Doug Patey was born December 28, 1956 in Toronto, Ontario. The 5th choice, 73rd overall selection of the Washington Capitals in the 1973 NHL Entry Draft, Patey is a graduate of the Ontario Junior Hockey League's Dixie Beehives and of the Ontario Major Junior Hockey League's Sault Ste. Marie Greyhounds.
The brother of Larry Patey of the California Golden Seals, St. Louis Blues and New York Rangers, Doug Patey spent two seasons in the OMJHL with the Greyhounds before making his NHL debut with the Caps in 1976-77.
The Toronto, Ontario native went to split his 1976-77 season with the Caps and the International Hockey League's Dayton Gems before spending the majority of the following season with the American Hockey League's Hershey Bears.
Patey returned to Hershey in 1978-79 and once again spent the majority of the season with the Bears while suiting up for only nine games with the Caps before being claimed by the Edmonton Oilers in the Expansion Draft later that summer.
Even though the Oilers claimed him, Patey found himself in the Central Hockey League for the 1979-80 season. Patey split his season with the Cincinnati Stingers and the Houston Apollos before heading overseas to Finland the following year.
