Canmore forward returns to hockey, re-signs with Edmonton Oilers

CANMORE – Noah Philp is returning to professional hockey.

The 25-year-old centre from Canmore re-signed with the Edmonton Oilers on a one-year, two-way contract worth $775,000 at the NHL level after taking a year off from the game.

“I think a lot of people may have looked into it as if I retired … but basically when I left hockey I just had a strong feeling to do so and then I wanted to get away and I didn’t really know how long that would be,” said Philp.

“I did some travelling and then sort of 10 months later, I just started feeling a pretty big urge to come back into it, so when I left, I just wanted to be away from it for a while and then I came back and felt that it was time to get back into it, that I missed it a little bit.”

Welcome back, Noah 🙌

The #Oilers have re-signed forward Noah Philp to a one-year, two-way contract worth $775,000 at the @NHL level.#LetsGoOilers https://t.co/b1lndjmjYj

— Edmonton Oilers (@EdmontonOilers) July 1, 2024

In June 2023, Philp unexpectedly announced he was stepping away from hockey. 

Former Oilers general manager Ken Holland said the club had offered Philp a two-year contract at that time, but he turned it down.

“He’s made a decision to call it a career,” said Holland to The Athletic’s Daniel Nugent-Bowman in June 2023.

“It was a very, very difficult year for him. He told us he wants to be around Calgary and close to his family and friends. For personal reasons, he’s not playing hockey.”

Philp said he never used the word retiring during that time and he added he wasn’t burnt out either.

“Interests change as we get older and I felt a pretty strong need just to take some time,” said Philp. “I didn’t really think too deeply about it, it’s something that I sort of just felt and went with my gut.”

Around the new year, Philp got the itch to return to the ice. He said he began getting back in shape and exercising his body, along with his mind and soul. He’s been back on the ice for “quite a while now” and is ready to head to the Oilers camp.

The six-foot-three righty was a highly-touted prospect within the Oilers organization, with some chatter that he had the potential of being the fourth-line centre for the Oilers due to salary cap purposes.

During the 2022-23 season, he played a full season with the club’s farm team, the Bakersfield Condors, where he scored 19 goals and 37 points with a plus-4 rating.

He’ll likely report back to the Condors to start the season. However, given past rumours of an NHL call-up, it’s clear where the centre wants to be.

“I’m just excited for the opportunity,” said Philp. “I’m not looking too far ahead right now. I’m just kind of taking it day-by-day and … I think that’s been a big thing for me in the last little while and that’s kind of what I’m gonna do, what I’m gonna do is just give it my best shot and see how it goes.”

As part of the process of getting back into the game, Philp is partnered with Sam Jones to form Be A Pro, a hockey training program in Canmore for elite players. Philp embodies the program’s philosophy of enjoying the process of getting to the next level.

“There’s a lot that goes into hockey and it can be pretty rigorous and demanding,” said Philp.

“There are sort of stigmas around how you’re supposed to be, and we’re definitely encouraging all these good habits, but also just learning to enjoy yourself while trying to become a professional.”

Philp said the program is for junior players and pros currently, but he hopes to expand Be A Pro in the future with more programs and coaches.

In related news, Philp's older brother, Luke, signed a one-year, two-way contract with the Washington Capitals for the upcoming season.