ARLINGTON, Va. – The Washington Capitals have claimed forward Matthew Phillips off waivers from the Pittsburgh Penguins and have loaned him to the Hershey Bears of the American Hockey League (AHL), president and general manager Brian MacLellan announced today.
Phillips, 25, has recorded five points (1g, 4a) in 30 games with the Capitals and Pittsburgh this season. Phillips, who played 27 games for Washington before being claimed off waivers by Pittsburgh on Feb. 16, scored his first career NHL goal and tallied his first assist in the Capitals’ 3-2 shootout win over the Calgary Flames on Oct. 16. Phillips, a Calgary native, was drafted by the Flames in the sixth round (166th overall) of the 2016 NHL Draft and spent seven years in the Flames organization before signing with Washington last summer. In 33 career NHL games with the Capitals, Penguins and Flames, Phillips has registered five points (1g, 4a).
Phillips recorded 76 points (36g, 40a) in 66 games with the Calgary Wranglers of the AHL in 2022-23. Phillips led the AHL's top-regular season team in scoring and ranked second in the AHL in goals and fifth in points. Phillips was named to the AHL's First All-Star Team last season and played in the AHL's All-Star Game in 2020. In 265 career AHL games, Phillips has registered 237 points (103g, 134a). The Calgary, Alberta native played four seasons in the Western Hockey League (WHL) with the Victoria Royals, recording 281 points (136g, 145a) in 215 career games.
