The Carolina Hurricanes have placed forward Noah Philp on conditional waivers, setting the stage for a possible reassignment to their AHL affiliate, the Chicago Wolves. But before that can happen, the rest of the NHL has a 24-hour window to make a move-and there are some intriguing possibilities in play.
Philp, a 25-year-old forward from Canmore, Alberta, is no stranger to the waiver wire this season. He was claimed by Carolina from the Edmonton Oilers at the end of December, and now finds himself back in that same waiver pool.
The reason? A roster crunch.
Philp is coming off injured reserve, and the Hurricanes are sitting at the NHL’s 23-player maximum. With no room to activate him without sending someone down, Carolina opted to place Philp on waivers in hopes of stashing him in the AHL.
That plan could work-if he clears. But that’s far from guaranteed.
Here’s how it breaks down: 29 teams are eligible to claim Philp. The only exceptions are the San Jose Sharks and Vegas Golden Knights, both of whom are maxed out at the league-allowed 50 standard player contracts. Edmonton and Montreal, meanwhile, would need to shuffle their rosters to make room for Philp’s $750,000 cap hit-each currently lacks the cap space to absorb his contract without a corresponding move.
Waiver priority at this point in the season is determined by reverse standings, meaning the Vancouver Canucks are first in line to make a claim, while the Colorado Avalanche bring up the rear. That order adds a layer of strategy for teams looking to bolster depth without giving up assets.
Philp’s production this season has been modest-three points in 17 games split between Edmonton and Carolina. All of those came during his 15-game stint with the Oilers, where he tallied two goals and an assist. His two appearances with the Hurricanes didn’t result in any points, but he wasn’t exactly given a long leash to make an impact.
Still, there’s value in a player like Philp. He’s a versatile forward with size, a responsible two-way game, and a cap-friendly contract. For teams in need of forward depth-or looking to hedge against injuries down the stretch-he’s a low-risk option with some upside.
As for Edmonton, there’s a natural storyline brewing. Philp’s hometown ties to Alberta and his previous stint with the Oilers make them a potential suitor to reclaim him. But with just $425,000 in cap space, they’d need to make a move to make it happen.
At the end of the day, Carolina’s hope is clear: they want Philp to clear waivers and report to Chicago, giving them organizational depth without losing an asset. But the NHL’s waiver wire has a way of disrupting even the best-laid plans.
Now, it’s a waiting game. One that could quietly shift the depth chart for a team willing to take a flyer on a player who’s already made the rounds once this season.