Noah Philp leaves the SHL's HV71 reeling after citing a lack of motivation, marking a sudden end to the 27-year-old forward's professional hockey career.
It appears as though former Edmonton Oilers forward Noah Philp is retiring from hockey. According to a report from HV71, Philp has broken his contract with HV71 and is ending his hockey career.
"I really want to apologize to HV71 and all involved regarding the timing of my decision, but I have decided to stop playing hockey. My motivation for hockey is not fully there, and I'd rather be completely honest than not be fully invested in playing," says Philp.
Philp, 27, played for the Oilers and most recently the Carolina Hurricanes organization (Chicago Wolves in the AHL). He signed a 1+1 year deal with HV71 in the Swedish SHL on June 24. He was billed as a big, physical center who'd become an important two-way player for the club.
This isn't the first time Philp has stepped away — after a strong rookie AHL season with 37 points in 70 games for Bakersfield in the Oilers' system, he abruptly left hockey entirely for the 2023-24 season, citing a need to focus on life outside the game. He came back for 2024-25, impressed enough to earn an NHL call-up with Edmonton. He wasn't able to crack the lineup regularly before being waived and picked up by the Hurricanes.
Reactions to the news on their post suggests the club is now left scrambling. They reportedly had strong conversations with Philp over the summer about the move to Sweden, so the news came as a surprise. There is only a month and a half until the SHL season opener, and they're without a top center.
Reactions are mixed. Some are calling out Philp for committing to the team and then bailing. Others are saying it's a setback but if he's not prioritizing hockey, why beg him to stay? One fan wrote, "Unfortunately, it's a setback for us because we have far too many players in the squad who can't hold up in the SHL. But I still think we should respect him for making an attempt and for prioritizing his family above all in this situation."
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