USHL: QA with Kent Patterson

One could forgive Cedar Rapids RoughRiders goaltender Kent Patterson for frustration felt during the 2007-08 season. The Colorado Avalanche fourth-round pick suffered a groin injury at a Team USA World Junior Championship tryout, discovered he had to have sports hernia surgery, and had to watch as fellow RoughRider Brady Hjelle established firm control in net during his absence. Despite those setbacks, on the strength of a few strong games in March, Patterson put up numbers in 2007-08 similar to those in 2006-07.

McKeen's had the opportunity to chat with Patterson during the first round of the Clark Cup Playoffs and discussed his injury and surgery, his battle to get back into the lineup, his development with the RoughRiders, his drafting by the Colorado Avalanche, and his high school hockey in Minnesota.

McKeen's: Unfortunately, probably the biggest news for you this year is the groin injury and the sports hernia. That said, you finished the season fairly strong and your numbers this year, coming back, were pretty close to last year's (2.49 G.AA and .912 save percentage in 2007-08, 2.91 G.AA and .913 save percentage in 2006-07). How did it feel to put up similar numbers to last year coming off that injury?

Patterson: It was just a constant battle just to get back in the lineup, just get the playing time I needed. It's good to see that I got the numbers back up there, but I'm not quite happy, you can always do better. But, it's good to see that I was able to put up decent numbers for the year, but it's just been a battle everyday, day in and day out.

McKeen's: How did you feel you were in net this year compared to last year?

Patterson: I felt, development wise, a bit more pushed, being able to step up to the plate quicker, whereas last year I had the whole season. This year, I was out the first part of it there then had to kind of step in and just learning and moving along and quickly doing what I have to do for the team.

McKeen's: Tell me about the groin injury and the sports hernia. Were those two separate things, or were they related, and when did you first start feeling it and when did you learn you had to have surgery?

Patterson: Well, at first, I got the groin injury at the very last tryout of the World Junior camp, on a shootout, just an unfortunate movement and the groin gave out. After that, I just started doing rehab after a little bit of rest time. It gradually got better, I got back to skating, and then I still felt something was wrong. I went to a few doctors, they said I didn't have a sport hernia, then finally went to a general surgeon and he found it, felt it right away. So, it was kind of unfortunate that I found it a little later than I wanted to. But, I got it taken care of as soon as I found out. I wish we would have done it sooner, but I didn't even know I had it.

McKeen's: What was the rehabilitation process like between going on the IR October 21 and December 5, when you were reactivated, and what were some of the things that they had you do?

Patterson: I was just doing rehab. One, I was just making sure I was resting and not pushing it too much. That's one thing, I didn't want to hurt it again, so I just wanted to slowly get back and use that six-week span to be able to get back to my whole abilities. So, I was just doing rehab and doing strengthening exercises, stretching, just trying to get back to my normal state.

McKeen's: When was the surgery?

Patterson: I'm not quite sure exactly when. I think it was in October sometime. I just used the whole six weeks of being on the IR to get back and use every bit of it. Started skating lightly after a week after surgery, about three or four weeks I was back practicing with the team.

McKeen's: Still a fairly quick turnaround for that injury. In what ways has that injury affected your season, not just in playing time, but also in your ability and feeling comfortable?

Patterson: I don't think it's affected me in that way. I think it's more or less a learning tool, a learning experience to build off of. Not every goalie is going to be able to look back and say that, "I went through that, that injury, and I was able to come back and get some playing time back during that season," and I think I went out and did that.

McKeen's: What are some of the areas that you have been concentrating improving on these past two years with Cedar Rapids?

Patterson: I've just been kind of (pauses), last year I worked a lot without goalie coach, Joe Exter, who's at the Developmental Program. Setting up in the crease and just using my size to my advantage and little detail things and, most of all, just working on consistency and rebound control, because when you get those high-paced games at higher levels, if you don't have the rebound control, you're not going to be able to control the momentum of the game. And that's one thing I think every goalie needs to be able to do to help their team win.

McKeen's: Is Exter still able to work with you guys periodically?

Patterson: No. He left for the Developmental Program, so we got a new goalie coach this year that works with us every two weeks.

McKeen's: Who is that, if I may ask?

Patterson: Jacque Vezina.

McKeen's: Oh, yes. He works up in Minnesota with FHIT (Flexx Hockey Institute of Training).

Patterson: Yep.

McKeen's: Last year you backed up Richard Bachman (freshman standout at Colorado College in 2007-08 and Dallas Stars draft pick) for much of the season.

Patterson: Yep.

McKeen's: What was it like being his backup and what were some of things you were able to learn from him?

