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Hurricanes waive 27-year-old centerman, and the Penguins should take a peek
Photo credit: James Guillory-Imagn Images
Noah Philp hit NHL waivers Wednesday, and a Metro rival just handed the Pittsburgh Penguins a possible cheap depth swing.
Carolina put Philp on the wire on 01/28/2026, which is the kind of quiet move that can matter in March.
Philp is 27, shoots right, and plays center or right wing.
He's also undrafted, which matters only because he's had to earn every rung the hard way.
His cap hit is $775,000 and he's set to be a UFA in 2026, so any claim is low-commitment and easy to unwind.
The waiver chatter started making the rounds fast.
The big context is health, Philp was placed on injured reserve with a concussion on January 16, and now he's on waivers, with reporting suggesting he's no longer in protocol.
That "why now" timing feels like a roster squeeze in Carolina, not a total write-off.
Noah Philp gives Pittsburgh Penguins a low-risk center option
As a Pens fan, I'm tired of watching other teams find usable bottom-six pieces on the margins while Pittsburgh plays it safe.
On the ice, Philp has 2-1-3 in 15 NHL games this season with Edmonton, plus two scoreless games with Carolina after the earlier claim.
He's not coming in to fix the top-six. He's a "can he survive fourth-line minutes" bet.
The appeal is role clarity: right-shot center depth, faceoff support, and a body you can spot on the penalty kill if the details are there.
If the Penguins think there's even a chance he sticks, you claim him now and sort the rest out later.
This is exactly the kind of division-revenge move that doesn't cost picks, only a roster decision.
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| POLL | ||
JANVIER 28|138 ANSWERS Hurricanes waive 27-year-old centerman, and the Penguins should take a peek Should the Pittsburgh Penguins claim Noah Philp off waivers? | ||
| Yes | 46 | 33.3 % |
| No | 92 | 66.7 % |
| List of polls | ||