[TheScorpion]

I think these are also fair points to make...

At this point in the season:
- Phillips has increased his stock with his terrific play
- There are more injuries around the league, and therefore more open spots
- Players are generally claimed on waivers more often during the season compared to at the end of training camp

I would be surprised if there's zero leaguewide interest in Phillips. He certainly hasn't signed his last NHL contract. There will be multiple teams — probably a majority of the league — interested in him as a free agent this summer. At this point, given what he's done, I think him having cleared waivers doesn't have much bearing on his trajectory going forward.

Teams are always looking for an edge — for players they can acquire who will provide more value than their market rate. Phillips is a candidate to be that player for a variety of teams going forward. It's certainly not a given that he'll live up to that when he gets an NHL look, but we're talking about the AHL leading scorer who is a total unknown quantity in the NHL level. There's tangible intrigue in that, even if the Flames' brass doesn't feel that way.