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Fluw · 06-04-2019, 08:37 AM

(1085 words)

With my final year in the SMJHL having ended I figured it would be important to create this career in review for myself as well as a wholesome message for the Lethbridge Lions organisation. I will be starting with the career in review.

During the massive SMJHL draft class of S45 Patrice Nadeau was among a multitude of goalies available to the 10 teams of the SMJHL, however scouts new very little about this up and coming goaltender. With little expectations going into the draft, and having little preference for any specific team as well as knowledge of the league a young Nadeau was excited to have the opportunity to get drafted by the Lethbridge Lions in the 6th round at 59th overall. Nadeau went extremely late in the draft for a goalie of his calibre however as I mentioned he was not very well known coming into the league and many teams slept on his potential.

The first year Nadeau played for the Lethbridge Lions he was named the starter of the team as the Lions were an expansion team at the time without a solid goaltender to hold down the crease. This was a lot to ask of a player new to the league and Nadeau started a total of 43 games with an abysmal record of 13 wins, 27 losses and 3 overtime losses. This was expected of a team in its inaugural season and despite his poor record Nadeau managed to maintain a 0.883 % save percentage with a 3.23 GAA which ranked around the middle on the leaderboard among all SMJHL goalies during that season. Nadeau while still getting used to the league during his first season didn’t manage to record any shutouts however clocked 4 assists and ran into some penalty issues receiving 4 penalty minutes on the season. At this point Nadeau was already slated as a goalie that needed to be kept an eye on as he put up decent numbers on a struggling, last place Lions team.

Into the second year of his SMJHL career Nadeau carried on being the starter of the Lethbridge Lions who brought on a new backup and future starter to replace Nadeau, Hairy Carpet. This year Nadeau really stepped above and beyond what he accomplished in the previous season notching a record of 21 wins, 15 Losses and 1 Overtime loss, showcasing a huge improvement in his game. He also had a historic season in the SMJHL and is the first goalie in the past 10 seasons to have a top 5 save percentage of all time which he hit #4 at .911%. On top of that stat Nadeau had a 2.24 GAA and recorded 5 shutouts. Discipline wise Nadeau got over his penalty troubles and didn’t put his team short handed at all. This season Nadeau was also named Goalie of the year among all SMJHL Goalies.

The third and final year of Nadeau’s SMJHL career was a great one. Nadeau split the duties of being a starter with his teammate Hairy Carpet who is ready to take the reigns as starting goalie for the Lethbridge Lions. With this being Nadeau’s final year with the Lions he did big things. Nadeau played 33 games for the Lions this season while starting 30 games, and having a record of 19 wins, 10 losses, and 2 overtime losses. This season was another record-breaking season for Nadeau as he smashes his numbers from his previous season notching a .914 save percentage as well as a 2.10 GAA. This season was another record breaker and another one for the history books as Nadeau would end his final season 2nd all time historically among all SMJHL goalies in save percentage and tying with 5th all time in GAA. To add to this stats this season, Nadeau had 5 shutouts and again zero penalty minutes which really helped out his team.

Nadeau saw progression each year he was with the Lethbridge Lions and he grew along with the team, as each season the Lions rose in the rankings and had a better chance in the playoffs, although not much success was found there. With all this being said it is time for my letter to the Lethbridge Lions organization and its players.

I would like to firstly say thank you to the Lethbridge Lions organization and management for giving me the chance to grow along with the team, and be a part of something great and new. You guys had faith in me to hold down the fort from day one as an expansion team in the SMJHL and I couldn’t have been more honoured to do great things with the team. @Justice and @DanbyRem have been amazing general managers and have had immense faith in my goaltending abilities and I would like to thank them for giving me the opportunity to be a Lion and have record breaking seasons while also being really cool guys. As for my teammates, @TnlAstatine has yet to trade me, and he lost his chance to. But in all seriousness the banter between us in the locker room was great and he was a great head coach as well as a teammate and I hope someday we get the chance to play together again. My main man @MCP_ has been my #1 defender from day one, and I would like to thank him for being awesome and helping me smash those goaltending records. @XLeafer My fellow leafs fan here in Lethbridge, you are going to great things in this league and I can see it, I had great chats with you in the locker room and you have been a great teammate. And finally, @Carpy48 you joined the Lions roster last year and have already made a lasting impression on me and had a great impact on the team, I know you can take the Lions to the four star cup ,something I couldn’t do, going to miss having you as my backup but it’s your time to shine so get em! I know I missed some of you, and I hope what I said is satisfactory as I may not have added enough but I am not some writing genius and run out of ideas fast. If I missed you, I still love you. The whole Lethbridge Lions organization has made my time in the SMJHL really enjoyable and I really will always feel a part of this team. Thank you again and best of luck in future seasons!

~~PenKnight~~ · 06-04-2019, 08:50 AM

Thanks for the article!
Great Read!
You're in the Show now!!

XLeafer · 06-05-2019, 07:47 AM

Good luck in the SHL! Miss you.

Justice · 06-07-2019, 03:43 PM

GOOD LUCK IN THE SHL!!

THE GOAT!

Whikadoodle · 06-07-2019, 06:06 PM

_/ _/ _/

MCP_ · 06-08-2019, 03:03 PM

luv u bud

Grapehead · 06-08-2019, 11:17 PM

Patrice Nadeau is a rising star! Had a hell of an impressive junior career, despite the lack of team playoff success, and should be a household name with a few seasons in the SHL.

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