​It appears as though former Edmonton Oilers forward Noah Philp is retiring from hockey. According to a report from HV71, Philp has broken his contract with HV71 and is ending his hockey career. “I really want to apologize to HV71 and all involved regarding the timing of my decision, but I have decided to stop playing hockey. My motivation for hockey is not fully there, and I’d rather be completely honest than not be fully invested in playing,” says Philp.
ℹ️ Noah Philp bryter sitt kontrakt med HV71 och avslutar hockeykarriären.🗨️ “Jag ber verkligen om ursäkt till HV71 och samtliga involverade kring tajmingen av mitt beslut, men jag har dock beslutat mig för att sluta spela hockey. Min motivation för hockeyn är inte där fullt ut… pic.twitter.com/L2xUhhRjqx— HV71 (@HV71) August 7, 2026Philp, 27, played for the Oilers and most recently the Carolina Hurricanes organization (Chicago Wolves in the AHL). He signed a 1+1 year deal with HV71 in the Swedish SHL on June 24. He was billed as a big, physical center who’d become an important two-way player for the club.This isn’t the first time Philp has stepped away — after a strong rookie AHL season with 37 points in 70 games for Bakersfield in the Oilers’ system, he abruptly left hockey entirely for the 2023-24 season, citing a need to focus on life outside the game. He came back for 2024-25, impressed enough to earn an NHL call-up with Edmonton. He wasn’t able to crack the lineup regularly before being waived and picked up by the Hurricanes.Reactions to the news on their post suggests the club is now left scrambling. They reportedly had strong conversations with Philp over the summer about the move to Sweden, so the news came as a surprise. There is only a month and a half until the SHL season opener, and they’re without a top center. Reactions are mixed. Some are calling out Philp for committing to the team and then bailing. Others are saying it’s a setback but if he’s not prioritizing hockey, why beg him to stay? One fan wrote, “Unfortunately, it’s a setback for us because we have far too many players in the squad who can’t hold up in the SHL. But I still think we should respect him for making an attempt and for prioritizing his family above all in this situation.”Same Bet, Different Odds?: Comparing the Penguins’ Koivunen Gamble To The Oilers’ Frederic BetPittsburgh and Edmonton are locking in long-term bets over proven production, banking on rising salary caps to mask the high-stakes risk of missing big on unestablished middle-six forwards.Bookmark The Hockey News Edmonton Oilers team site to never miss the latest news, game-day coverage, and more. Add us to your Google News favourites, and never miss a story.