The Edmonton Oilers made a big splash by placing two forwards on waivers. The club hoped that one would clear. The forward the Oilers hoped would clear was depth center Noah Philp.
Philp was coming off LTIR after sustaining an upper-body injury in November. However, Philp didn’t make it. The Carolina Hurricanes claimed the former Oilers’ forward off the waiver wire.
The move, while it doesn’t impact the Oilers’ roster directly, is one that may come back to bite the club. Philp has been a serviceable depth forward the last couple of seasons. Last year, he appeared in 15 games, registering two assists.
This year, Philp played a strong role in the bottom six this year amid various injuries. In 15 games this year, the 27-year-old chipped in with two goals and three points.
His injury, however, pretty much cost him a role with the Oilers. Plus, the return of Zach Hyman and the emergence of Jack Roslovic made lineup spots that much harder to keep.
In Carolina, Philp will likely play a similar depth role. The injury to Seth Jarvis could open a role for Philp on the fourth line or as the club’s 13th forward. It remains unclear what precise spot Philp could take up with the Hurricanes.
Oilers Looking to Promote from Within
As for the Oilers, the loss of Philp shouldn’t represent a huge blow to the club. Edmonton has two prospects pushing for NHL playing time. Insider Elliotte Friedman noted the potential roster crunch in Edmonton during the latest edition of the 32 Thoughts Podcast.
Friedman stated:
“Isaac Howard and Quinn Hutson have been extremely good down [in the AHL]; we’re in a situation where there’s gonna be some extra bodies; one of the names that could possibly be affected by this is Andrew Mangiapane.”
Howard started the year in the NHL but struggled. However, since returning to the AHL, he’s been on fire. That’s why it may only be a matter of time before Howard returns to the big club. The Oilers’ top prospect has nine goals and 20 points in 15 games in Bakersfield. Those numbers could make him the first man up when an opportunity opens up.
The other prospect in question for the Oilers is Quinn Hutson, the sibling of Montreal Canadiens defenseman Lane. Hutson is having a great season in the AHL. He’s registered 17 goals and 30 points in 25 games. Those numbers warrant a shot at the NHL. Like Horward, Huston should be among the first call-ups when spots open in Edmonton.
Trade for Depth May Still Be in the Cards
Friedman’s comment about Andrew Mangiapane being the odd man out could lead to a trade. If that’s the case, the Oilers may consider flipping Mangiapane for various depth pieces. Mangiapane was a healthy scratch for the Oilers on Monday night against the Winnipeg Jets. That situation could indicate that a trade might be in the works.
That assertion is merely hearsay at this point. But given Friedman’s comments, it seems quite interesting that Mangiapane would be a healthy scratch.
Oilers Fail to Sneak Forward through Waivers