November 3, 2024 by Eric Friesen

Noah Philp never gave up on his NHL dream.

After taking a year off from pro hockey for personal reasons in 2023-24, Philp arrived at Edmonton Oilers training camp this fall feeling rejuvenated and eager to earn a spot on the big club. Though Philp didn’t make the team out of camp, it was clear he wasn’t far away.

Philp wouldn’t have to wait much longer for his first NHL opportunity, as he was recalled from the AHL’s Bakersfield Condors on Tuesday in the wake of a lower-body injury to Connor McDavid. And at age 26, Philp finally realized his dream of playing under the bright lights of the NHL, when he suited up in a 5-1 win for the Oilers over the Nashville Predators on Thursday.

No NHL debut would be complete without family members in the crowd watching on, and Philp had his parents and wife in attendance at Bridgestone Arena to witness his first taste of playing at hockey’s highest level.

“[It felt] great,” Philp told Oilers TV following the victory on Thursday. “Just the energy from all the guys was so much fun to be a part of, and having my family here was incredible. They were all standing there right at the glass [before the game], and I went up and gave them a smile and took a quick picture. That was a pretty precious moment for all of us, I think.”

Slotting in on the fourth line alongside Corey Perry and Drake Caggiula, Philp registered his first career NHL point when he assisted on Perry’s game-winning goal midway through the first period. It always makes the transition to a new team easier when there is familiarity with teammates, and fortunately, Philp was also linemates with Caggiula in Bakersfield. Having a future Hockey Hall of Famer like Perry playing on his wing didn’t hurt, either.

Related: Connor McDavid expected to miss 2 to 3 weeks with ankle injury

“I thought it was great,” said Philp. “I’ve been playing with Drake in Bakersfield, and he’s so much fun. He talks really well, and he does a lot of things well, and he’s a pleasure to play with. And then Corey, I mean, he’s been around forever, and I’m just honoured to be out there with him.”

The Canmore, Alberta native became the 15th University of Alberta Golden Bears alumni to play in the NHL and sixth with the Oilers, joining Bryon Baltimore, Randy Gregg, Ian Herbers, Cory Cross and current teammate Derek Ryan. Head Coach Kris Knoblauch, who is also a Golden Bears alum, said he was glad to see Philp get his first NHL point out of the way early on.

“It was great [for Philp to get his first point],” said Knoblauch in his post-game media availability. “It was pretty much his second shift, but really, his first he was out there for five or 10 seconds, and then we made a change, and then they came back and scored on that one. Drake made a nice play, Corey put it in, but Noah had a really good game tonight.”

While it’s impossible to replace McDavid’s production, it was an encouraging sign that 11 different Oilers skaters had a point in a convincing victory on the road. Philp, who also won 11 of 15 faceoffs in his NHL debut (73.3%), was pleased with how well the team performed, even without the best player in the world in the lineup.

“[I liked] that it was a full effort,” said Philp. “Knoblauch said in the beginning that everyone needs to step up, and I thought the whole team did that.”