[Signing] Avs sign Matthew Philips to 1 year deal ($775k NHL, $287.5k AHL)

[mjk123]

Love the story, career AHLer though

[Derek Sutton]

Going to Europe at this stage is giving up on the NHL dream. Obviously he still believes he can make the NHL, Canadians do not grow up aspiring to play in the DEL. He can go over to Europe to finish off his career whenever he wants, but for right now the NHL dream is still alive and the AHL is the place to be if you're gonna get that call.

[The Cobra]

Originally Posted by Derek Sutton

Going to Europe at this stage is giving up on the NHL dream. Obviously he still believes he can make the NHL, Canadians do not grow up aspiring to play in the DEL. He can go over to Europe to finish off his career whenever he wants, but for right now the NHL dream is still alive and the AHL is the place to be if you're gonna get that call.

It's also a question of money. He can still make more money likely playing in NA.

[Strange Brew]

Originally Posted by Derek Sutton

Going to Europe at this stage is giving up on the NHL dream. Obviously he still believes he can make the NHL, Canadians do not grow up aspiring to play in the DEL. He can go over to Europe to finish off his career whenever he wants, but for right now the NHL dream is still alive and the AHL is the place to be if you're gonna get that call.

Well pro hockey careers are incredibly short so he can't really go to play in Europe whenever he wants but I get your point.

Maybe he thinks he can still make the NHL, or maybe he prefers to live in NA. He might be working on his post hockey career too. We don't really know but its kind of interesting to speculate on what his choices were. My guess is that Phillips isn't a huge draw for teams in Europe. I had heard that top salaries in Germany were about $300K which is where Kenny Agostino plays. If that is his option, I can understand why he's till playing here while he can. This kind of contract won't be available to him much longer.

[blankall]

Originally Posted by Strange Brew

Well pro hockey careers are incredibly short so he can't really go to play in Europe whenever he wants but I get your point.

Maybe he thinks he can still make the NHL, or maybe he prefers to live in NA. He might be working on his post hockey career too. We don't really know but its kind of interesting to speculate on what his choices were. My guess is that Phillips isn't a huge draw for teams in Europe. I had heard that top salaries in Germany were about $300K which is where Kenny Agostino plays. If that is his option, I can understand why he's till playing here while he can. This kind of contract won't be available to him much longer.

He's currently getting a higher end AHL salary. Going to Europe for an extra $50/year doesn't make a huge amount of sense. Lots of players stick around and play in the AHL for their entire careers too.

I also get the sense, that after a certain stage, players get tired of playing in the AHL and find it a bit beneath them. They go to Europe so that they can at least play against other guys on their level.

[sureLoss]

Keep in mind a lot of players get forced out by the AHL's development rule and have no choice but to go to Europe if they want to continue to play pro hockey.

In the AHL, player development is a top priority. The American Hockey League and the Professional Hockey Players’ Association have the following development rule in place:


Of the eighteen (18) skaters (not counting two goaltenders) that teams may dress for a game, at least thirteen (13) must be qualified as “development players.” Of those 13, twelve (12) must have played in 260 or fewer professional games (including AHL, NHL and European elite leagues), and one must have played in 320 or fewer professional games. All calculations for development status are based on regular-season totals as of the start of the season.

https://twitter.com/user/status/1821944287124189285

[boogerz]

Originally Posted by blankall

He's currently getting a higher end AHL salary. Going to Europe for an extra $50/year doesn't make a huge amount of sense. Lots of players stick around and play in the AHL for their entire careers too.

I also get the sense, that after a certain stage, players get tired of playing in the AHL and find it a bit beneath them. They go to Europe so that they can at least play against other guys on their level.

Phillips could likely have gotten more in the AHL, but he probably took less to get a chance on a depth-strapped contender where he will likely get some NHL games to offset the lower the AHL salary.

It seems like the going rate for an AHL vet is around $400k. Here are some former Flames tweeners that are still kickin' around in the AHL for comparison:

Glen Gawdin:
2022-23: $450k
2023-24: $500k

Luke Philp
2022-23: $250k
2023-24: $375k

Byron Froese
2022-23: $475k
2023-24: $475k

Justin Kirkland
2022-23: $450k
2023-24: $375k

Tyler Wotherspoon
2022-23: $300k
2023-24: $325k

Dalton Prout
2022-23: $800k
2023-24: $800k

Corey Schueneman
2022-23: $400k
2023-24: $400k

Phillips could double his 2024-25 AHL salary (or better depending on the league) and get additional perks (e.g. car allowance, housing allowance, and sponsorship deals) by heading to Russia, Switzerland, or Germany.


