t shy away from getting into the hard areas and applying pressure on the forecheck.

For our money, if there was an NHL player to blossom out of the Canucks’ quiet 2024 entry draft, Patterson is your best bet.

Offensively, he can contribute in a variety of ways. He shows decent hands — especially in tight — and a passable shot. But what we truly love about his scoring is where the goals are coming from.

As you’ll see from this clip of goals from the current season, he’s scoring the majority from inside or just outside the blue paint. He’s not afraid to get to the net and fight for his rebounds or slip away from coverage to score from the inside slot.

And yet, he’s skilled enough to score a goalscorer’s goal with soft hands.

He’s also put up an impressive highlight package of assists, showing good vision on the ice to find linemates from all over the ice. Most impressively, we love the heads-up behind-back plays.

He’s not the fleetest of foot, but Patterson’s improvements from year to year are encouraging. With a profile like his, there’s a strong foundation already baked in, and he’s certainly a prospect worth keeping close tabs on.

He’ll have a good shot at a long OHL run this spring, hoping to compete for a Memorial Cup. The Barrie Colts currently share the top spot in the Eastern Conference, and with additions like Anthony Romani, they carry a decent shot at a deep run.

Now, envision a world where Elias Pettersson finds Elias Pettersson, who crosses to Marcus Pettersson, who takes a shot, only to be deflected by Riley Patterson. This is the dream.

Ceiling: We’ve liked what we’ve seen so far with his development and love the time he has to grow even further. There’s still much room for the 18-year-old to develop within the system. With a unique all-around skillset, he carries the potential to play many roles. So, whether it’s chipping in on the scoresheet, providing energy, or killing penalties, he’s a dual threat and certainly worth attaching a second-line NHL player to.

Floor: Obviously, we’re still talking about a young and raw talent – and a fourth-round pick to boot. Yet, he’s showing good characteristics and a solid foundation, and we don’t see any reason for him not to carve out an AHL roll down the road.

ETA: The path is long, and we expect him to play in the junior ranks for at least one more season. Check back in three to four years.