Frank Patrick moved to Nelson, BC with his family in 1909. With his brother Lester, he brought professional hockey to the West Coast. The Patrick brothers built the first two artificial ice rinks in Canada and are credited with inventing many of the hockey rules still in use today in the NHL. Frank has also been inducted into Canada’s Sports Hall of Fame.

Frank played for Ottawa’s Renfrew Millionaires with his brother, Lester, and Cyclone Taylor in the 1909-10 season. In 1910, he set a record for the most goals–six–scored by a defenceman in one game. This record still stands today.

Frank and Lester formed the Pacific Coast Hockey Association in 1911. Frank sat as president of the league until 1924. The Patrick brothers built the first two artificial ice rinks in Canada: Victoria’s Patrick Arena and Vancouver’s Denman Arena, which both opened in 1912.

Frank managed the Vancouver Millionaires (later, the Maroons) from 1912-26 and played for eight of those years, including the Stanley Cup win of 1915–the first by a BC team.

After selling the rights to Western Canadian Hockey League players to the NHL, Frank managed the Vancouver Lions hockey team of the Pacific Coast League from 1928-33.

He held the newly-formed post of managing director of the NHL in 1933. later he became coach of the Boston Bruins in the 1934-35 season and general manager of the Montreal Canadiens in 1935-36.

Frank conceived numerous rule changes, which included: assigning numbers to players, introducing the “blue line”, allowing unrestricted passing in the central zone (which led to forward passing), conceiving the playoff series, and introducing the penalty shot.