As the calendar flips to a new year, Vancouver Canucks prospect Riley Patterson is closing out 2025 with an impressive individual accolade. The Ontario Hockey League announced its December award winners on New Year’s Day, with Patterson being named Player of the Month after a dominant stretch for the Niagara IceDogs.

Patterson led all OHL skaters in scoring during the month, piling up 19 points (nine goals, 10 assists) across 11 games. His December featured seven multi-point performances, including three separate three-point outings and two overtime-winning goals. He was also shooting at will, firing a league-leading 56 shots over that span.

The strong month has vaulted the 19-year-old into the league’s top five in scoring. Through 33 games this season, he is on pace to shatter his career high (62) with 45 points (21 goals, 24 assists), putting him on a 90-point pace. Despite serving as a prominent fixture on Niagara’s power play — often quarterbacking from the blueline — just eight of those points have come with the man advantage. Much of his production has come at even strength, where he has shown the ability to score off the rush, release quickly from the slot, or finish in tight around the net.

Selected by Vancouver in the fourth round (125th overall) of the 2024 NHL Draft, Patterson signed a three-year entry-level contract with the Canucks on September 21, 2025, before being returned to the OHL for continued development.

Acquired by Niagara in an offseason trade, Patterson has benefited from full-time usage down the middle this year. He has held his own in the faceoff circle as well, posting a 50.6 percent win rate while handling significant minutes in all situations.

Now in his third OHL season, Patterson is positioning himself as a legitimate candidate to turn pro once his season concludes. Although joining the NCAA has become a new avenue for Canadian Hockey League players, a spot on the Abbotsford Canucks for the 2026–27 season remains a realistic next step if his trajectory continues.

Also included among the league’s award recipients was Caleb Malhotra, the son of Manny Malhotra. The 2026 draft-eligible forward was named the Rookie of the Month after he produced 16 points (seven goals, nine assists) in just 10 games. He now sits tied for second in OHL scoring with 48 points.

Malhotra has quietly emerged as an intriguing name for Canucks fans to monitor closely. With Vancouver holding two first-round selections in the 2026 NHL Draft — and the potential to add more — his continued progression will be well worth tracking as draft season approaches.