Matthew Phillips (ice hockey)

Matthew Phillips (born April 6, 1998) is a Canadian professional ice hockey right wing who is currently an unrestricted free agent. He most recently played with the Washington Capitals in the National Hockey League (NHL).

Junior
Phillips was drafted in the second round, 33rd overall by the Victoria Royals in the 2013 WHL Bantam Draft. The season prior to being drafted, Phillips scored forty goals and 77 points in 37 games played with the Calgary Bisons of the Alberta Major Bantam Hockey League (AMBHL). Phillips participated in the Royals' training camp and preseason for the 2013–14 WHL season as a 15-year old, despite not being eligible to play in the regular season, as WHL rules prevent players under the age of 16 from playing. He was subsequently returned to his minor ice hockey team, the Alberta Midget Hockey League (AMHL) Calgary Buffaloes, where he finished the season with fifteen goals and 35 points in 33 games played.

Phillips joined the Royals' training camp and preseason for the 2014–15 WHL season, but was again returned to his minor ice hockey team in Calgary. Playing with the AMHL Calgary Buffaloes for the second straight season, Phillips was leading the league in scoring when he was called up to the Royals. Phillips made his Western Hockey League debut for the Royals on January 23, 2015, against the Kamloops Blazers, scoring one goal in a 4–3 overtime loss. He played one more game during the 2014–15 WHL season, finishing with three points in two games played, before being returned to the Buffaloes. He finished his second season with the Buffaloes winning the Harry Allen Memorial Trophy as the top scorer in the AMHL with 33 goals and 73 points in 34 games played. He also won the Trevor Linden Trophy as the league's top forward and was named to the AMHL First All-Star Team.

Professional
On December 31, 2017, Phillips signed a three-year, $2.325 million entry-level contract with the Calgary Flames. Philips made his National Hockey League debut with the Flames on May 19, 2021, against the Vancouver Canucks, finishing the game with two shots on goal in 14:19 of ice time in a 6–2 victory.

On August 8, 2021, Phillips signed a one-year, two-way contract extension with the Flames worth $750,000 at the NHL level. During the 2021–22 season with the Stockton Heat, the Flames' American Hockey League affiliate, Phillips became the Heat's franchise leader in career goals and points.

On July 23, 2022, Phillips signed another one-year, two-way contract extension with the Flames worth $750,000 at the NHL level.

Phillips would spend the majority of the 2022–23 season with the Flames affiliate the Calgary Wranglers, where he led the team in goals and points. On December 8, 2022, Phillips was called up to the Calgary Flames, where he would play in two games before being reassigned to the Wranglers. Phillips would enjoy significant success during the season, including being named AHL player of the month for November 2022, being named to the AHL All-Star Classic along with teammate Dustin Wolf and coach Mitch Love, and being named to the AHL First All-Star team along with Wolf.

On July 2, 2023, Phillips as a free agent from the Flames signed a one-year, one-way contract worth $775,000 with the Washington Capitals, joining former coach Mitch Love for the season. He scored his first career NHL goal and added an assist in his first game against his former team on October 16.