Jiri Patera Signs 3-Year, Entry-Level Contract with Vegas Golden Knights

June 30, 2020 - Western Hockey League (WHL)
Brandon Wheat Kings News Release

It's been a productive year for Jiri Patera.

The Wheat Kings' 20 year-old graduating goaltender has signed his first professional contract with the Vegas Golden Knights, a three-year entry level deal with the franchise that drafted him in 2017.

Patera appeared in 41 games for the Wheat Kings during the 2019-20 season, posting 5 shutouts and a franchise-best 2.55 Goals Against Average to go along with a .921 save percentage in his second and final season in Brandon. The first ever european-born goalie to play for the Wheat Kings, he finished his tenure in style winning the WHL's Eastern Conference Goaltender of the Year Award as well as being named the team's Most Valuable Player.

Prior to joining the Wheat Kings, the native of Praha, Czech Republic was drafted by the Golden Knights in the 6th round (161 overall) of the 2017 NHL Entry Draft while playing for the USHL's Cedar Rapids Roughriders. In his first season with the Wheat Kings in 2018-2019, Patera had a GAA of 3.31 and a save percentage of .906 in 48 games played. After a slow first half of the season due to injury in his 2019-2020 campaign, Patera caught fire in the second half of the season winning multiple WHL Player of the Week honours and posting 4 of his 5 shutouts in the month of January alone.

While the National Hockey League begins to move forward in finishing their 2019-20 season, Phase 3 of the league's Return to Play program includes training camps opening on July 10 before an eventual 24-team tournament is played in two hub cities that have yet to be named. Patera is not eligible to dress for the Golden Knights for this remainder of the 2019-20 season.

Western Hockey League Stories from June 30, 2020

• Jiri Patera Signs 3-Year, Entry-Level Contract with Vegas Golden Knights - Brandon Wheat Kings
• Broncos Add Forward and Defenceman in CHL Import Draft - Swift Current Broncos
• T-Birds Select Samuel Knazko in First Round of CHL Import Draft - Seattle Thunderbirds
• Blades Select Budding Star Brad Lambert in CHL Import Draft - Saskatoon Blades
• Americans Select Goaltender, Defenseman in 2020 CHL Import Draft - Tri-City Americans
• Wheat Kings Draft Russian Defenceman in 2020 CHL Import Draft - Brandon Wheat Kings
• Hitmen Select Two Players in 2020 CHL Import Draft - Calgary Hitmen
• WHL Clubs Select 25 Players from Eight Nations in 2020 CHL Import Draft - WHL
• Rebels Select Promising Czech Winger in CHL Import Draft - Red Deer Rebels
• Oil Kings Select Janis Svanenbergs in 2020 CHL Import Draft - Edmonton Oil Kings
• Cougars Draft Finnish Forward in CHL Import Draft - Prince George Cougars
• Broncos Add Forward and Defenceman in CHL Import Draft - Swift Current Broncos
• Blazers Select Defenseman Viktor Persson in CHL Import Draft - Kamloops Blazers
• Chiefs Select Defenseman David Jiricek in CHL Import Draft - Spokane Chiefs
• Raiders Select Shyla in CHL Import Draft - Prince Albert Raiders
• Tigers Select Oskari Kuntonen in CHL Import Draft - Medicine Hat Tigers
• Hurricanes Select Nikita Chibrikov in CHL Import Draft - Lethbridge Hurricanes
• Rockets Select Krutil In Import Draft - Kelowna Rockets
• Giants Select Slovakian Defenceman Marko Stacha with 90th Overall Pick in 2020 CHL Import Draft - Vancouver Giants
• Winnipeg Ice Select Henri Nikkanen and Eugen Rabcan in 2020 CHL Import Draft - Winnipeg Ice
• Giants Select Swedish Forward Fabian Lysell 30th Overall in the 2020 CHL Import Draft - Vancouver Giants
• Warriors Select Rysavy in 2020 CHL Import Draft - Moose Jaw Warriors
• Royals Select Marcus Almquist in CHL Import Draft - Victoria Royals
• Broncos Acquire Draft Pick from Victoria - Swift Current Broncos
• Pats Select Stanislav Svozil 15th Overall in 2020 Import Draft - Regina Pats
• Royals Make Trade with Broncos - Victoria Royals

The opinions expressed in this release are those of the organization issuing it, and do not necessarily reflect the thoughts or opinions of OurSports Central or its staff.

Other Recent Brandon Wheat Kings Stories

• Wheat Kings Acquire Mistelbacher and Burzynski from Swift
• Wheat Kings' Season Ends in Game Five Loss in Lethbridge
• Johnson's Third Period Heroics Extend Wheat Kings' Season
• Wheat Kings Fall in Hard-Fought Game Three Heartbreaker
• Wheat Kings Battle Hard in Close Game Two Loss