Patrick WilliamsFeatures Writer for TheAHL.com
Rewind two weeks, and Calder Cup Playoff hopes for the Manitoba Moose are looking pretty grim.
Already 15 points below the Central Division playoff line, the Moose had two games in Calgary ahead of them. Then there were two other Grand Rapids players last weekend.
Those prospects looked even bleaker after Calgary put the Moose in a 3-1 first-period deficit on Jan. 3. Instead the Moose came in, rallied, sent the game into overtime and at least grabbed a point in the end to lose. Two days later, they pulled out a 3-2 victory in the final 90 seconds of regulation.
They continued to grind out a formidable road schedule, winning in overtime in Milwaukee and continuing their visit to the Griffins.
Then came the discovery of his defense on Wednesday Isaac Phillipsacquired by the parent Winnipeg Jets from the Chicago Blackhawks for a fellow blueliner Dmitry Kuzmin. The move gives the Jets organization a fifth-year pro who is only 23 years old, already has 56 games of NHL experience, and is capable of competing for more opportunities.
Soon, Phillips could come in and provide the Moose with valuable leverage as they try to track down a playoff spot. With a 4-0-1-0 streak now, the Moose cut Rockford’s hold on fifth-place playoff spot to 12 points with three games in hand.
The standout standout is with Phillips, who made his Moose debut Friday night. Phillips was drafted by the Blackhawks in 2020 and released during the 2020-21 pandemic season, entering the AHL and quickly providing a strong presence.
Phillips earned his first four NHL games in his second season, and spent 33 games on Chicago’s blue line in 2023-24.
But the Hawks are in the midst of a complete rebuild, and defensive prospects have continued to pour into the program since Phillips’ arrival. Alex Vlasic well established in Chicago at this time. Nolan Allan entered as a 2021 first-round pick. A year later it was Kevin Korchinski as the seventh overall pick. Wyatt Kaiser He left the University of Minnesota-Duluth after his junior season in 2023. Louis Crevier break it fast. Ethan Del Mastro he was an AHL All-Star last season. Last June the Hawks took over Artyom Levshunov with the second overall pick in the NHL Draft.
Some of that talent is already in Chicago. More continues to develop in Rockford. Allan, Kaiser, Korchinski and Vlasic are all left-handed shots, as is Phillips. It became very clear that finding a long-term place in Chicago would be difficult.
With Phillips, the Jets are finally getting experience. With the Jets, Phillips gets a new opportunity. At 6-foot-3 and 205 pounds, the Barrie, Ont., native offers plenty of food in his game and a willingness to use that size. He can skate and eat the puck. This season he had eight points (one goal, seven assists) in 28 games with Rockford, and has 79 points and a plus-22 average over 200 contests in the AHL.
Perhaps most of all, he’s coachable, something teams desire from their prospects. Served as co-captain while at Rockford.
So as they start 10 of 13 games at the Canada Life Center, the Moose are looking for a boost from their new quarterback. It ranks last in the league in goals scored per game, and is 28th in goals as it nears the midpoint of its schedule, but there is still a lot to play for. And for a young defender whose contract expires at the end of this season, it’s an important opportunity to make a name for himself with Winnipeg management.
“I’m very happy,” Phillips told reporters this week. “It’s a new opportunity for me. I’m hoping to come in, play my game, and just add stability at the end here.
“I still feel like my game is still growing.”
In the American Hockey League for two decades, TheAHL.com features writer Patrick Williams and currently covers the league for NHL.com and FloSports and is a regular contributor to SiriusXM NHL Network Radio. He was the recipient of the AHL’s James H. Ellery Memorial Award for the league’s top scorer in 2016.
