Waived: [WSH] F Matthew Phillips waived by the Capitals (claimed)

[Volica]

Europe or the KHL could be a great career move for him. International sized ice is exactly what his game needs, and there’s more money to be made than in the AHL if he plays his cards right.

I mean if you’re a really good professional player in the AHL you can carve out a 200k salary. Which considering many of these guys normally can barely count; making a couple G’s in USD playing hockey isn’t a bad gig from the ages of like 26/27-33/35

 

[Burkeocet]

He’s not fast enough to be that small. It works for some dudes but they’re faster or stronger. He will have to put on muscle and work on his skating if he ever wants to have a shot. He looked like a boy against men a lot of times

 

[ryan callahan]

Again. Washington never gave him a shot in an offensive role despite being a team starved for offensive talent. The skating concerns are ridiculous. He is an excellent skater. But he will never succeed in a bottom 6 grinder role.

 

[Caps8112]

Dude is just too small. He would get absolutely embarrassingly rag dolled each game. See what everybody likes in him with the effort, but it won’t ever be more than that.

Again. Washington never gave him a shot in an offensive role despite being a team starved for offensive talent. The skating concerns are ridiculous. He is an excellent skater. But he will never succeed in a bottom 6 grinder role.

He got top 6 minutes with the caps at some point

 

[BHD]

Nobody was expecting him to light the world on fire, but wasn’t he supposed to hold down a spot in Washington?

 

[Yotes4Cup]

He is tiny. Listed at 5'8 but he is probably closer to 5'5.

 

[Kalopsia]

Again. Washington never gave him a shot in an offensive role despite being a team starved for offensive talent. The skating concerns are ridiculous. He is an excellent skater. But he will never succeed in a bottom 6 grinder role.

His most common linemates in Washington were Strome (89 minutes at 5 on 5), Milano (63), Lapierre (53), and Kuznetsov (49). He got a minute per night on the power play too. Phillips never got an extended shot in an offensive role on a consistent line, but he was absolutely given an offensive role when they did play him, and he didn't make much of an impression.

 

[Yepthatsme]

Again. Washington never gave him a shot in an offensive role despite being a team starved for offensive talent. The skating concerns are ridiculous. He is an excellent skater. But he will never succeed in a bottom 6 grinder role.

People who have concerns about his skating don’t think it’s bad, it’s just that for the really to extremely small forwards their skating ability practically has to be the inverse of their size. The smallest guy in the league has to have some of the best skating ability in the league, and Phillips skating is no where near that level. He is almost incapable of surviving contact from almost any player in the league, and doesn’t have the ability to create separation from everyone. Some small forwards can get around this by very great leg/trunk strength to pair with their low centre of gravity to be a menace to knock off the puck, but once again Phillips doesn’t have this trait.

 

[Reinhart]

Not enough speed or skill for a small skilled forward who offers absolutely nothing else. He is what he is, and that's a tweener. Lots of guys irrespective of size that sometimes put up a lot of points in the AHL and do nothing in the NHL. This isn't some headscratcher. He is simply a tweener. He isn't the first and he won't be the last.

As for Sutter not giving him a chance - this is a huge headscratcher. So someone is actually condemning Sutter for not really giving him a chance even though he has just shown everyone this season that he isn't an NHL player - at least not yet? How is that an argument? Sutter watched the Wranglers at times. Sutter had Phillips in practice at times. I think Sutter knew more or less what Phillips was, and he still gave him a game. What do people expect? If anything, there shouldn't be a 'stubborn Sutter didn't give Phillips a chance' argument here. There should be a "Sutter was exactly right about him.". It is a completely ludicrus and completely nonsensical argument the other way.

 

[Caps8112]

the amusing part in this topic is if Phillips was a normal sized NHL player and shown what he has so far, he would already be forgotten. Lot of posts about his skill and not being given an actual shot. It wouldnt matter and there is a reason scouts dont go looking for just anyone. Back in training camp and there was talk of him making the team, my first thought was, wow they are going to be bad if this small player is making the team and also that the new coach is trying an "Invincible" type move to gain good will with the team and fans. All the praise in the world to the kid for pursuing his dream and getting to play in NHL games but it wasnt ever going to actually work out because of his size in relation to other players. Its not effort or ability. St louis was a rare thing, not the norm.

 

[hb12xchamps]

Unfortunately he’s a classic AAAA player. A guy who can be at a MVP level in the AHL, but just doesn’t cut it to be a full time NHL player. He’s essentially a Chris Bourque level of player

 

[Bond]

He is built for the Euro leagues. He just isn't good to overcome his massive size disadvantage

 

[gotothedirtyareas]

He really worked hard but "played" too small for the NHL. Got pushed off his skates way too easily.

 

[Davo Ikinzom]

So Darryl Sutter was right.

 

[crazy8888]

So Darryl Sutter was right.

Evidently.

 

[Marc the Habs Fan]

Dubas is gonna Dubas.

 

[Zirakzigil]

Ahahahaha.... OMG!

Pens claimed him

 

[Zirakzigil]

Cant be any worse then Jansen Harkins was.

Lol just wait