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Former Victoria Royals captain Phillips' NHL debut 'pretty awesome'

Former Victoria Royals captain Matthew Phillips may be small in stature but he’s now a big-leaguer as he became the third Royals graduate to play in the National Hockey League.
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Flames rookie and Calgary native Matthew Phillips spoke to the hometown media after Wednesday’s game at the Saddledome. CALGARY FLAMES

Former Victoria Royals captain Matthew Phillips may be small in stature but he’s now a big-leaguer as he became the third Royals graduate to play in the National Hockey League. Phillips, all five-foot-seven and 154 pounds of him, made his NHL debut Wednesday for the host Calgary Flames in the 6-2 victory over the Vancouver Canucks.

“It [call-up] all happened really quickly. It’s been something I’ve been working for my whole life. So to have this happen is pretty awesome,” Phillips said in his virtual post-game media scrum.

Phillips reflected on the journey from Calgary youth hockey to starry WHL major-junior tenure in Victoria to minor-pro to NHL with his hometown Flames. All behind the back-drop of many saying he was too small to make it to the top tier of the sport.

“It’s a challenge to get to this level,” acknowledged Phillips.

“It’s the NHL. It’s the best league in the world. And it shouldn’t be easy to reach this point. I’ve had to work extremely hard to make it to this point. I feel lucky to have had so many people who have supported me and helped me believe in myself. I have a lot of people to thank.”

Three Royals have played in the NHL since the WHL franchise moved to the Island in 2011-12. Former Victoria blue-liner and Canada world junior gold-medallist Joe Hicketts has played 22 games for the Detroit Red Wings and former Royals forward Noah Gregor, who played most of his WHL career for the Moose Jaw Warriors, has played 58 games for the San Jose Sharks. It’s been a rarity for a Royals franchise that has produced mostly AHL/ECHL minor pros and U Sports players.

Phillips and Hicketts are considered the two greatest Royals. The slithery Phillips was elusively quick in scoring 136 goals and amassing 281 points in 215 regular-season games over his three years in Victoria. That is second on the franchise list behind only Tyler Soy’s 151 goals and 327 points in 323 games. Phillips played less games in Victoria than Soy so his goals-per-game average of .633 and points-per-game average of 1.307 are Royals all-time career records.

That got Phillips noticed and the Flames took him in the sixth round, 166th overall, in the 2016 NHL draft. Because of his size, it was considered a longshot flier on a hometown kid. Phillips had eight goals and 21 points in 30 games this season to co-lead Flames-affiliate Stockton and has 36 goals and 93 points in 134 career American Hockey League games. With the Flames out of the playoffs, they had nothing to lose and plenty to gain in terms of a feel-good story, in bringing up Phillips for the final game of the regular season.

“I was probably more nervous before I got to the rink today,” said Phillips, about the call-up.

“Once I got here, you just get into your routine.”

Phillips, who got ample power play time, almost scored when he was set up in the third period by veteran Mikael Backlund but the NHL debutante flubbed in his attempt at the wide open side. There may, however, be plenty more opportunities in the seasons ahead.

“Matthew showed he belongs at that level,” said Royals head coach and GM Dan Price.

“He had two shots on goal and contributed all over the ice and made a good case to become a regular NHL player. He’s a team player first and foremost and that’s why he was our captain in Victoria.”

ICE CHIPS: Phillips didn’t get a point but Flames rookie Connor Mackey did with his first career goal in his sixth NHL game. His dad, former NHLer Dave Mackey, played 2½ seasons in the WHL in the early 1980s as a rugged forward for the Victoria Cougars.

cdheensaw@timescolonist.com