Oilers’ Noah Philp Entering Make-Or-Break Season

NHL training camp is just over a month away, and tough roster decisions will need to be made. One player looking to make his mark is Noah Philp. He is an interesting case because he didn’t play during the 2023-24 season, before making a comeback last season. He was signed by the Oilers in 2022 after a stint with the University of Alberta Golden Bears in the USports league. He played 70 games for the Bakersfield Condors of the American Hockey League (AHL) before his hiatus, recording 19 goals and 37 points. Upon his return to hockey, he recorded 19 goals and 35 points in 55 games with the Condors, while also getting called up to the NHL. The undrafted prospect seemingly came out of nowhere and is pushing for a roster spot.

Philp played 15 games for the Oilers last season, recording two assists and a plus-1 rating, averaging 9:05 per game. He’s entering his 27-year-old season, so he’s no longer a youngster. The 6-foot-3, 201-pounder has two full professional seasons under his belt, but it’s time for him to take that next step. He could be a valuable asset for this team because he’s a big-bodied, right-shot centre with a cap hit of only $775,000. He’s positionally sound and has a high hockey IQ, so if he can maintain that in the NHL, he will thrive. Fourth-line centres should play low-event, mistake-free hockey, and that’s what Philp does. He won’t light up the scoresheet, but if he contributes occasionally while being reliable defensively, he checks off all the boxes for what Edmonton needs.

If Philp is going to have success, he must improve in the faceoff circle. He took 102 draws last season, winning 40 of them, for a 39.2 winning percentage. That number must drastically increase moving forward. Being defensively responsible is crucial for a fourth-line centre, and winning faceoffs is a contributing factor. His ice time will depend on the trust he develops with head coach Kris Knoblauch. If the coach trusts him in certain situations, that will bode well for him as the season progresses. Winning draws consistently, especially in the defensive zone, will help earn brownie points and aid that trust. This is a make-or-break season for the Canmore, Alberta native.

Philp Has Competition

There’s a logjam in the bottom six, with three players likely competing for one spot. In that mix are Philp, Curtis Lazar, and David Tomášek. There are also players such as Kasperi Kapanen and Mattias Janmark who aren’t guaranteed roster spots either. However, it will be tough for Philp to beat out one of them. With that said, his biggest competition for the fourth-line centre job is Lazar. Both players bring similar attributes. They both shoot right and have identical cap hits, so neither stands out more than the other. Therefore, if Philp hopes to crack the opening night roster, he must outperform Lazar in training camp.