Fifteen months ago, Noah Philp took a personal leave, walking away from hockey after 32 points over his last 42 games in his first pro season in Bakersfield.
“I’m at a time in my life where I want to focus on things outside the realm of hockey…I’m doing well and wish all the best to the players, coaches, and staff in Bakersfield and Edmonton,” Philp said, then and he walked out the door.
Now, he’s back and knocking on that door for an Oilers job.
The former University of Alberta Golden Bears’ centre, who turned 26 in August, won’t be making the Oilers’ lineup because they have 12 forwards on one-way contracts, taking the injured Evander Kane out of the equation, and if they do carry another forward to start the season, other farmhands James Hamblin, Lane Pederson or Raphael Lavoie have a leg up on that spot.
But don’t sleep on Philp getting a good look in exhibitions. The Oilers feel he definitely has the makings to be an NHLer.
His itch to play hockey again needs to be scratched.
“I just had a gut feeling to step away from hockey for a while. I didn’t know how long that would be but I went and saw a bit of the world and this (returning) feels fresh to me,” said Philp.
It couldn’t have been an easy decision to put his skates away, especially getting a late start as a pro, beginning his time in Bakersfield at 24.
So what were the reasons he left? He won’t go there.
“Yeah, I’ve had a lot of people ask me that question,” said Philp.
“I can’t answer it, I just felt I had to step away. It was a decision for me. A gut feeling and I followed that. I’m very happy I did.”
Fortunately for the Oilers, former GM Ken Holland extended a qualifying offer to Philp after the first season, even knowing he might be leaving. So they kept his rights, and he signed a one-year, two-way contract in July.
“We kept the door open for him (Philp). We didn’t bug him. We said ‘call when you’re ready (to return),’” said assistant GM Keith Gretzky, who looks after the Oilers farm team in Bakersfield.
He’s intriguing—big (6’3” and 200 pounds), he shoots right and he did kill some penalties in the AHL in 2023-24, along with getting work on the power play. He did a good job on details (face-offs), and playing the puck in his own end in Bakersfield.
“The first pro season..it was a learning experience. The first half, I was a little shocked by the pace, and through great mentors, older guys on the team, I was able to progress and move on,” said Philp, thrilled to be out on the ice, once again.
“It’s been so much fun, getting up to the pace after being off, but I’ve had quite a bit of time to do that. I’ve been skating hard for four or so months and working out. I’ve had an extended summer, unlike a lot of these guys, guys who played all year (115 games including playoffs and exhibitions).”
What are his aspirations now? He’ll start in Bakersfield but could be a call-up.
“I’m not a big goal-setting guy. I’m more for a day-to-day approach,” he said. “One of the biggest things I changed in my one year in Bakersfield was not worrying where I’ll be (NHL, AHL). Don’t think of the big picture.”
Philp is getting a later start than kids coming out of junior. The clock’s ticking. But, he’s not sweating it.
“I keep joking that I’m an old guy but I just turned 26. Taking a year off at 25, a lot of guys might think about that (negatively), but I’m just trying to do what I can now,” said Philp, who has played wing but he was a centre for most of his time in Bakersfield, and got some PK time and second-unit PP experience.
“Getting back on the ice, it never feels like work, only fun,” he said.
So is he a late bloomer?
“Yeah, maybe. Doesn’t matter where you’ve been or what you’ve done, though. Things come at different times with players, it’s a marathon, not a sprint. His game has really come around and he’s an exciting guy to watch over this camp,’ said Gretzky.
Oilers coach Kris Knoblauch is a Golden Bears’ alum, of course, as is Oiler fourth-line centre Derek Ryan. And Philp? Can you have too many Golden Bears?
“You can if you are thinking of moving (Connor) McDavid or (Leon) Draisaitl off the team,” kidded Knoblauch.
A hockey lifer
Should we be surprised that Ken Holland is back in hockey rinks, watching the first-year Utah Hockey Club in training camp? Absolutely not. While Holland’s five-year Oiler GM contract ran out June 30, and he’s spent the summer months golfing and hanging out at his home in the Okanagan, he now needs a hockey fix.
And Utah’s giving it to him.
Holland doesn’t have a job title in Utah yet, but senior advisor might make sense.
Former San Jose GM Doug Wilson has that title in Pittsburgh. Peter Chiarelli left Oilers as GM and got that job with Blues before he became head of St. Louis hockey ops.
Holland, 68, has spent a lot of time on the phone with Utah GM Bill Armstrong the last few years. He dealt Zack Kassian there, he acquired forward Nick Bjugstad and defenceman Troy Stecher at the trade deadline.
Some major body work done
Oiler winger Evander Kane had his two sports hernias and four muscle tears (hip and abdominal) repaired Friday. “Successful surgery, long road ahead,” Kane said on his Instagram account. No word on where the surgery was done or how long that road is. How many months of recovery? All questions for another day.
Many NHL players have had sports hernia surgery in the last few years. Nikolai Ehlers, Jamie Benn, Jason Zucker, Mike Smith and Jamie Drysdale to name a few.
This ‘n that
- Is it possible that Bouchard could hit 100 points this season if the Oiler PP continues to hum? He had 82 last year in his breakout campaign. Only six defenceman have ever had 100 points—Oilers defence coach Paul Coffey (five times), Bobby Orr (five), Al MacInnis, Brian Leetch, Denis Potvin, and Erik Karlsson…
- Ryan Nugent-Hopkins barely caught his breath after the season ended June 24, but a short few months off is just fine for the longest-serving Oiler. “Early in my career, those long summers started getting old. It’s fun when you’re a young kid (time off), but I don’t want that anymore, this time of my carer,” said Nugent-Hopkins, who joined the team in 2011 and didn’t make playoffs until 2016…
- Postmedia photog David Bloom was playing hurt Friday at practice when a puck flipped over the net and caught him on the temple. Some blood there…
- Former Oil Kings’ winger Dylan Guenther, 21, who had 50 points (24 goals) in 78 games in Arizona, could be closing in on an eight-year deal for a shade over $7 million AAV with the relocated Utah club…
- What do Vasily Podkolzin and Canucks’ president Jim Rutherford have in common? Rutherford was also a 10th overall draft pick like the former Vancouver winger, now an Oiler. Rutherford played 457 NHL games in net after being the 10th pick in 1969…
- New Oilers player development coach Tobias Salmelainen’s dad Tommi was the first European ever drafted in 1969, 66th player taken overall by St. Louis Blues. He never played in the NHL, though.
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