The Washington Capitals made a mid-game transaction Sunday afternoon, sending forward Matthew Phillips to the AHL’s Hershey Bears.
After earning a recall on Friday, Phillips dressed against the Carolina Hurricanes that night with Tom Wilson, TJ Oshie, and Aliaksei Protas all out of the lineup. He started the game on the third line but played just 4:15 in the contest–including only 16 seconds in the second half of the night.
Phillips was listed as a healthy scratch against the Winnipeg Jets on Sunday; he joined his teammates on the ice to celebrate TJ Oshie’s 1000th NHL game before the Capitals announced the demotion during the first intermission. Phillips has recorded five points (1g, 4a) in 28 games with Washington this season.
A grand ceremony fit for one #OshBabe#TJ1K pic.twitter.com/jtyjaYGRv4
— Washington Capitals (@Capitals) March 24, 2024
Per CapFriendly, Phillips joined the Caps on an emergency recall, requiring the team to reassign him with both Oshie and Protas able to play Sunday.
Phillips spent a three-game stint with the Pittsburgh Penguins last month before rejoining the Capitals organization via the waiver wire on March 5. The Caps opted to send him to the Hershey Bears, where he amassed three points (1g, 2a) in four games. Since Washington reclaimed Phillips and no other team put in a claim just a few weeks ago, they were able to send him down on Sunday without putting him back on waivers.
Shortly after announcing Phillips’ demotion, the Capitals confirmed that Sonny Milano would not return against Winnipeg thanks to an upper-body injury. If Milano misses significant time, the Caps will have no extra forwards on the roster, potentially giving either Phillips or another Bears player a chance for a recall.
