If there was a list of prospects I’m rooting the hardest for Matthew Phillips would sit atop of that list. The soft-spoken and diminutive Calgary native was the smallest draft eligible player in the Western Hockey League when the Flames grabbed him in the sixth round back in 2016. He’s defied the odds and continues to be an elite offensive player He’s the ultimate dark horse and we check in with him here at number nine.
How we got here
We got here because Phillips has been exceeding expectations at every level. He tore up the Calgary minor hockey scene and then tore up the Western League in Victoria putting up seasons of 76, 90, and 112 points with the Royals over his three years on the coast.