The Washington Capitals have inked forward Luke Philp to a one-year, two-way deal worth $775,000 at the NHL level and $375,000 at the AHL level, and forward Spencer Smallman to a similar one-year, two-way contract valued at $775,000 in the NHL and $350,000 in the AHL, as announced Tuesday by president and general manager Brian MacLellan.
Philp, 28, amassed six points (2g, 4a) and a +3 plus/minus rating over 15 regular-season games with the Rockford IceHogs (AHL) in the 2023-24 season, following an injury that sidelined him for the first 57 games. Standing 5’10” and weighing 181 pounds, Philp played 60 regular-season games with Rockford in the 2022-23 season, setting AHL career highs with 29 goals, 24 assists, and 54 points.
He led the IceHogs in goals and was third in points. Over 223 career AHL games with Rockford and the Stockton Heat, Philp has accumulated 151 points (79g, 72a) and a +45 plus/minus rating. Philp has nine points (2g, 7a) in 19 career Calder Cup Playoff games. The Canmore, Alberta native appeared in three games with the Chicago Blackhawks in the 2022-23 season, recording one assist.
Smallman, 28, tallied 21 points (12g, 9a) in 53 games with the Colorado Eagles (AHL) in 2023-24. His 16.9 shooting percentage (12 goals on 71 shots) ranked second on the team, while his 53 penalty minutes were sixth. The 6’1”, 198-pound forward played in 61 regular-season games with Colorado in the 2022-23 season, notching 26 points (13g, 13a). His 13 goals were fourth on the Eagles and a career-high.
In the 2021-22 season, Smallman recorded a career-high 27 points (10g, 17a) in 65 regular-season games with the Chicago Wolves (AHL) and contributed six points (2g, 4a) in 18 playoff games to help the Wolves win the 2022 Calder Cup championship. Drafted by the Carolina Hurricanes in the fifth round (138th overall) of the 2015 NHL Draft, Smallman has 95 points (38g, 57a) in 244 career AHL games with Colorado, Chicago, and the Charlotte Checkers, and seven points (3g, 4a) in 26 career Calder Cup Playoff games.
By Della Young
