[Report] Phillips to have No. 4 retired by Senators

[Rubik]

https://www.nhl.com/news/senators-to-retire-chris-phillips-no-4/c-309786400

 

Quote

Phillips to have No. 4 retired by Senators

Defenseman will be honored Feb. 18, 2020

by Callum Fraser / NHL.com Independent Correspondent

October 6th, 2019

 

OTTAWA -- Chris Phillips will have his No. 4 retired by the Ottawa Senators later this season.

 

"That's not even on the radar, for that to happen," he said Saturday at Canadian Tire Centre. "Obviously, your dream growing up is to win a Stanley Cup. And that's really all that really matters. You never thought of retiring your jersey or anything like that. But as you get older, as you see that happen with [Daniel Alfredsson], guys you played with, that becomes a 'maybe' or a 'what if' or a 'wouldn't that be cool.' And to be there among the best that ever played for this team and be in the same sentence feels very special."

 

The defenseman played a Senators-record 1,179 NHL games, finishing with 288 points (71 goals, 217 assists) in 17 seasons. He was the No. 1 pick in the 1996 NHL Draft and played his final NHL game on Feb. 5, 2015.

 

The ceremony will take place before the game against the Buffalo Sabres on Feb. 18, 2020. It will be the third number retired by Ottawa, joining the No. 8 of Frank Finnigan (1923-34) and the No. 11 of Alfredsson (1995-2013).

 

"Honestly, I looked at my calendar, and none of the kids had any minor hockey going on," Phillips said. "Lucky. I was like, 'That's a free night.' So it's perfect."

 

The Senators made the announcement before their home opener against the New York Rangers, when Phillips walked to center ice for the ceremonial puck drop. The 41-year-old said he found out about 3-4 weeks ago but kept it under wraps.

 

"Somehow, given today's social media and the lack of secrets that went around, even today, my mom actually happened to be in the stands and she did not know until she saw the video when I walked out on the ice," Phillips said. "So to be able to keep that a surprise, I went up there after and there were a few tears. That was pretty special that she could be here for that announcement and have no idea about it."

 

Phillips played all but 16 games in nine seasons from 2003-13. He had NHL career highs with eight goals, 18 assists, 26 points and a plus-36 rating in 2006-07, when the Senators lost the Stanley Cup Final to the Anaheim Ducks.

 

"I look at that whole run right from my very first year, I think for 12 or 13 years making the playoffs every single year," Phillips said. "I guess that speaks to how I felt as a player, that it was a team first."

 

 

 

Edited October 6, 2019 by Rubik

[-AJ-]

Definitely deserved. He was never a star, but if you play 17 seasons for one NHL team, you'll be honoured in some way.

[elvis15]

48 minutes ago, -AJ- said:

Definitely deserved. He was never a star, but if you play 17 seasons for one NHL team, you'll be honoured in some way.

Agreed. Solid career.

[King Heffy]

Great career for a solid team guy.  Love seeing defensive defensemen recognized.

[b3.]

They used to have quite the defensive core.

[Coconuts]

Phillips is the rare player who wasn't a star to have his number retired. Even rarer considering his calling cards were his toughness and defensive play. 

 

He's one of the few Senators worthy of having his number in the rafters tbh. 

[Alflives]

 Seriously    What the heck?  Phillips is getting his number retired?    Ottawa is a friggin’ joke.  

[-AJ-]

36 minutes ago, Alflives said:

 Seriously    What the heck?  Phillips is getting his number retired?    Ottawa is a friggin’ joke.  

I challenge you to find any player who played for a single organization for 17 years who doesn't have their jersey number retired. Phillips earned this fair and square with a long-hard working career. No jokes here.

 

...Melnyk these days though...there might be something there.

[King Heffy]

2 hours ago, Alflives said:

 Seriously    What the heck?  Phillips is getting his number retired?    Ottawa is a friggin’ joke.  

Adam Foote is a good comparable in Colorado and his jersey is in the rafters.

[Iron Fist]

53 minutes ago, King Heffy said:

Adam Foote is a good comparable in Colorado and his jersey is in the rafters.

2 cups

[-AJ-]

1 hour ago, internationalhippy said:

2 cups

Joe Sakic, Peter Forsberg, Ray Bourque, and Patrick Roy. Not saying Foote didn't play his part, but you can't honestly compare the Avs of those days to the mid 2000s Senators.

[apollo]

16 hours ago, internationalhippy said:

2 cups

Colorado was spending 60+ million back in those days and Ottawa was around 25 mill. That doesn't make Phillips any less of a player than Foote. In fact I'd say he was better and more deserving of a jersey retirement. 

 

I have little to no respect for those $ stacked teams that won cups before the salary cap Era. 

 

For example the 2002 Detroit team that beat Vancouver was spending 65 mill when we were at 28 mill. We had poor owners and our city wasn't rich. 

 

Funny how now Vancouver has become a rich city and Detroit is in third world conditions. 

 

 

[Bure_Pavel]

If Edler hits the 1000 games mark with the Canucks does he get his jersey retired?

Edited October 7, 2019 by Bure_Pavel

[250Integra]

19 hours ago, -AJ- said:

I challenge you to find any player who played for a single organization for 17 years who doesn't have their jersey number retired. Phillips earned this fair and square with a long-hard working career. No jokes here.

 

...Melnyk these days though...there might be something there.

Kris Draper

[-AJ-]

2 hours ago, 250Integra said:

Kris Draper

Cheers...you've got me there. I guess Detroit has such a storied history that the standard is higher for them.

[kingfreako]

On 10/6/2019 at 8:17 PM, -AJ- said:

I challenge you to find any player who played for a single organization for 17 years who doesn't have their jersey number retired. Phillips earned this fair and square with a long-hard working career. No jokes here.

Henrik and Daniel? LOL (as of right now at least!)

[HKSR]

Not sure if I fully agree about him having his number retired.  Yes, he played a long time with the Sens, but honestly, when I think of the Sens of old, no disrespect to Chris Phillips, but his name doesn't even come to mind.  I think of Dany Heatley, Jason Spezza, and Alexei Yashin before I think Phillips. 

 

Also, I might be in the minority here, but I completely forgot that this guy was also a No. 1 overall pick!  Always thought he was picked in the Top 5, but not #1 OA. 

[N7Nucks]

On 10/7/2019 at 3:54 PM, Bure_Pavel said:

If Edler hits the 1000 games mark with the Canucks does he get his jersey retired?

Would need 3 more seasons. At least. I dunno. I’d say no. But maybe. Tough to say. 3 more seasons also puts him at 17 years (I think) with this team. Some people got up in their feels about Nazzy’s number being retired. Imagine it’ll be a tougher sell with Edler. 

[Bure_Pavel]

29 minutes ago, N7Nucks said:

Would need 3 more seasons. At least. I dunno. I’d say no. But maybe. Tough to say. 3 more seasons also puts him at 17 years (I think) with this team. Some people got up in their feels about Nazzy’s number being retired. Imagine it’ll be a tougher sell with Edler. 

Will be the franchise #1 D man in games played, goals, assists, and points. There should be at least a discussion. 

[N7Nucks]

Just now, Bure_Pavel said:

Will be the franchise #1 D man in games played, goals, assists, and points. There should be at least a discussion. 

Team hasn’t had any truly great D-men. The few we did we didn’t have long. There will be discussion I doubt it’ll lead to anything more than ring on honour.