Newcomer Philp has enjoyed old home week
EDMONTON, Alberta — Recently called-up Blackhawks forward Luke Philp might not be well-known in Chicago, but he has been the most popular man in Alberta this week.
The storyline feels like one from a movie script. Philp’s Albertan connections are many. He grew up in Canmore, a mountain town west of Calgary, and finished his Canadian junior-hockey career in Red Deer, a city halfway between Calgary and Edmonton.
Philp, a 5-10, 181-pound center, wasn’t drafted by an NHL team and instead played three years of Canadian collegiate hockey at the University of Alberta in Edmonton. He then signed with the Flames and spent three years with their AHL affiliate.
Philp signed with the Hawks’ organization this season, correctly believing NHL opportunities would be easier to come by with them, and dominated with Rockford, notching 30 points in 31 games.
He earned his first NHL call-up Monday — at age 27 — after Tyler Johnson’s ankle injury and debuted Tuesday against the Canucks. That made him one of only three active players to follow the rare Canadian college route to the NHL.
He initially was going to be a healthy scratch Thursday against the Flames, but Jonathan Toews’ illness prompted the Hawks to notify Philp around 4:40 p.m. that he would be playing after all.
‘‘I was going to go for dinner before the game with a couple of friends, and I got a call saying I’m playing,’’ Philp said. ‘‘I told them, ‘I can’t come,’ and then hopped on the bus. It all happened pretty fast. But I didn’t really have any nerves throughout the day. It was just, ‘All right, we’re going. We’re playing.’ ’’
His friends and family scrambled to buy last-second tickets, and Philp rewarded them by earning his first NHL point with an assist on Boris Katchouk’s second-period goal. He protected the puck down low and passed to Katchouk for a one-timer from the high slot, although he ‘‘wasn’t even thinking this could materialize into a goal’’ at the time.
‘‘I was just like, ‘No way,’ ’’ he said. ‘‘Apparently, my mom screamed pretty loud.’’
Philp was scratched Saturday against the Oilers, however.
Toews returned to the lineup but was handed the third-line center role between Sam Lafferty and Colin Blackwell, both of whom have played well recently. Jason Dickinson retained his top-line spot, and Max Domi settled into the second line.