Flames Top 25 Under 25: #11- Matthew Phillips

#11- Matthew Phillips

Position: Centre

Age: 22

2019-20 Team: Stockton Heat (AHL)

Drafted 6th round, 166th overall, 2016

2019 Ranking: #14

Phillips Votes

MGMacGillivray: #13

Flashalytics: #14

MarkParkinson14: #10

MadelineCampbell: #14

Gordie.Taylor: #13

Readers: #14

A very impressive sophomore season, which included his first NHL call-up, was thoroughly spoiled for Matthew Phillips by a brutal injury. Phillips, who is the latest late round gem the Flames have grabbed thanks to the size bias, had 25 points through the first 22 Heat games of the season.

That earned him a brief call-up to the Flames in Arizona, however he never touched the ice. He potted 5 goals in 6 games after being demoted, but fractured his kneecap on December 28th. He missed a month and a half, and returned nowhere close to how he was playing before the injury.

From his return on February 15th to the AHL season ending on March 10th, he posted a meagre goal and 2 assists in 10 games.

Such an impactful injury on a critical joint is no small matter, so his decline in production is not a surprise considering his minutes and playing level would have been monitored.

Like many playoff wounded Flames, Phillips will benefit immensely from a long off-season as he looks to return to his elite form in 2020-21.