We are officially on Riley Patterson watch.

The Niagara IceDogs saw their season come to an end on Saturday, falling 5-0 to the Barrie Colts to drop their first-round series in five games.

With that, Vancouver Canucks 2024 fourth-round pick Riley Patterson closes the book on a highly successful draft-plus-two campaign — one that firmly established him as Niagara’s offensive driver. Patterson led the IceDogs in playoff scoring with eight points (four goals, four assists) in five games, carrying over the momentum from a standout regular season.

The recently turned 20-year-old is coming off a career year after arriving in Niagara via trade from the Barrie Colts over the summer. He shattered previous career highs with 84 points (44 goals, 40 assists) in 60 games, finishing 10th in OHL scoring while taking on a full-time role down the middle.

The transition was successful with Patterson posting a 53.5 percent faceoff rate during the regular season and raising it to 62 percent in the playoffs. The production — the top-producing prospect within the organization — has driven a significant rise in his standing in the CanucksArmy prospect rankings, coming in as the team’s fifth-ranked prospect.

Now, the focus shifts to what comes next. Already signed to his NHL entry-level contract and ineligible for the NCAA route, Patterson is expected to turn professional immediately. CanucksArmy has learned that he could join the Abbotsford Canucks as early as next week, stepping into a situation that could offer an opportunity right away.

Abbotsford has been hit hard by injuries and is currently dressing just 10 natural forwards, with defenceman Christian Felton filling in as an 11th forward. Given that context, Patterson may not only slot into the lineup but could be leaned on in a meaningful role from the outset.

The Abbotsford Canucks will finish their remaining four games on the road, and are set to face the Calgary Wranglers in a two-game set on April 10 and 11.