The incredible journey of Noah Philp got even more remarkable on Thursday (Oct. 31) when the 26-year-old centre made his NHL career regular season debut in a 5-1 victory for the Edmonton Oilers over the Nashville Predators at Bridgestone Arena.
Related: 5 Takeaways From the Oilers’ 5-1 Win Against the Predators
Philp picked up an assist on Corey Perry’s game-winning goal in the second period. The 6-foot-3 forward went 10-for-14 on the draw, winning the most faceoffs of any player on either team. He played 11:54 and finished the game with a plus/minus rating of plus-1.
This is the latest chapter in the unlikely story of Philp, who was out of hockey entirely in 2023-24 before signing a one-year, two-way contract with the Oilers on July 1. Philp began this season in the American Hockey League (AHL) and on Tuesday (Oct. 29) he was recalled from the Bakersfield Condors. Here are six facts about his amazing NHL debut:
Philp Making a Point in His NHL Debut
Philp is the first Oilers forward to record a point in his first career regular-season game since Nov. 19, 2016, when Drake Caggiula got an assist during Edmonton’s 5-2 victory over the Dallas Stars.
Coincidentally, Caggiula was called up from Bakersfield alongside Philp this week, and Thursday marked the 30-year-old winger’s first regular season game in an Oilers jersey since December 2018.
Philp also fired three shots on goal, tied for ninth most by an Oilers player in their first NHL regular season game, and most since 2015.
One of the Few NHLers From His Hometown
The town of Canmore, located about 50 kilometres west of Calgary, has a population of just over 15,000. Before Thursday it could lay claim to just five players in the 108-season history of the NHL. Now it’s six.
Philp was born and raised in the Southern Alberta town, before heading to Cranbrook, B.C., where he played major junior hockey in the Western Hockey League (WHL) with the Kootenay Ice.
A Rare NHL Golden Bear
Between 2019 and 2022, Philp played for the Golden Bears men’s hockey team at the University of Alberta, which is not a frequent source of NHL players. Philp is only the fifth former Golden Bears player to appear in an NHL regular season game since 2000 and the sixth Alberta alumni to play a regular season game with the Oilers.
Make that 15 Alberta Golden Bears alumni that have gone on to play in the NHL!
— Canada West (@CanadaWest) November 1, 2024
Congrats Noah! @GBHKY x @USPORTSca https://t.co/GbQQsh5oCf
That list includes current Oilers forward Derek Ryan, who was a healthy scratch on Thursday. If Philp and Ryan both draw into the lineup for the same game, they will become the first former Golden Bears to play together for the Oilers in the regular season.
Philp Among the Oldest to Debut with Oilers
Philp is the 27th player in Oilers history to make his NHL debut with Edmonton at age 26 or older, and the oldest forward to do so in more than five years.
Only six of the other 26 players on that list picked up a point in their NHL debut. One happens to be fellow University of Alberta alumnus Ian Herbers, who picked up an assist on Edmonton’s very first goal of the 1993-94 season, scored by Oilers Hall-of-Famer Doug Weight, against the San Jose Sharks.
Undeterred by Being Undrafted
Philp overcame long odds by making the NHL as an undrafted player. To give an idea of how rare that is, the Oilers’ lineup for their first game of the 2024-25 season includes just one undrafted player, the aforementioned Ryan.
Turns out, this is nothing new for Philp. He wasn’t selected in the WHL Draft either, but that didn’t stop him from signing with Kootenay and going on to appear in 259 games over four seasons in the WHL, with the Ice and Seattle Thunderbirds.
Philp Following in Brother’s Footsteps
What’s most amazing is that Philp is following the path of his older brother, Luke Philp, who also grew up in Canmore, played in the WHL with the Ice, wasn’t drafted, and attended the University of Alberta before making his NHL regular season debut on Jan. 24, 2023, as a member of the Chicago Blackhawks.
Luke would only suit up for two more regular season games with the Blackhawks; however, the last one is coming on March 11, 2023. He hasn’t played in the NHL since and is currently in the AHL with the Hershey Bears.
If he’s going to stick around in the NHL longer than his brother did, Noah needs to make a positive impression every chance he gets. Mission accomplished on Thursday. Now his story continues on Sunday (Nov. 3) when the Oilers visit the Calgary Flames.
