Heading into Edmonton Oilers training camp, most believed that Noah Philp was a longshot to make the NHL roster after taking an extended break from hockey. The 6-foot-3 center from Alberta spent nearly 18 months away from the game, leaving many to speculate how he’d play if he ever returned at all. Philp has returned and in a big way.
Reactions to his training camp and pre-season results with the Oilers hint that the team might make a surprising decision. Philp is not only in the mix for a fourth-line center role on opening night—he’s turning heads among coaches and insiders.
Oilers Now host Bob Stauffer noted that Philp has been more impressive than other players vying for the spot, telling Daily Faceoff’s Frank Seravalli that the center’s efforts haven’t gone unnoticed. “To me, he’s been more noticeable than a couple of other guys trying to get themselves in the mix for the fourth-line center position,” Stauffer said. Seravalli added, “If he doesn’t have the inside track on the fourth-line center spot, he’s at least made it a dead heat.”
Kurt Leavins of the Edmonton Journal has a similar review of the forward, praising Philp for his standout performance in the Oilers’ 5-4 preseason win against the Seattle Kraken. Leavins highlighted Philp’s goal and dominance in the faceoff circle, where he went 9-for-11. “I saw some separation between Noah Philp and the other forwards vying for that 12-13-14 forward position before Saturday night. And I felt that gap widened against Seattle,” Leavins wrote.
The scribe adds that if Philp can contribute on the penalty kill, the fourth-line center spot is likely his. Played 10:34 in Saturday’s win, 3:17 of which was shorthanded.
When asked about his beauty goal on Saturday, Philp said, “I just went far-side, I wasn’t sure if it would make it there, I didn’t know if he saw me but it was a great pass.”
Meanwhile, Mark Spector of Sportsnet believes Philp’s unexpected rise is making Head Coach Kris Knoblauch second guess his plan to send Philp back to the AHL no matter what he did this pre-season. “He’s changing Knoblauch’s mind, as one former University of Alberta Golden Bear considers keeping another Golden Bear grad on his NHL roster,” Spector noted. Knoblauch himself admitted that Philp’s success was surprising given the long layoff. “Philp missed 17, 18 months, and to come to an NHL camp and to make the team right away would have been almost ridiculous to think about. But he’s played really well. He’s showed us that he is ready,” Knoblauch said.
Could Noah Philp Actually Make the Oilers Roster Out of Camp?
Conventional wisdom would be not to rush the player. He’s missed a lot of hockey, he’s still a relatively young prospect (he is 26), and he’s got no NHL experience to his name. This is an Oilers team that is deep and positioned well at forward. Still, Philp is earning his way onto this team.
The development plan was to send him back. But, he’s still here and Philp’s journey is quickly becoming one of the most compelling stories of Oilers training camp. As he battles for a spot on the opening-night roster, the consensus among Edmonton’s hockey community is clear: Philp is making a serious case for why he belongs.
Next: Oilers Beat Kraken, But Lose Pickard: Goalie Situation in Question
