April 7, 2022 by Ryan Lotsberg

The Edmonton Oilers have signed University of Alberta Golden Bears star Noah Philp to a one-year, entry-level contract on Tuesday. Philp will join the Bakersfield Condors for the remainder of this season on an ATO.

Philp spent four years (2015-2019) in the WHL starting at the age of 17. His numbers were modest in his first three seasons, but he broke out by scoring 75 points in 56 games with the Seattle Thunderbirds in 2018-19.

The 23-year-old played two AHL games with the Calgary Flames’ AHL affiliate, the Stockton Heat, where he had two penalty minutes and went minus two. Turning pro made him ineligible to play in the NCAA, so he joined the Golden Bears starting in the 2019-20 season.

Philp amassed 27 points in 28 games in his freshman season with the Golden Bears. The 2020-21 U-Sports hockey season was cancelled due to the COVID-19 pandemic. He only played in eight games this season, but he scored eleven points in those eight games.

The Canmore native elevated his performance during the playoffs. He got eight points in the two-game Canada West Semifinal series against the Calgary Dinos. He got two more points in two games in the Canada West Final series against the UBC Thunderbirds. Philp added four more points in three games during the University Cup, including a three point effort in a heartbreaking double overtime loss in the Championship to Université du Québec à Trois-Rivières.

Philp elevated his game when it mattered the most. That’s a positive sign.

He appears to be a late bloomer, but better late than never. Philp fills a position of need for the Oilers. He’s a 6’3”, 198 lb right-handed centre. Derek Ryan is the only right-handed centre on the current Oilers roster, and Cooper Marody was the only right-handed centre prospect of relevance in the organization before this signing.

Philp’s older brother Luke was also a star for the Golden Bears. He scored 45 points in 24 games in his final season with the Golden Bears in 2018-19, and he signed an NHL contract with the Flames at the age of 23 just like his younger brother. The eldest Philp outscored his younger brother as a Golden Bear, and he has become a productive AHL forward, but he hasn’t played in any NHL games.

That doesn’t bode well for Philp’s NHL odds, but Bob Stauffer has been singing his praises on his sho for quite some time, and for what it’s worth, our very own Michael Hebert (@oilerslive) spoke highly of Philp’s game after watching him play live in the University Cup Final recently.

This is a smart low-risk signing by Ken Holland, who has seen Philp play live several times at Clare Drake Arena. At worst, the Bakersfield Condors now have a succession plan for Marody. There’s also a chance that Philp could earn his way into the bottom six of the Oilers in the coming years. Either scenario would be a win for an undrafted free agent out of the University of Alberta.