Perseverance paying off for WHL Scholarship recipient Philp
Luke Philp might be the new poster boy for perseverance.
At the age of 27, the WHL Scholarship star and former Kootenay ICE and Red Deer Rebels captain made his NHL debut with the Chicago Blackhawks Tuesday, January 24 before registering his first career NHL point Thursday, January 26 in a 5-1 victory over the Calgary Flames.
All of this after 189 AHL games, 93 Canada West university games, and 309 WHL games. It has been a long road to the NHL for the product of Canmore, Alta.
“It’s pretty special, pretty surreal,” Philp told Sportsnet’s Ryan Leslie during the second intermission Thursday evening. “It’s pretty awesome to have some family in the stands, friends in the stands. It’s one I’ll never forget.
“It’s not an ordinary journey. It’s taken me a little longer to get my first NHL games, but never say never. I was ready for them and so when I got the call, I was excited and ready to go.”
BORIS GOAL ????
Also, Luke Philp with an assist for his first NHL point ???? pic.twitter.com/66k6878oAa
— Chicago Blackhawks (@NHLBlackhawks) January 27, 2023
We ???? love ???? puck ???? pics #BudLightCelly pic.twitter.com/1CnsOFmgb2
— Chicago Blackhawks (@NHLBlackhawks) January 27, 2023
Despite the lengthy journey, Philp’s story is proof of the opportunity and success one can achieve when they remain patient and put in continued effort while pursuing their dreams. It is also proof that the WHL Scholarship can pave a path to success, both on and off the ice.
Recording 251 points (103G-148A) in 264 career WHL regular season games, Philp was passed over in the NHL Draft, despite appearing on NHL Central Scouting rankings. He attended NHL rookie camps but couldn’t score that desired entry-level contract by the time his WHL days came to a close in 2016 with the Red Deer Rebels. And so, he opted to put his WHL Scholarship to use, heading to the University of Alberta where he pursued a business degree while furthering his on-ice development with the celebrated Golden Bears men’s hockey program – widely considered to be atop the class of Canadian men’s university hockey.
The 5-foot-10, 181-pound forward was a force in Canada West, collecting 103 points (42G-61A) in 78 career regular season outings. For two straight seasons (2017-18, 2018-19), Philp was named the MVP of Canada West. In 2018-19, he was named the top men’s university hockey player in the entire, country, presented with the Senator Joseph A. Sullivan Trophy, awarded annually to the USports Player of the Year.
On the heels of his outstanding final campaign with the Golden Bears, Philp earned himself that sought-after NHL entry-level contract, signing with the Calgary Flames on March 19, 2019.
With an NHL deal under his belt, Philp then went to work on proving himself in the American Hockey League with the Flames affiliate in Stockton, Calif. Three seasons in California saw Philp secure 92 points (48G-44A) in 148 AHL games, but the call never came from the Flames.
During the summer of 2022, Philp signed a one-year, two-way contract with the Blackhawks. Fast-forward to January 2023 and with a Blackhawks squad battling injuries, Philp made his NHL debut, and in Western Canada of all places.
“It’s pretty cool, it’s a different path, right?” Philp told reporters in Vancouver following morning skate on the day of his NHL debut. “It’s not the conventional one, but it’s still a pretty big accomplishment to get here, so I’m excited and ready to go.”
Thursday evening, with Blackhawks captain Jonathan Toews a late scratch due to illness, Philp was inserted into Chicago’s lineup – a dream opportunity to play in front of friends and family from the Calgary and Canmore area.
Always one to show up in big moments, Philp made the most of his chance, skating for 12:18 over 15 shifts and logging an assist – his first-career NHL point – with a primary helper on a second-period strike from Boris Katchouk.
Thanks to the WHL Scholarship, Philp has a business degree framed and on his wall. Thanks to his perseverance, he will get to hang a framed NHL puck beside it, and perhaps there is more to come.
We will never get tired of these ???? Welcome to the show, Luke! pic.twitter.com/DI3RVDwrTS
— Chicago Blackhawks (@NHLBlackhawks) January 25, 2023
About the WHL Scholarship
Administered by the WHL Office, WHL Scholarships are solely funded by the WHL member Clubs. Every player who plays in the WHL is eligible to receive the WHL Scholarship. For every season a player plays in the WHL, they receive a guaranteed, full-year of WHL Scholarship including tuition, textbooks and compulsory fees to a post-secondary institution of their choice. The WHL Scholarship is a fully-guaranteed academic scholarship with no requirement to play university hockey to qualify. The WHL graduate can apply the funding to any post-secondary or career-enhancing program of his choice, including trades schools or professional career training programs.