I agree with Derek Sutton though. Going to Europe signals the end of the NHL dream and Phillips is only 26. He could spend next season and following season trying to make it to the big show, and then head to Europe at age 28-29 once the dream is officially over to get a couple/few years of KHL/NLA/DEL money for his retirement war chest. Either way, he'll probably end up doing alright for career earnings.

[FBI]

I already forgot about Prout. He was decent

[Calgary4LIfe]

I wonder what the offer was from the Flames last year when he decided to sign with Washington instead. IIRC, Conroy did offer him a 2-year deal, and I vaguely (and may be completely wrong here) remember that it was a 2-way the first year, and a 1-way the following, no? He probably would have had more opportunity in Calgary with hindsight. Tough call on his part, and I am sure that Mitch Love in part convinced him to go to Washington. That Calgary deal would have been better for his wallet and perhaps his opportunity as well, though I do not believe he is (or will ever be) an NHL'er as he is not talented enough of a player.

[Jiri Hrdina]

Isn't he already an NHLer? I think the question is for how long and how far up the line-up he can play. But he's an established NHLer isn't he?

[GioforPM]

Originally Posted by Jiri Hrdina

Isn't he already an NHLer? I think the question is for how long and how far up the line-up he can play. But he's an established NHLer isn't he?

31 games last year. Mostly sat as a black ace until finally the Caps waived him (and then got him back and sent him down when Pittsburgh waived him again).

[Redlan]

Originally Posted by SutterBrother

5'8" 180 Lbs

Made the show.

Over 5 million and counting in career earnings at the age of 26.

Good for him!
data

Better Data

Matthews' career earnings are $701,975

2022-24 Flames Reserve / minor-buried: $60,811, Cumulative: $60,811
2023 25 Capitals Reserve / minor-buried: $44,638, Cumulative: $105,449
Capitals Retained: $523,482, Cumulative: $628,931
Penguins Retained: $73,044, Cumulative: $701,975

[Locke]

Huh. Well. Thanks. I'd never heard of that.

Originally Posted by sureLoss

Keep in mind a lot of players get forced out by the AHL's development rule and have no choice but to go to Europe if they want to continue to play pro hockey.

https://twitter.com/user/status/1821944287124189285

Man, hockey's got lots of weird little rules. Its like a damned Government job with all the regulations.

[boogerz]

Originally Posted by Redlan

Better Data

Matthews' career earnings are $701,975

2022-24 Flames Reserve / minor-buried: $60,811, Cumulative: $60,811
2023 25 Capitals Reserve / minor-buried: $44,638, Cumulative: $105,449
Capitals Retained: $523,482, Cumulative: $628,931
Penguins Retained: $73,044, Cumulative: $701,975

If we assume $702k is his gross NHL earnings, then add (from PuckPedia):

$225k in ELC signing bonuses
$205k in AHL salary from his ELC
$220k in AHL salary from his last two years with the Heat/Wranglers


His gross career earnings to-date is around $1.3-1.4M

[Strange Brew]

Originally Posted by Jiri Hrdina

Isn't he already an NHLer? I think the question is for how long and how far up the line-up he can play. But he's an established NHLer isn't he?

I wouldn't characterize him that way. He had an extended look in Washington but didn't establish himself. Going forward, he might not play another 10 games in the NHL IMO.

[Locke]

Originally Posted by Strange Brew

I wouldn't characterize him that way. He had an extended look in Washington but didn't establish himself. Going forward, he might not play another 10 games in the NHL IMO.

I somewhat agree.

Washington was pretty hot-awful for a while there and he couldn't crack that ass of a line-up.

Its not going to be easy to crack Colorado's line-up.

So, yeah, 10 games? Maybe.

[GioforPM]

Originally Posted by Strange Brew

I wouldn't characterize him that way. He had an extended look in Washington but didn't establish himself. Going forward, he might not play another 10 games in the NHL IMO.

Yeah, I think the only reason he wasn't in the A the majority of the season was that he'd require waivers. Then he did get waived, and waived again (which meant that, under the rules they could send him down).

[Jiri Hrdina]

Jiri thought he was in the Kylington thread and not the Phillips thread.
Carry on....

[Strange Brew]

Originally Posted by Jiri Hrdina

Jiri thought he was in the Kylington thread and not the Phillips thread.
Carry on....

LOL

Well it seems Washington liked both players more than every other team. And now they're both in CO.

Kylington is definitely more of an established NHLer but I'd argue he needs to re-establish himself this year.