Capitals' Phillips: Sutter's treatment of me was 'blown out of proportion'

Matthew Phillips says the way Darryl Sutter treated him last season was made into a bigger story than it should've been.

"I definitely think my situation was blown out of proportion," the Washington Capitals forward said of the way the ex-Calgary Flames head coach treated him with their former team, according to Sportsnet's Eric Francis. "Personally, there was nothing that crossed the line or that (made me feel) disrespected. There was just not much communication. But everyone has their coaching style, and that was his."

Phillips excelled in the AHL in 2022-23, but the Flames didn't call him up until Dec. 8, when he was leading the league in points and tied for the lead in goals. Sutter praised the then-24-year-old prospect at the time, saying he "deserved the opportunity to get called up" and that he's "an awesome kid" with "an awesome skill set" who's "a really good competitor."

However, he also expressed concern about Phillips' size (5-foot-8 and 160 pounds) and ultimately played him for just two games before Calgary sent him back to the farm club for the rest of the campaign on Dec. 24, just over two weeks after he was originally recalled.

Phillips played only 9:21 in his first NHL game of the season and just 8:43 in the second one. He finished second in AHL goal-scoring (36) and fifth in points (76) in 2022-23. Phillips then signed a one-year contract for the NHL minimum ($775,000) with the Capitals as a free agent in July.

"I was definitely open to anything after the season ended, but I just felt like I owed it to myself to kind of explore a different opportunity, and when these guys approached me, it felt like a great chance," he said.

Phillips won't have to wait long to play against his former team, as Washington will host Calgary on Monday night.

"It's pretty unique that we're playing the Flames the second game of the season, and I'm excited - hopefully, I'm in the lineup," he said. "It's kind of weird, actually, as I know pretty much the whole team and have a lot of friends and great relationships."

Phillips, who was born and raised in Calgary, spent seven years in the Flames' organization after they drafted him 166th overall in 2016. He made his NHL debut in May 2021, but that was the only game he played at the highest level that season. Phillips then broke out by producing 31 goals and 37 assists in 65 games with the club's AHL affiliate in 2021-22.