Patterson: He and I had a great relationship on and off the ice. It was competitive on the ice, but we were best friends off the ice. Just, to be able to play with him and see what he did this year, competing with him for that number one spot was a great thing to look back on and I definitely learned a lot from him, just in terms of playing time and the way to handle yourself on and off the ice.

McKeen's: This year, Brady Hjelle took the helm while you were out, and it is what it is now, but in what ways have you been able to help him out and what's your assessment of him?

Patterson: Throughout the year I've just kind of given him pointers, help him out here and there, just give him a few helpful hints on and off the ice, just what to do, how to act. I've been trying to be a mentor, more or less, even when I wasn't playing, just kind of helping through the tough times and tell him to keep his head up. He did a great job at the beginning of the year and right now he's doing a pretty good job, too. I just hope that he can keep it going here.

McKeen's: I take it tonight was one of those nights where you tell him to keep keeping the head up, "it wasn't your fault".

Patterson: Yep, he played a good game, played a great game.

McKeen's: You are part of a tradition of netminders to play in Cedar Rapids and who get drafted in the NHL, with you being drafted by the Colorado Avalanche in the fourth round of the 2007 NHL Entry Draft. How did that feel, how did you find out if you weren't at the draft, and what did the Avalanche tell you initially?

Patterson: I actually went to the draft, and Colorado was one of those teams that I didn't talk to before the draft. I'd been talking to Nashville and New Jersey, and they had some picks a few after Colorado's, and I was a bit surprised to hear my name called when Colorado was up for their pick. It was a great thing, because my brother's been a fan of Colorado his whole life. He was probably more excited when I got drafted by them than I was. It was just a great thing to be drafted by an organization. They've just been saying it's a long process, baby steps, they're just helping me along with my development, trying to point me on the right path.

McKeen's: Sounds like they have been keeping in contact with you during the season.

Patterson: Yeah, I've talked with them a few times here and there. So, they're just helping me along, telling me what they think, and obviously me giving them input and just letting them know what's going on.

McKeen's: What are some of the things they ask you about?

Patterson: They just ask me about college and, basically, just helping me, what would be best for my future, just so I can get to the next level.

McKeen's: With the college thing, my understanding of the Collective Bargaining Agreement is that a player that's drafted and considered a "college player" has one year to either commit to a college or the team has to give that player a bona fide offer. That was how the New York Islanders lost their rights to Troy Matilla, who afterward committed to Dartmouth. As a player who has not yet committed to a program, is that something Colorado has talked to you about?

Patterson: No. All that I know is that they had my rights for five years. I haven't heard anything about college and one year. I've never heard of that before. So, all I know is they have my rights for five years, and it's going to be a long five years, I know that.

McKeen's: Yeah, I didn't know about that particular until Matilla informed me of his situation in a similar interview earlier this season, and maybe it doesn't apply to you. [Note: According to the Collective Bargaining Agreement, in Section 8.6(c)(ii),(iii), and (iv), players on the collegiate path not already in college, considered "college players" must become a bona fide college student prior to the first June 1 following his selection in the NHL Entry Draft or receive a "Bona Fide Offer," which offer would have to comply with NHL entry-level-contract requirements.] Anyway, you played for Blake School up in Minnesota before playing for the RoughRiders. In what areas did your game develop there and what were some of the highlights of your two seasons with them?

Patterson: Up there, I had a great coach, John Hamre, and I just learned to step in as a young guy. My freshman year, I stepped in and played 14 games, played in the Section games, and did quite well. Unfortunately, we lost 2-1(to Totino-Grace) in the semifinals (Section 5A), but came back next year and beat Totino and then moved and went to the State Championships. So, the highlights, I would say, were probably Section Championship Game, winning that, and then going to play in the Xcel Energy Center. It's the highlight of every Minnesota kid.

McKeen's: Sure. It's pretty spectacular to be playing high school hockey and have an NHL arena be as packed as if the Wild were playing.

Patterson: Yeah.

McKeen's: You also played in the Upper Midwest Elite League. Tell me about that league, what it was like, and the team you played for.

Patterson: I played with Team Northwest. It's a great league, and it's a great prep for the season, and a lot of great players, like Jordan Fulton and all the big names, and then Kyle Okposo, [Jay] Barriball, a bunch of Minnesota guys, have played in it. It's a great league. It definitely helped my development.

At this point, with a couple questions remaining, Patterson had to leave and apologized for having to heed the call for all RoughRider players to board the bus back to Cedar Rapids.

McKeen's thanks both Patterson and the RoughRiders for allowing Patterson to speak for the considerable duration he did, especially after a difficult playoff defeat on the road.

As a note to inquiring prospect fans, McKeen's honored a request to refrain from asking Patterson about college recruitment and his college prospects.