Noah Philp’s incredible run became even more remarkable on Thursday (Oct. 31) when the 26-year-old center made his regular-season NHL debut in a 5-1 Edmonton Oilers win over the Predators from Nashville to Bridgestone Arena.

Related: 5 takeaways from Oilers’ 5-1 win over Predators

Philp had an assist on Corey Perry’s game-winning goal in the second period. The 6-foot-3 forward went 10 of 14 in the draw, winning the most faceoffs of any player on either team. He played 11:54 and finished the game with a plus/minus rating of plus-1.

This is the final chapter in the unlikely story of Philp, who retired from hockey entirely in 2023-24 before signing of a one-year two-way contract with the Oilers on July 1. Philp started this season in the American Hockey League (AHL) and on Tuesday (October 29) he was recalled from Bakersfield Condors. Here are six facts about his incredible NHL debut:

Philip Making a point in his NHL debut

Philp is the first Oilers forward to score a point in his first career regular season game since November 19, 2016, when Drake Caggiula had an assist in Edmonton’s 5-2 win over the Dallas Stars.

Coincidentally, Caggiula was recalled from Bakersfield alongside Philp this week, and Thursday marked the 30-year-old winger’s first regular season game in an Oilers jersey since December 2018.

Philp also took three shots on goal, tied for the ninth most by an Oilers player in their first regular-season NHL game, and the most since 2015.

One of the few NHL players from his hometown

The town of Canmore, located about 50 kilometers west of Calgary, has a population of just over 15,000. Before Thursday, he could only claim five players in the 108-season history of the NHL. It is now six o’clock.

Philp was born and raised in the southern Alberta town, before moving to Cranbrook, British Columbia, where he played major junior hockey in the Western Hockey League (WHL) with the Kootenay Ice.

A rare golden bear in the NHL

Between 2019 and 2022, Philp played for the University of Alberta Golden Bears men’s hockey team, which is not a frequent source of NHL players. Philp is only the fifth former Golden Bears player to appear in an NHL regular season game since 2000 and the Sixth Elder of Alberta play a regular season game with the Oilers.

Make 15 former Alberta Golden Bears players play in the NHL!

Congratulations Noah! @GBHKY x @USPORTSca https://t.co/GbQQsh5oCf

– Canada West (@CanadaWest) November 1, 2024

This list includes current Oilers forward Derek Ryanwho was in good health on Thursday. If Philp and Ryan both make the lineup for the same game, they will become the first former Golden Bears to play together for the Oilers in the regular season.

Philip Among the oldest to debut with the Oilers

Philippe is on the 27th^th player in Oilers history to make his NHL debut with Edmonton at age 26 or older, and the oldest forward to do so in over five years.

Only six of the other 26 players on this list had a point in their NHL debut. These include another University of Alberta alumnus, Ian Herbers, who had an assist on Edmonton’s very first goal of the 1993-94 season, scored by Doug Weight , a member of the Oilers Hall of Fame, against the San Jose Sharks.

Don’t be discouraged by being undrafted

Philp overcame many obstacles in making it to the NHL as an undrafted player. To give an idea of ​​how rare this situation is, the Oilers’ roster for their first game of the 2024-25 season includes just one undrafted player, the aforementioned Ryan.

Turns out this isn’t news to Philp. He also wasn’t selected in the WHL draft, but that didn’t stop him from signing with Kootenay and appearing in 259 games over four seasons in the WHL, with the Ice and Seattle Thunderbirds.

What’s most amazing is that Philp is following in the path of his older brother, Luke Philp, who also grew up in Canmore, played in the WHL with the Ice, went undrafted and attended the University of Alberta before playing his regular season in the NHL. debuted on January 24, 2023 as a member of the Chicago Blackhawks.

Luke would only appear for two more regular season games with the Blackhawks; however, the last one will be on March 11, 2023. He has not played in the NHL since and is currently in the AHL with the Hershey Bears.

If he wants to stay in the NHL longer than his brother, Noah needs to make a positive impression every chance he gets. Mission accomplished Thursday. Now his story continues on Sunday (November 3) when the Oilers visit the Calgary Flames.