Isaak Phillips

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 publically 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. He has a calmness to his game that was beneficial when playing with fellow draft-eligible defender Jack Thompson. His defensively focused game perfectly foiled Thompson’s tendency to be a bit 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 of the tools to be an effective defender who can play on the penalty kill. He understands his role and plays it well. Tony Ferrari