The Colorado Avalanche Hockey Club announced today that the organization has signed forward Matthew Phillips to a one-year contract for the 2024-25 season.
Phillips, 26, spent the majority of the 2023-24 season with the Washington Capitals but also spent some time with the Pittsburgh Penguins. He started the season with Washington before being claimed by Pittsburgh on Feb. 16. He was re-claimed by the Caps on March 5 and finished the season with the Capitals' AHL affiliate, the Hershey Bears. He ended with five points (1g/4a) in 31 NHL games overall, registering all five of his points in 28 contests with Washington and skated in three contests with the Pens. His first career NHL point came on Oct. 16 vs. Calgary. Phillips tallied six points (3g/3a) in nine outings with Hershey and appeared in six postseason games with the team to help the Bears capture the Calder Cup championship.
The 5-foot-8, 160-pound forward has appeared in 34 career NHL contests with Washington, Pittsburgh and the Calgary Flames, making his NHL debut with the Flames on May 19, 2021 vs. Vancouver. Phillips has skated in 274 regular season AHL contests with Hershey and the Calgary Wranglers/Stockton Heat from 2016-24 and has collected 243 points (106g/137a). He has also added 15 points (4g/11a) in 30 AHL postseason contests. Phillips was selected to the AHL All-Star game twice (2019-20, 2022-23) and earned a spot on the AHL First All-Star Team in 2022-23.
Prior to turning pro, Phillips spent four seasons in the WHL with the Victoria Royals from 2014-18 and tallied 281 points (136g/145a) in 215 regular season games. He was awarded the Jim Piggott Trophy as the WHL rookie of the year for the 2015-16 season where he collected 76 points (37g/39a) to pace all league rookies in points and goals. The forward also appeared in 30 postseason games with the Royals and totaled 30 points (12g/18a).
Phillips was originally drafted by the Flames in the sixth round (166th overall) in the 2016 NHL Draft.
