Matthew Phillips was a hell of a story over the summer – small but highly skilled player finally, at the age of 25, getting his chance at the big leagues. He impressed in preseason and even had a great start to the regular season, notching three points in the first four games, which leading the team at the time. In the six games since, however, he has failed to get on the score sheet. For a team desperate for secondary (and primary, tertiary, etc.) scoring help, that isn’t good enough.
It isn’t all bleak, though. Phillips has been a fantastic complementary player. He leads the team in expected goal percentage with an astounding 65.7xGF% according to Natural Stat Trick. That’s ten percentage points better than any other player that played at least 90 minutes. Visually, Andy & Rono shows how good he’s been:
This is a fantastic choice. Matthew Phillips definitely belongs into the NHL. Great signing by Washington. https://t.co/KtgKTS6OsY pic.twitter.com/NxvZ8mhngx
— Andy & Rono (@ARHockeyStats) November 6, 2023
The transition data hasn’t been implemented yet but likely looks really good as well. Phillips’ strengths have been getting the puck out of the defensive zone and retrieving pucks in the offensive zone with his speed – a fantastic complementary player. But the Capitals don’t need more complimentary players, they need guys who are helping put the puck in the back of the net.
While in the offensive zone, the eye test says Phillips is playing it too safe, opting to feed defensemen at the blue line rather than making a play towards the net (something Alexei Protas did often last season as well; you could feel Protas just didn’t want to make any mistakes so as not to get pulled from Peter Laviolette’s lineup). For Phillips, playing safe could cost him a roster spot.
Phillips is chock full of skill, especially on the shooting end, but he only has shots in five of the 10 games, for nine total. That’s way too low for someone with his ability. To be effective, he needs to be willing to hold onto the puck a bit more, try to get to those dangerous areas with it, and if someone closes in on him, get it to a teammate that has a scoring chance.
It certainly doesn’t help he has yet to play with any single line for more than 21 minutes, but the whole team is going through that currently. He’s played on literally every line at some point, first through fourth, and he currently is playing on the fourth line, which won’t make it too easy to score or help his teammates score with such little ice time but he must find a way.
It was announced recently that Max Pacioretty is making is way back from injury and posing a direct threat to a player like Phillips staying in the lineup. Players like Phillips, trying to make the NHL late in their career, are given short leashes to produce. It’s time for him to start betting on his skill and taking chances, otherwise his safe play could end up getting him sat or sent down.