Jets sign goalie prospect Jamie Phillips to ELC

The Winnipeg Jets have signed goalie prospect Jamie Phillips to an Entry Level Contract. Sources have not opened to Jets Nation with the AAV of the signing. The contract will be two-way with two years of term as set by the CBA for 23-year-old players signing their first NHL contract. 

Let’s take a look at Phillips.

Phillips was drafted in the seventh round, 190th overall, by the Winnipeg Jets in the 2012 NHL Entry Draft. He then played four seasons in the NCAA, playing the first two as Michigan Tech’s backup and then taking the starter role for the next two.

Phillips struggled as a back up, but he found his grove as a starter. The goaltender put up back-to-back seasons of 0.933 and 0.922 save percentage. After his first season as a starter, he was nominated to the WCHA’s First All-Star Team. In his second year, he was nominated to the WCHA’s All-Academic Team and the Second All-Star Team, while winning WCHA’s Oustanding Student-Athlete of the Year.

Over his NCAA career, Phillips played 99 games, stopped 92.2 percent of 2409 shots, and posted a 57-25-8 record.

Phillips appears to have grown since being drafted and listed at 6’1 and 170 lbs. The Michigan Tech’s website now lists Phillips as 6’3, although only 175 lbs. Phillips still will need to grow a bit into his frame, and at 23 there may be limited filling out.

The Jets have quite the depth at goaltending currently in pro, and so Phillips steps behind Ondrej Pavelec, Michael Hutchinson, Connor Hellebuyck, and Eric Comrie. Phillips will likely start in the ECHL, but he may back up the AHL if the Jets decide to keep Hellebuyck in the NHL and one of Hutchinson or Pavelec is traded or lost to waivers.