The Capitals will assign Phillips to Hershey if he clears.
The Capitals will assign Phillips to Hershey if he clears.
WASHINGTON — The Washington Capitals made a tough decision on Thursday, placing forward Matthew Phillips on waivers.
Sportsnet's Elliotte Friedman was the first to report the move. If Phillips clears, he will head to the AHL's Hershey Bears.
With Sonny Milano nearing a return and possibly playing on Saturday, the team needed to clear a roster spot in order to activate him from the injured reserve. While Mike Sgarbossa doesn't require waivers, the team needs him at center as he fills in for Evgeny Kuznetsov, who is in the NHL/NHLPA Player Assistance Program.
So, at the end of the day, Phillips was the odd man out, and the move will benefit him as he should end up getting more playing time elsewhere in the NHL or down in Hershey rather than being a healthy scratch for the majority of the time.
The 25-year-old signed a one-year deal to join Washington in July and made the opening night roster after a stellar showing at training camp.
However, his consistency took a hit as he navigated limited ice time, and he ended up spending the majority of his time as the extra forward. Through 27 games this season, Phillips has one goal and four assists for five points.
With the extra roster spot, Washington can activate Milano from the injured reserve. He is expected to play on Saturday, and he will likely draw in for Nicolas Aube-Kubel, who recently sat out a game as a healthy scratch for Phillips to get some time in.