Isaak Phillips

June 2025 – Phillips is a restricted free agent. His last contract, signed initially with the Chicago Blackhawks before being traded to the Winnipeg Jets organization, expired at the end of the 2024-25 season. Since the 2021-22 season, Phillips has played in 56 NHL games; it remains to be seen whether the Winnipeg Jets will offer him a contract, as there does not appear to be a clear path to NHL playing time for Phillips on defense at the NHL level with the Jets. Phillips might be better suited to sign elsewhere with a different organization. Mark Henry

January 2025 – The Winnipeg Jets acquired Phillips from the Chicago Blackhawks on January 15, 2025, for defenseman Dmitri Kuzmin. Phillips played three games with the Blackhawks during the 2024-25 season, scoring one goal. He played in 28 AHL games with the Rockford IceHogs this season; he had eight points (one goal and seven assists) in 28 games. Mark Henry

October 2020 – Phillips was drafted 141st overall by the Blackhawks. Phillips is expected to spend two more years in the OHL before turning pro. Jokke Nevalainen

September 2020 – Isaak Phillips doesn’t get a lot of love publicly because he plays a quiet game defensively and moves the puck to his playmakers. He is a pass-first blueliner who stuffs transitions with his excellent stick and good gap coverage. He is a strong skater who works off his edges quite well to elude forecheckers. His game is calm, which was beneficial when playing with fellow draft-eligible defender Jack Thompson. His defensively focused game perfectly foiled Thompson’s tendency to be more of a risk-taker. He has a bomb for a shot, and when he gets it off, he can create havoc in front of the net as his shot often generates rebounds around the net. He may be a player who falls a bit on draft day, but he has all the tools to be an effective defender who can play on the penalty kill. He understands his role and plays it well. Tony Ferrari