[Signing] Matthew Phillips to Capitals 1yr 1 way $775K

[D as in David]

Originally Posted by Reggie Dunlop

Looks like he’s come up a little short.

Low blow.

[TheIronMaiden]

I didn't want to be the person who bumped this thread.

The Austin Czarnik comparables were accurate.

[PepsiFree]

Originally Posted by D as in David

Low blow.

A headshot in this case.

[gvitaly]

Originally Posted by Reggie Dunlop

Looks like he’s come up a little short.

Now you can just queue the hat trick on Mar 18th.

[Shazam]

Originally Posted by Strange Brew

Was thinking about him today. Outside of his game against the Flames, he appears to be a total non factor and I'm surprised he is still getting playing time.

Does anyone who watch the Capitals have a view on what is going on? The team actually has a decent record and is still in the playoff chase, despite a massive negative goal differential and having big troubles scoring goals.

Caps don't really have a lot of depth, he's just a warm body to fill out the roster.

[N-E-B]

This was the most predictable result you could have made. Irrelevant for 25/26 games but but scores 2 points against Calgary in a comeback win.

[Hack&Lube]

https://www.reddit.com/r/CalgaryFlam...om_a_caps_fan/

[Yeah_Baby]

I hadn't thought about him in months until I saw on IG that he was one of the few players this year who has yet to take a penalty.

[Reggie Dunlop]

[iggyloob12]

Originally Posted by Yeah_Baby

I hadn't thought about him in months until I saw on IG that he was one of the few players this year who has yet to take a penalty.

He can't reach anyone to hook or hold.

[Shazam]

He'll bite your ankles!

[Eric Vail]

Just another item that Sutter was right about.
He has his faults, but he certainly didn't deserve all the blame he took.

[blankall]

Of course everyone knew Phillips was a bit of a long shot. Just because a prospect probably won't work, doesn't mean the organization shouldn't give them any kind of chance. Most draft picks and prospects don't work out.

The problem with Sutter is that he wasn't willing to give anyone a chance. It wasn't until he was gone that the Flames' prospects started getting playing time, and some of them are pretty good.

[Hack&Lube]

Originally Posted by blankall

Of course everyone knew Phillips was a bit of a long shot. Just because a prospect probably won't work, doesn't mean the organization shouldn't give them any kind of chance. Most draft picks and prospects don't work out.

The problem with Sutter is that he wasn't willing to give anyone a chance. It wasn't until he was gone that the Flames' prospects started getting playing time, and some of them are pretty good.

Yep, if Sutter was still here, Zary and Pospisil would probably still be in the AHL as Sutter's mentality was basically players develop in the AHL until they learn to be vets.

[Spurs]

Originally Posted by Hack&Lube

Yep, if Sutter was still here, Zary and Pospisil would probably still be in the AHL as Sutter's mentality was basically players develop in the AHL until they learn to be vets.

Pospisil maybe, although not sure that is a big loss as he isn't much of a player, but if Zary came in and played like he has he would be played. Sutter played young players that produced and could be trusted to do their job.

[SuperMatt18]

Originally Posted by blankall

Of course everyone knew Phillips was a bit of a long shot. Just because a prospect probably won't work, doesn't mean the organization shouldn't give them any kind of chance. Most draft picks and prospects don't work out.

This

Most people weren't dead set that Phillips was going to be a guaranteed star (although people were hopeful), it was just that you wanted to see him get a chance to show one way or another over a guy like Brad Richardson, Tyler Pitlick, Ryan Carpenter, Nick Ritchie, Brett Ritchie, or Radim Zohorna over the past two seasons.

People just wished the organization gave him more than the 2 games he got over those two seasons, over the 151 games those other names combined for other the 21-22 and 22-23 seasons.

It's also why lots of people are praising what the Flames are doing this season...giving guys like Zary, Pospsisil, Solovoyov, Kuznetsov, etc chances to come up and have a look instead of the veteran re-treads.

[lazypucker]

If Sutter is still coaching the Flames, Trevor Lewis will still be on the team, and we won't even know there is some guy named AJ Greer...

[TrentCrimmIndependent]

Still wanted his shot in the NHL to be here because I'm a big fan of home grown talent getting to wear the jersey.

On another note, any one still clamoring for Mitch Love?

[curves2000]

It's a process in learning the NHL game and becoming a full time NHL regular. I am still hopeful for the kid. He is not a professional rookie or anything considering his age but he has only a few dozen NHL games under his belt.

Plenty of players get later starts in their careers and can go onto decent or established NHL careers. A few recent Calgary Flames examples would be Gio and Engelland.

Hopefully he learns as much as he can in his time this year and is able to come back with another contract, stronger and with more successful.

Derek Engelland talked a lot about the sacrifices his wife made working double shifts in Vegas which allowed him the ability to eat properly and train. It was that sacrifice that helped him actually reach the NHL and stay there. I think he became a regular in the show at 29?

Either way, I wish the kid luck

[SuperMatt18]

Originally Posted by Spurs

Pospisil maybe, although not sure that is a big loss as he isn't much of a player, but if Zary came in and played like he has he would be played. Sutter played young players that produced and could be trusted to do their job.

Pospisil does his job pretty well too and it would be a loss if he wasn't getting played over a veteran.

Plays well, agitates the other team, and helps drive play.

7 points in 26 games (all at 5v5) is not that bad for a rookie.

68.8% GF% is first on the team (11 GF, 5 GA)
56.3% xGF% is also first on the team

That Zary-Kadri combo has been much better with him, than they have without him.

Zary-Kadri-Pospisil:

TOI: 183
GF: 8
GA: 2
GF: 80%
HDCF: 55.2%
xGF: 56.1%

Zary+Kadri w/o Pospisil

TOI: 123
GF: 9
GA: 9
GF: 50%
HDCF: 50.9%
xGF: 51.7%

He's the exact type of rookie that has been given a shot and thrived that is the perfect example of why giving a younger guy with some upside but maybe more risk is a better way to manage than playing a no upside veteran.