Quote:
Originally Posted by TheScorpion
You've been saying his NHL dream was dead since he was 21 and he's signed two NHL deals since.
Glenn Gawdin and Austin Czarnik were pursued by 20 teams as UFAs. Would be 0% surprised to see the same with Phillips a year from now.
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Scorp, I know it's a rough day for you. I feel for you today. It's always terrible to see a player you've invested so much time and energy in to reach the end of the road, but this was a known a long time ago. I would hope that you are going to understand that the deals Phillps signed were development contracts, that anything associated to the NHL was a carrot and not a guarantee. The only guarantee Phillips had was his AHL salary and hopes for a cup of coffee. The guy never got a sniff of the NHL outside of that last game of the year "attaboy" for his play in the AHL. He was never going to be an NHL player and it was obvious early on. He was the longest-of-longshots and he never really showed he was capable, which is why he was always an early cut.
You can trot out all the players you like, but none of them are 140 pounds and can't get on the rides at Disneyland. The other guys you trotted out at least had NHL size or close to it. Phillips might coerce a try-out from a desperate bottom feeder if he has another big year, but as you pointed out, he'll be 25, have one NHL game under his belt, and be the smallest player in the league. Roll those descriptors around in your head, remove the player's name, and tell me you would be happy if the Flames extended a contract to a player like that? And be honest.