Flames finally call up high-scoring prospect Matthew Phillips

Calgary Flames fans breathe easy with at least one of their gripes: Matthew Phillips has finally been called up to the NHL, the team announced today.

The popular forward prospect has 15 goals and 15 assists in 20 games with the AHL’s Calgary’s Wranglers, as he’s both the leading goal and point scorer in the league.

#Flames General Manager Brad Treliving has announced the recall of forward Matthew Phillips from the @AHLWranglers.

— Calgary Flames (@NHLFlames) December 8, 2022

A 5-foot-7, 24-year-old Calgary native, Phillips has spent his entire professional career with the Flames organization after being taken in the 2016 NHL draft.

Phillips had a breakout 2021-22 campaign with 31 goals and 37 assists in 61 games with the Stockton Heat, though he’s upped his production to a whole new stratosphere this season.

“I think I’m just kind of trying to do what I do well, use my teammates, make good passes, be quick, be aggressive,” Phillips told Daily Hive in a previous interview. “I think now I’m more of an older guy on the team, more experience, and have a good understanding of where soft spots are on the ice and how to create offence.”

Phillips has just one NHL game on his resume, having suited up for Calgary’s final game of the 2020-21 pandemic-shortened season.

“He’s just got to play good hockey,” Wranglers coach Mitch Love said last month about what Phillips needed to do to earn a recall. “This is where he’s at. If he wants to earn himself an opportunity in this organization with the big club he’s got to continue to play and be effective here with our group… to this point so far he’s done that in his career and he’s done it so far this year for us offensively.”

The Flames take on the Columbus Blue Jackets — and Johnny Gaudreau — tomorrow at 5 pm MT. Keep an eye out for the two, er, undersized forwards facing off against each other.

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